Tag: community

Community Board keen to cut Harewood Road cycleway

Commentary: The planned Wheels to Wings cycleway isn’t a priority for the Waimāero/Fendalton-Waimairi-Harewood Community Board. Speaking to Council last week in support of the Board’s Annual Plan submission, Chairman Sam MacDonald asked for this major cycle route to be deferred, “…should that be the community’s preference”.

Sam MacDonald Annual Plan submission
Councillor Glen Livingstone checks that he heard right – does the Community Board want the cycleway deferred?

I’m surprised that a Community Board would frame a proposed cycleway so negatively, while at the same time acknowledging that the community is yet to be consulted on the project. “…the [informal] feedback we get at the moment is that with the pressing needs of the city, that isn’t seen as a priority”. Continue reading “Community Board keen to cut Harewood Road cycleway”

Submission on Christchurch Northern Corridor traffic mitigation

At the start of this week I submitted feedback to Council on the draft Christchurch Northern Corridor (CNC) Downstream Effects Mitigation Plan. The draft plan is no longer open for feedback – I left my response to pretty much the last minute as I’d been waiting on information from the NZ Transport Agency regarding the benefits of the project.

CNC DEMP 1080 sq

In the interests of transparency in light of my Papanui Ward candidacy in the 2019 local government elections, my submission follows: Continue reading “Submission on Christchurch Northern Corridor traffic mitigation”

Exploring Papanui Ward

[2022 update: this article refers to the Papanui Ward boundaries as they existed from 2016 to 2022. Following the Council’s 2021 representation review, changes to boundaries will apply from the 2022 election. Changes are noted in an article published in July 2022.]

Analysis: Papanui Ward is one of 19 wards & subdivisions that the city of Christchurch is divided into for local government representation. It has a population of around 25,000 people and includes a whole lot more than just the suburb of Papanui. It’s where I make my home, where I work, and where my children attend school. It’s also the area of focus for Think Papanui. So, where exactly is Papanui Ward and how do readers know if they’re part of it? Here’s a brief overview and a visual tour of some parts of the Ward.

CCC Papanui Ward map 2016
Papanui Ward (showing the 2016 population of 23,094 people)

Papanui Ward is described in detail on the Christchurch City Council website. (If you want to check what Ward you live in, you can use the Council’s interactive online map.)

Candidates elected to represent the Papanui Ward in 2019 will be part of the Waipapa/Papanui-Innes Community Board, so will be making decisions across a much larger population and geographic area than just Papanui (link to 2016 map). The Papanui Councillor will also be part of decisions that affect the whole city, or parts other than Papanui. Continue reading “Exploring Papanui Ward”

Nor’West News: “Papanui candidates step up for October elections”

Today I’ve announced that I’ll be a Papanui Ward candidate in this year’s local body elections. Thanks Nor’West News for covering this:

Papanui candidates NWN.jpg

The full article also can be found in Continue reading “Nor’West News: “Papanui candidates step up for October elections””

Press release: Simon Britten to stand as a Papanui Ward candidate

11 March 2019

Press release

Simon Britten to stand as a Papanui Ward candidate in the 2019 local body election

Founder and curator of the Think Papanui Simon Britten has today announced that he will be a candidate in the Papanui Ward in the 2019 local body elections.

In 2016 Simon founded the Think Papanui community engagement initiative, and he is still involved on a daily basis. Think Papanui’s aim is to share information on City Council consultations, Community Board agenda items and decisions, local projects in action, and generally what’s happening in the community. “This has helped keep the community informed”, says Simon, “and has also helped me keep in touch with local government and our community”.

Simon values a connected community that cares for all of its members, and is passionate about making a contribution through an elected role in Papanui.

What is a ‘connected community’? Continue reading “Press release: Simon Britten to stand as a Papanui Ward candidate”