Auckland Council have released their draft emergency budget for the 2020-2021 financial year.This budget reflects expected COVID-19 revenue loss and the impacts of various levels of rate rises of 2.5 per cent and 3.5 per centThis budget is greatly reduced from that previously consulted upon earlier this year. It has significant impacts for Rodney, including up to 20 per cent cuts to the local board's discretionary budgets, and cuts to transport projects, including road sealing.Rodney Local Board transport targeted rates funded projects are safe; the legislation states that the $150 per SUIP collected must be spent in the local board area.Local residents are being asked to give feedback on the budget, which can be found here. Consultation is open from now until midnight June,19.The specific issues they are looking for feedback on are the mayor's recommendations to consider both a 2.5 per cent and 3.5 per cent property rates rise – there is information outlining the potential impact of both options – the extension of our property rates postponement policy to businesses experiencing financial hardship, and the suspension of the Accommodation Provider Targeted Rate, and the expenditure that it would fund, until March 30, 2021.The council expect to make emergency budget decisions by July 16, and formally adopt the emergency budget on July 30, 2020.

You may notice a new feature on the app as of today - “Free Wellbeing Support”Get the help you need to support your emotional wellbeing during COVID-19 through ‘Staying on Track’, a free online course developed by the Wise Group’s ‘Just a Thought’ team in partnership with the Ministry of Health.‘Staying on Track’ is based on cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) principles and is one of the free courses offered by ‘Just a Thought.’The course introduces easy-to-use, practical strategies to cope with the stress and disruption of day-to-day life as an impact of COVID-19. It’s completely free and available to all New Zealanders – all you need is access to the internet and a desktop or mobile device.Through the course you’ll learn how to look after your worry and choose behaviours that will help you and your whānau stay on track.Since Just a Thought’s launch in September last year, over 13,000 New Zealanders have signed up to access a free course. The ‘Staying on Track’ course was launched in mid-April and over 2,100 people have already registered.Here’s what one person had to say about ‘Staying on Track’, “I loved it. Short, practical and anonymous. It suggested strategies that I can include in my everyday life and they don’t take much time or effort.”Access to free digital treatment options ensures you can get the wellbeing support you need, when you need it. If you, a family member or a friend needs emotional and mental health support during this time of uncertainty, click on the Free Wellbeing Support icon at any time to get started.

A british radio and TV star and now Matakana resident has started up an online radio network with over 100 community stations to help restart things in the wake of Covid-19.Noel Edmonds hosted Deal or no Deal in the UK, and had his own show, Noel's house party, before upping sticks and relocating to Matakana last year. The new project, called ‘Positivity Radio’ has 100 stations, each for a different geographic point in New Zealand. What content is played and promoted on the stations is dependent on local interests, which makes it a great way for local businesses to get their names back out there after the setbacks of lockdown."Here in Matakana, it will be the community association, in Warkworth we are talking to the college, which I think is an incredibly exciting dimension to this," Edmonds told Stuff.The non-commercial nature of the stations means that businesses don't have to pay to advertise. The stations play a mix of music, positive messages, and advertisements.There are also stations targeted to the overseas audience, promoting New Zealand as a travel destination in order to give the tourism industry a much needed boost when the borders reopen. The stations are free for whichever communities want them, and their three ambitions are clear: uniting our communities, assisting our businesses, and supporting our people. To find out more about Positivity Radio and to listen, see here.

Local company, Wharehine Construction, has been awarded the contract to build the new 1.35 km Matakana Link Road, which will link State Highway One and Matakana, giving travellers the option to bypass Warkworth and the traffic it accumulates.  Wharehine employs locals and expects 120 staff to be working on the project. Preperation work has started with the bulk of the work to begin in October.  The company was established in 1955, and in 2009 it became wholly owned by four New Zealanders, Rob Gibson, Steve Dodd, Phillip Schmidt and Ant Frith. Locals seem to be thrilled with the decision, one saying, “Finally, and I would say, following many public consultation meetings, AT have recognised the skill and capability of a local contractor. Congrats Wharehine. You have always been a top performer”.The Matakana Link Road project consists of a four-lane road from SH1 to Matakana, and the work will include provision for safe walking and bike riding. AT is also building a new bridge which will involve the removal of vegetation and some replanting. The population of Warkworth and its surrounding areas expected to grow by 20,000 over the next 30 years, and the road aims to facilitate this and improve the efficiency, resilience and safety of the local transport network, including access to and from east coast settlements and beaches. A local company getting the contract is a big win for the area, as it creates jobs and feeds back into the local economy, something we need after the tough first half of the year.

With the move from level three to level two, traffic in our area is getting back to what it once was. Queues in and out of Warkworth are building again, and with the Queen’s Birthday holiday this weekend, we can expect to see the return heavy congestion.Queen’s Birthday weekend last year saw five fatal crashes, and to avoid such tragedies this year, motorists are being reminded to drive carefully and to the conditions. According to NZTA, over 23,000 vehicles travel the route between Puhoi and Warkworth each day with vehicle numbers increasing over long weekends, such as the one ahead. Last year, traffic congestion stretched from Wellsford to Puhoi from 10:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. as everyone headed south on Monday. Traffic on long weekends tends to be heaviest on Friday from early afternoon to evening, and all day Monday.NZTA recommends planning all trips well in advance and avoiding peak traffic times and routes to ensure you get to your destination fast, and safely.Because predicted peak times can change based on incidents, weather and even driver behaviour, the NZTA Journey Planner can be a great tool for accurate information about current road and traffic conditions.State Highway One between Warkworth and Puhoi is notorious for traffic, and due to the number of cars, it is unfortunately also an area that sees a lot of accidents. To combat this, NZTA is proposing to reduce the speed limit from 100 km/h to 80 km/h.In a few years, we will have the new Puhoi to Warkworth motorway, the Matakana Link Road and hopefully the improved Hill Street intersection, hopefully reducing traffic congestion. 

