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Dear John
It’s been another busy month both in Selwyn, and in parliament –
with a number of local events happening that have been great to
attend.
I have a regular schedule of MPs visiting the district and always
try to hold a public meeting, where possible, so that residents can
come along and hear about the Government’s policy programme. It’s also
a great opportunity to have your say and feedback to us what is
working, and what isn’t.
I have a regular schedule of
Ministers visiting between now and the end of the year so please do
keep an eye on my Facebook page for dates and details – we’d love to
see you!
Hon Chris Penk Public Meeting
Construction is a major economic driver in the Selwyn district, but
the industry has faced significant challenges in recent years.
I recently had the pleasure of hosting Building and Construction
Minister Hon Chris Penk in Rolleston. He met with builders and
developers to discuss the Government's plans to improve regulations
and support growth in the sector.
Given that Selwyn is New Zealand's fastest-growing district, with
thousands of new buildings coming online, it was invaluable for the
Minister to hear directly about the challenges and suggestions that
could shape future government policy. Thanks to everyone for your
input!
Hon Dr Shane Reti Visits Selwyn
Health continues to be one of the biggest areas of concern for New
Zealanders so it was great to have Hon Dr. Shane Reti, the Minister
for Health, visit us in Selwyn.
Dr. Reti met with medical practitioners from around the district to
discuss our area's needs and explore ways the Government can offer
better support.
These conversations are crucial for making real improvements and
enhancing our community’s health services.
Christchurch Kerala Association
I was thrilled to attend the Christchurch Kerala Association’s Onam
Celebration recently.
It was my fourth time enjoying this fantastic event at the Lincoln
Events Centre. Every year, Onam bursts with vibrant colours, rich
traditions, and that warm, community feel of Kerala.
It was great to be part of the celebration and connect with such an
incredible bunch of people. Here’s to a wonderful Onam for everyone
involved!
Prebbleton School’s cultural narrative
A huge thank you to Prebbleton School for having me at the
unveiling of their cultural narrative mural.
The students did an amazing job working with a local artist to
capture the history of our area in such vibrant pictures. This mural
is going to tell that story for years to come.
Proposed Changes to Speed Limits to Rolleston
The proposed increase in the speed limit to 110km/h on State
Highway 1/76 Christchurch Southern Motorway to Rolleston aims to
reduce travel times for people traveling to and from Christchurch from
the south. This initiative supports the Government's plan to boost the
economy by cutting travel times and improving efficiency on this
important South Island freight route.
Consultation on the proposal to raise the speed limit - from east
of Curletts Road interchange, Addington, to west of Weedons Road
interchange, Rolleston – will commence on 3 September and conclude on
1 October.
Back to Basics for Local Government
Council rates are set to rise by about 15% this year, which is more
than four times the rate of inflation. This isn’t acceptable. Councils
need to do more to ease the financial pressure on ratepayers by
focusing on essential services like rubbish collection, water
infrastructure, and road repairs.
Our aim is for local councils to prioritise essential services and
deliver them efficiently. We’ll also look into performance measures
for councils and consider options to cap spending on non-essential
projects. These measures will be published regularly to keep
ratepayers informed about their council’s financial management.
We’re also reviewing transparency and accountability rules to
ensure elected council members have the information they need to
represent their communities effectively.
We will consider options for improving the local government system
and will announce final policy decisions later this year.
We are taking steps to help councils focus on the basics and reduce
the cost of living. The four key measures:
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Refocus Local Government Act: Clarify the main goals
for councils.
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Performance Benchmarks: Look into setting performance
standards for councils.
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Control Spending: Explore ways to limit council
spending on non-essential projects.
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Transparency Review: Assess and improve rules for
transparency and accountability.
Coffee Catchups
It was fantastic to visit Kirwee and Darfield recently for coffee
catch-ups.
Selwyn is a large electorate, so it’s crucial for me to take my
office on the road and connect with the community. Hearing directly
from you about the issues that matter most is incredibly valuable.
Thanks for the warm welcome and the great conversations!
