From the Mayor's Desk

Isn’t it great to be in Level 2!

Level 2 provided the opportunity for some of our local businesses to reopen and bring in some much needed cash flow.

It also gave me the opportunity to spend time in Bulls, Taihape and across the district again, which was impossible during lockdown.

I have spent the last few weeks phoning around our businesses seeing how they are and asking if there are areas where Council may help. If we haven’t reached out to you and you want to talk to me or any of the councillors, please do so, we are only too happy to visit or speak to you; this can be done in confidence if you prefer.

This week myself and Chief Executive, Peter Beggs, went on site to see progress at the new Bulls Community Centre, it was fantastic to see tradespeople back on site and work proceeding at pace.

It’s exciting to see the building take shape. The construction phase is due to be finished within the next seven weeks. Following that there will be a fit-out stage, which involves moving the library, including all the books, to the new premises, exterior decoration work on car park, town square areas.

We acknowledge the Bulls project has had its issues and problems that were then compounded by COVID-19, it has been frustrating at times but the support that the community has given to the new Centre is really appreciated; Bulls and our District will very soon have a fantastic facility which Im sure we will all be very proud of.

On a really positive note, I was recently advised that Rangitikei District Council was one of four rural councils that will receive $100,000 from Central Government, to be part of a pilot programme to assist people into employment. This was initiated through an organisation called the Mayoral Taskforce for Jobs, of which I am a member. It was great to be given the opportunity to be part of this pilot, if it is successful there may be the opportunity for further funding.

Again I give my personal thanks to everyone involved in our response to COVID-19, especially the staff of our Council. It has been a difficult few months, but we had, and will continue to have, the strength to get through this together.

Mayor Andy Watson