Changes to Council services during lockdown

This applies to kerbside rubbish and recycling, council meetings and governance, excercising dogs, public toilets, building inspections and consents, playgrounds, parks and reserves, road works and water restrictions.

Kerbside rubbish and recycling

From 30 March, all rubbish and recycling are required to be bagged and placed in your recycling wheelie bin and will be collected FORTNIGHTLY. The fortnightly collection will occur on your normal recycling day in your normal recycling week. For more details on rubbish and recycling kerbside collections during the Covid 9 coronavirus Level 4 lockdown period, visit the TCDC website.

From Tuesday 31 March, collections will take place for Whitianga Town and Coromandel Rural North.

If you aren't one of the Thames Coromandel District Council (TCDC) solid waste customers on their collection routes, you will have to continue to dispose of your rubbish and recycling yourself. You can bag your rubbish and take it to one of the Council refuse transfer stations drop-off areas.

Council meetings and governance

Community Board meetings this month are cancelled. Central government passed the COVID-19 (Urgent Management Measures Bill) on Sunday night. 

The Bill allows members to join by audio or audio visual link and be counted to the meeting quorum.  Even if this is precluded by Standing Orders.

The Bill also requires if reasonably practical to have meetings broadcast live, audio or video.  And for Council to do at least one of the following after the meeting:

• Make the recording to be available on our Website; and or
• Make a written summary of the meeting available.

The TCDC have also have created a COVID-19 Response Committee, with a quorum of two members in an effort to enable effective decision making during this period of extreme change.

Dogs

Pets are considered as part of our household bubble. When exercising your dog, you will need to maintain a two-metre distance from others. Keep your dogs on leads, even in Council off-leash areas during this time.

Public Toilets

There are only 22 public toilets open around the district due to decreased level of demand and to limit the transmission of COVID-19. Toilets that are closed will have closed signs on them and the full list of public toilets that remain open can be found here.

Building inspections and enquiries:

All building inspections have ceased until further notice. 

Consents

Building and resource consents are still being processed and Council is still working to meet statutory deadlines. Applications can be tracked online.

Playgrounds, parks and reserves:

Council playgrounds are closed. Council have also closed off park drinking fountains and water sources to minimise the chance for contamination and spread of any germs.

Some areas of our parks and reserves may need to be restricted, or serviced at a lower frequency, to enable contractors to focus on public toilets. Council is maintaining areas of our parks and reserves, including some mowing, however it is likely this will decrease over time.

Road works

Council will continue with any urgent road repairs and fixes. Member so of the public are asked to please contact the Council if you notice any dangerous potholes on Council roads.

Water Restrictions:

Water restrictions are in place but have been reduced and will be reassessed regularly. For updates please see tcdc.govt.nz/water.