As local elections approach, Raglan Community Board Chair Dennis Amoore is urging Waikato District Council to listen more carefully to its communities and take a long-term view when it comes to planning for Whāingaroa’s future.
In an interview on Raglan Community Radio, Dennis reflected on the current term, the challenges of getting Council support and the need for better direction, transparency and investment.
Wastewater plant invite omission ‘a kick in the guts’
Dennis expressed disappointment that no Community Board members were invited to the upcoming opening of the upgraded wastewater treatment plant.
“To me, it’s really a kick in the guts because I think it reflects just how little importance Council places on the Community Board and the role of the Community Board,” he said.
He noted that fellow Board member Chris Rayner had worked on wastewater issues for several years and should have at least been included.
“We have asked that we get at least one invitation once someone gets invited because Chris has done a lot of work in the background.”
Dennis said the omission felt casual rather than deliberate, which in some ways made it worse.
“It wasn’t done in a mean spirit. It was just done casually.”
Calls for clarity on alcohol ban and freedom camping overlap
Dennis discussed recent hearings on Raglan’s alcohol bylaw and how concerns from residents of James Street had highlighted the connection between freedom camping behaviour and public safety.
Several people from the Raglan community made submissions about the issues they’ve been having on James Street, he said. “It’s more the freedom campers.”
He said intoxicated visitors had caused problems near the women’s retreat home including shouting and urinating in public.
Dennis confirmed the Community Board had asked Council to reduce the extent of the summer alcohol ban zone which stretches from the Wharf to the school and through the town centre. However, he said the apparent changes to the map may have been misleading.
“They did seem to recognise the comments made by the Community Board… I thought they had reduced it but off the top of my head I can’t actually remember what was on the plan when I looked at it after they changed it.”
Board members had previously raised concerns about how the Wharf had been included given the area’s use as a shared public space. Dennis said many in the community wanted to be able to enjoy the waterfront without heavy restrictions.
“It’d be nice to be able to sit there and have a wine or a beer or something as well. But whether it goes that far, who knows?”
Wainui Reserve long-term plan underway
Dennis confirmed that consultants CKL have been appointed to lead the 30-year plan for Wainui Reserve with iwi, Council and himself on the working committee. CKL is beginning initial engagement with stakeholders who currently use the reserve followed by public consultation later this year.
“They’ll go out and talk to all those first and then we’ll get an interim report. Then they’ll go out to the general public.”
He encouraged the community to be visionary in thinking about the reserve’s future.
“We’ve got to think right outside the square. Is it sports fields? Is it an environmental area? Is it gardens? Is it forestry? Is it grazing cows? Picnic tables? We’ve got to think globally about what other people do on big reserves.”
Dennis said the land is large enough to support multiple ideas including education-focused projects like a model permaculture farm.
“If you did a permaculture thing then you could include the educational side into that for schools and various other things.”
Raglan still waiting for a spatial plan
Dennis said it remained frustrating that Raglan has not yet been given a proper spatial plan by Council despite continued growth and pressure on infrastructure.
“We definitely need a spatial plan,” he said. “I’m really surprised that places like Taupiri and Hopuhopu got priority over Raglan.”
He added that without long-term planning in place developers and Council will continue making decisions without strong community direction.
“Developers will just continue to do what they want to do unless we have some better planning.”
Plastic fibres and the footbridge wall incident
Dennis commented on the recent environmental concern raised in local media after plastic fibres appeared near the new retaining wall beside the footbridge. The fibres had come loose from shotcrete applied during construction.
“Some of the fibres obviously came to the surface and became loose,” he said. “Now once the concrete is set and solid there are fibres still sticking out but when you give them a good yank they don’t come free. They’ve burnt all those off.”
He was surprised by how much media coverage the issue attracted and was unsure how reporters knew to attend a private site meeting.
“It was as if the media knew the meeting was going to happen. I don’t know how that was arranged or who the hell arranged that. That sort of raised my hackles a little bit.”
While Dennis said the use of plastic or fibreglass fibres in shotcrete was not unusual he acknowledged the incident highlighted how slowly and indirectly information sometimes flowed through Council systems.
Communication restrictions during the election period
Dennis noted that during the election period Board members have been told to route all queries through the executive leadership team rather than contacting staff directly.
“There was some email that did come through along those lines. We need to feed any queries going forward during the election period through the executive team.”
He acknowledged that formal communication processes are important but said the Community Board had built strong relationships with staff over the years and that most queries were simply on behalf of the community.
Community funding, lighting and infrastructure
Dennis said the Board’s decision to cap discretionary grants at $1,000 had allowed more local groups to receive support.
“At least it gives us the opportunity for a lot more organisations to come and get a little bit of money out of us.”
He mentioned Whāingaroa Weedbusters and Te Mata Hall as recent examples of groups that used Community Board support to apply for larger grants.
Lighting under the footbridge and along the Papahua walkway remains patchy. Dennis confirmed some repairs had been made but budget constraints meant full replacement hadn’t gone ahead.
“It’s a safety thing,” he said. “It’s pretty dark along there. We need to get some money put into the budget somewhere along the line to get those upgraded.”
Standing again for the Community Board
Dennis confirmed he is standing for re-election and said that while the Board is winding down ahead of the election there is still more work to be done.
“We have actually achieved a few things in Raglan,” he said. “There’s a few things that still need to be completed that we’ve all got an interest in.”
Nominations for the 2025 local elections have now closed. There will be a contest for both the Raglan Community Board and the Whāingaroa General Ward seat. Nine candidates have put their names forward for the Community Board, where six positions are available. Two candidates are standing for councillor, meaning a vote will also be held for the ward seat.
Dennis said he welcomed the contest and looked forward to continuing the work the Board had started if re-elected.