Support Your Local Wellsford wish you all a very Happy New Year.

As we look back on the year, we reflect on the myriads of activities and initiatives that have brought us closer as a community. From organizing events to addressing local concerns, our collective efforts have been crucial in enhancing the quality of life in our beloved Wellsford.

Our efforts to facilitate communication between residents and local authorities have been instrumental in addressing these concerns. By organizing regular public meetings and providing platforms for feedback, we have ensured that the voices of Wellsford's citizens are heard, and their needs are met.

Additionally, our dedicated team has worked tirelessly to follow up on reported issues, ensuring timely resolutions and keeping the community informed every step of the way.

One of our proudest achievements this year was the successful collaboration with locals to revitalize the town center. The colorful bench seats with planters installed have not only beautified Wellsford but also fostered a sense of pride and identity among residents. Additionally, our team has worked tirelessly to promote local businesses, ensuring they thrive and contribute to the vibrant local economy.

Looking ahead, we have several exciting projects in the pipeline. Our ongoing partnership with the council aims to improve infrastructure and public amenities, making Wellsford an even more attractive place to live and visit. We have also laid the groundwork for new community programs that will provide support and opportunities for all age groups, from youth engagement initiatives to senior wellness programs.

We have realised that jobs with Auckland Council (AC), Auckland Transport (AT), New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) can take up to 18 months before the job gets started (unless urgent), so please bear with us. We do our best and keep up with correspondence and updates as much as possible, but these companies are not always that helpful in returning emails.

Port Albert Wharf Reserve is now ready for activities barbecues, playgrounds, swimming, and boating. The community plans to fundraise for extending the carpark for boat trailers, reshaping the two ramps, refurbishing the wharf or replacing it with a floating wharf, and adding a pontoon by one of the ramps for swimmers and boats.

Port Albert Reserve now includes a new multi-sport tennis court (to be completed soon), an upgraded carpark and bollards, and a path connecting the grandstand to the toilets. The council is also considering improvements to the grandstand, hopefully 2025 project.

Te Hana will get a new playground near the hall and on both sides of the road. The drainage system will be upgraded to improve appearance and safety, making Te Hana comparable to other Auckland neighbourhood's by eliminating unsightly drains and ensuring safe roadside parking.

Wellsford subdivisions have gained interest, but progress is slow. Development relies on Wellsford's infrastructure completion, or developers must install temporary wastewater and water supply systems until they can connect to the council infrastructure.

The Kiwi Rail vegetation corridor was cleared by rail contractors. The area behind the toilets, police, ambulance, and fire station will now be maintained by the KiwiRail team. All bamboo was removed, and locals conducted a thorough clean-up a couple of years ago. Thanks to Kiwi Rail for helping keep the town tidy.

Roading Corridors and Footpaths: Our Local Board member has made significant strides in enhancing our roading and footpath infrastructure. Despite the small population in rural areas, Mr. Smith has successfully implemented these improvements throughout his nine-year tenure in advocacy. He intends to serve for an additional three years to finalize ongoing projects.

The roads that have been improved are various round town. These initiatives have encompassed maintenance, filling potholes, applying Polycom surfaces, and sealing. Mr. Smith is committed to continuing efforts to complete the sealing of roads around the town and to enhance critical routes to ensure improved connectivity in case of highway accidents.

Road surface: The two red poles mark where Auckland Transport's Polycom roading surface starts and ends. This surface aims to reduce dust. Has it been effective? Feedback from residents suggests it has not.

The product costs $1000.00 per litre and requires 30 litres per kilometer, totaling $30,000 for dust and road stabilization. Despite its inefficacy on our roads, Auckland Transport ignores community feedback from experienced road workers.

Motorway from Warkworth to Wellsford: Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced the indicative route for the Government’s Warkworth to Wellsford section of the Puhoi to Wellsford Road of National Significance. The project aims to reduce travel time between Warkworth and Te Hana by bypassing town centres and avoiding the steep and winding Dome Valley. The straighter road alignment is expected to lower the high crash rate.

The motorway will travel west of Warkworth, and east of both Wellsford and Te Hana, reconnecting with State Highway 1 north of Mangawhai Road. It is anticipated that the motorway will provide benefits for local communities. Three interchanges will connect the motorway with Warkworth, Wellsford at Wayby Valley Road, and Te Hana at Mangawhai Road. Both Highways 1 and 16 enter Wellsford, so the new motorway is not expected to slow down travelers to Wellsford. Wellsford will remain the halfway point between Auckland central and Whangarei.

The first phase of work began at the end of September and will continue until January 2025. Watch this space.

Community participation is vital to our success. We appreciate the inspiring dedication of our volunteers.

In terms of environmental conservation, our efforts have not gone unnoticed. We initiated a tree-planting campaign that saw many trees planted across the community, contributing to the beautification and ecological health of Wellsford.

Sports We thank the local sports clubs and recreational groups for promoting a healthy and active community. Their events have encouraged camaraderie and offered fitness opportunities for all ages. Support Your Local sponsored the netball and soccer events this year looking at other sporting areas for 2025.

Rubbish Collection Changes: The council will start rates-funded rubbish collections in Rodney in September 2025, where the northern ward currently lacks this service. Northland Waste manages orange bags or bins, while Auckland Council handles bottle recycling.

The council has postponed the shift from weekly to fortnightly collections to trial the idea before a potential citywide rollout in 2028 due to mixed views and concerns. You can stay with your current provider but watch for extra charges on your rates if not using council services.

The household charge is $174.77 for a standard 120-litre bin. Optional bins include an 80L bin for $145.24 and a 240L bin for $290.09. Only a partial charge will apply for the 2024-25 financial year.

There's concern over whether the council's service will be better than Northland Waste.

We appreciate any feedback on this newsletter and are available to answer your questions. If you have council issues that need attention, please email [email protected] (include a photo and the address or closest street number where the issue is located).