I will be hosting two more this month, here are the
details:
Friday 13th September 2024
 Robert Harris, 3 Vemon Drive, Lincoln
 12:15pm - 1:15pm
The Store @ Tai Tapu, 687 Christchurch Akaroa
Road, Tai Tapu
1:30pm - 2:30pm
Special video-message for Emily
Emily Taylor from West Rolleston Primary and her dad recently
visited my office to deliver an important letter to Christopher
Luxon.
Thank you, Emily, for taking the time to write to the Prime
Minister. I hope his answers to your questions are helpful, and good
luck with your studies!
Here is a link to the video
https://www.facebook.com/NicolaGriggSelwyn/videos/587117473668328
Selwyn Local Council Representative Review
On 24 July 2024, Selwyn District Council approved an initial
proposal for our representation arrangements to change to eight
councillors, elected from four wards and no community boards. There
will be other ward boundary changes, and the wards are to be renamed.
I am very concerned that rural communities will no longer be
adequately represented, should these proposals go ahead.
The following excerpt is an important message from Councillors
Lydia Gliddon and Elizabeth Mundt – I encourage anyone living in our
district who might be concerned about council representation to read
and consider it:
“Ward boundaries are supposed to be determined by communities of
interest; however, some have been split to meet the population rule.
Elected members should represent roughly the same number of people
(+/- 10%). Since 2021, our population has grown 13%, and there is now
an uneven number of people that each councillor represents. By
continually changing the ward boundaries are we losing where our
communities consider where they belong? For example, Aylesbury
currently belongs in the Ellesmere ward, this area does not associate
with Ellesmere and have always been affiliated with Malvern, being in
the Kirwee school zone, surely Malvern is their community of
interest?
The main reason given by Council for less councillors is
‘effective’ decision making and increased remuneration – can one
councillor be equitable in making ‘effective’ decisions for 14
communities in one ward? The LGC does not use earnings as a deciding
factor. This factor should be excluded from reasoning, this role is an
act of public service.
Based on the LGC’s Guidelines for undertaking representation
reviews you must take into consideration - communities of interest,
effective representation, and fair representation for electors.
Councillors are the conduit between residents and the working of
council, their main role is making decisions and voting at the council
table, which forms the direction of the district, having a significant
impact on ratepayers and residents. The two Malvern ward councillors
travelled on average 20,000kms in 12 months. Is this fair and
equitable?
If we consider the rural wards growth predictions, and the unique
geography of alpine, rural, and semi urban within the district, how do
we mitigate the concerns raised?
The option given reduces Ellesmere and Malvern from 2 to 1
Councillor in each ward and will disestablish the Malvern Community
Board. The concern here is that both Rolleston and Springs are
predicted to grow at an exponential rate. What does this mean at the
next representation review? The 2021 representation review resulted in
dropping 1 Councillor from the Selwyn Central ward (Rolleston) from 4
to 3, and reduced the boundary size, giving part of this to Ellesmere
and Malvern. Will we end up with further reduced representation for
Malvern and Ellesmere as they may not be able to meet the +/- 10%
population requirement? 65% of respondents from the preliminary
consultation preferred the 4-ward system as fair and effective,
particularly our rural wards.”
Consultation closes 5pm Thursday 12th September- visit
Representation
Review 2024 | Your Say Selwyn
In the news
I recently spoke at the HortNZ conference about Horticulture
exports heading towards $8B
Click
here to read
There are massive market opportunities for the horticulture
industry in Southeast Asia
Click
here to read
The Horticulture sector is going through a very ambitious growth
phase and the Government wants to see it grow.
Click
here to read
I discuss the Opportunities and Challenges for the red meat sector
with plans to invest in science and education, pursue new Free Trade
Agreements and more.
Click
here to read
I address my work-life balance, the challenges of managing
parliamentary duties, the impact of drought, and New Zealand's trade
ambitions.
Click
here to listen
Here to help
As always, my team and I are here and available to help.
You can get in touch with us by emailing [email protected], phone
03 344 2800, or pop into the office in Rolleston Square between Monday
and Fridays, 10:00am - 4:00pm.
Kind regards,
Hon Nicola Grigg
https://www.national.org.nz/nicolagrigg
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