News in brief
Local Government Commission
The Commission received about 450 submissions on the proposal for the union of Nelson City and Tasman District. The submissions have been forwarded to the representative of electors who has an opportunity to withdraw the proposal. Submitters will be advised if the proposal is withdrawn.
If the proposal is not withdrawn, the Commission has made arrangements to meet with those submitters who indicated they wished to speak to it. These hearings are open to the public and the media
A full set of submissions (including a contents page) is available on the Commission’s website www.lgc.govt.nz. Public reference booklets containing the full set of submissions are held at Golden Bay Service Centre and Golden Bay Memorial Library.
The process after hearings:
• The Commission may carry out other investigations and inquiries so that it has enough information on which to make a decision.
• The Commission then decides whether to issue a draft reorganisation scheme (based on the proposal or on a modification or variation of the proposal) or to not proceed with the proposal.
• If the Commission issues a draft reorganisation scheme it invites submissions on the draft scheme. The scheme includes the detail of how a proposal would be implemented.
• The Commission considers submissions received on the draft. It then decides whether to issue a final reorganisation scheme based on the draft scheme (with or without modifications) or to decline to proceed with the scheme.
• If the Commission issued a final reorganisation scheme, two polls are held, one poll of the electors of Nelson City and one poll of the electors of Tasman District.
• If polls are required, a final scheme would be put into effect if a majority of those who vote in each poll are in favour of the final scheme.
Submitted
Enterprising Rural Women Award
Entries are open for Rural Women NZ’s Enterprising Rural Women Award 2011.
“The Award celebrates women who take on the extra challenge of running a business in a rural area and it’s a great opportunity to boost your business profile,” says RWNZ national president Liz Evans.
Past entrants have received extensive media coverage and seen the positive effects on their businesses.
Last year’s supreme winner, Tineke Verkade, of Homeopathic Farm Support Limited, says winning the 2010 RWNZ Enterprising Rural Women Award has led to three appearances on television, as well as radio shows and numerous newspaper articles throughout the country.
“Winning the award was really a boost for the staff and for me.”
She says it has made her more enthusiastic and given her the confidence to come up with strategies to cope with the recession, including new products that are currently being tested by Massey, and writing a book on homeopathy for horses.
Last year’s South Island winner, Tracey Robinson, who runs children’s merino sock company Cosy Toes Ltd from the tiny town of Rotherham in North Canterbury, says her win has had a very positive spin off.
“I’m definitely busier because of it.”
The awards are being sponsored this year by Telecom and Access Homehealth Ltd, who will both be involved in the judging.
Entries close Friday 18 March 2011 and the ceremony will take place in Auckland in May, when the North and South Island winners will find out who will take away the Supreme Award.
Further information and entry forms can be found on the Rural Women New Zealand website www.ruralwomen.org.nz <http://www.ruralwomen.org.nz/> or by calling 04 473 5524.
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