The Women’s Centre Rodney is a Warkworth based charity offering support, resources and skills for women and their children within the Rodney district. They are asking the community for help with their ‘Winter Warmer’ appeal, to help women and families in need during the colder months ahead.During lockdown, many of us had the opportunity to clean out the cupboards and get rid of the stuff taking up space that we no longer use. If you have any new or used blankets, duvets or duvet covers, The Women's Centre Rodney would love to have them. They are also looking for donations of new kids’ pajamas, socks, slippers, hot water bottles and sheets.Donations can be dropped to 10 Morpeth Street, Warkworth, on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays between 9:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. The Women’s Centre Rodney was first established in 1987 by a group of Rodney women who recognised the need for a women-only space in the community. 30 years on, and the charity still focuses on supporting all women as autonomous, self-determining and interdependent within their families, work, cultures, and communities.​This organisation has been supporting the wonderful wahine in the Rodney region for a long time. So, if you have any winter warmers to spare, drop them to The Women's Centre Rodney.

Matakana Cinemas have been preparing for their reopening this Thursday, May 28, and are ready to welcome everyone back to New Zealand's favourite boutique cinema.The three theatres will be operating at a reduced capacity in Covid-19 level two to allow for social distancing between seats and in the foyer. Matakana Cinema has updated their online booking system to include contact tracing, automatic seat spacing between groups and a more contactless option for patrons during their cinema experience.To get everything off to a great start, they have some exciting things in store. To kick things off they will be playing some of the people’s favourites from this year's Oscars, including Parasite, 1917, Ford V. Ferrari and Jojo Rabbit, directed by New Zealand's own Taika Waititi.This Saturday, May 30, will see the beginning of their new event series Talk of the Town, during which films will be introduced by the talent who will also be available for Q&As. The first guest to be presenting will be Rhys Darby, who will be around for the screening of Mosely (New Zealand's first fully 3D animated film, made in Snells Beach) at 2.00 p.m., followed by an introduction of the British crowd-pleaser The Boat that Rocked at 5.00 p.m.There are many exciting things to watch out for, but wait, there's more; all tickets are only $10.00 until June 17.  Check out showing times and book online here. Get in quick, seats will fill up fast.

Queen’s Birthday is being celebrated this weekend, and is likely to bring a lot of human traffic to our little corner of New Zealand. The NZ COVID Tracer app is now up and running and is a great way to keep track of where you've been and who you've been in contact with, especially over a busy weekend like the one ahead. Kiwis who download the NZ Covid Tracer app can create a "digital diary" of the places they visit by scanning QR codes displayed at the entrances to business premises, other organisations and public buildings.People can choose to also register their contact information through the app so the National Close Contact Service (NCCS) can get in touch if it needs to."The contact details are the information, and the only information, that is then held by the Ministry of Health, and by the Ministry only. It is only used if needed for contact tracing," Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield said.Only official Ministry of Health posters will scan, so keep an eye out for the Ministry of Health logo and the words NZ COVID Tracer on the poster. You can see a sample of an official poster in the image below. Download the app at https://tracing.covid19.govt.nz/

This Friday, May 29, the limit on people attending gatherings will move from 10 to 100, although seating requirements remain at bars, cafes and restaurants. These changes will affect gatherings at private residences, weddings, and hospitality venues. On June 8, cabinet will consider a move to alert level one, and make a call no later than June 22, four weeks from today.“We must continue the level of vigilance that has got us here – we are still in a global pandemic,” said Ardern. “But many aspects of life can and should feel much more normal. Let’s not lose that advantage”. She added that “there will continue to be tough times to come for many”.

Bookworms rejoice, Warkworth Library is back open for all your reading needs. Mayor Phil Goff says, “Nearly a quarter of a million Aucklanders use our libraries in a normal week, and their reopening will be warmly welcomed after the constraints of lockdown”. Warkworth Library welcomed back customers on Wednesday May 20th, after a long nine-week closure due to the Covid-19 lockdown. 800 people visited throughout the day, showing just how much our community has missed their library.  Contact tracing and social distancing measures have been put in place to ensure it’s a safe experience for everyone. Auckland Council is taking a phased approach to the reopening of its network of more than 400 community facilities, including its 55 libraries, to ensure they meet the strict Covid-19 health and safety requirements.Mahurangi East Library remains closed for the time being, releasing this statement on their Facebook page: “We acknowledge that this delay may be inconvenient and we appreciate your patience as we reopen our library network with the health and safety of our staff and customers as our top priority”. They will review whether they are ready to open on Queen’s Birthday weekend. 

Community spirit is alive and well in Matakana, with a new Facebook group to promote local businesses and products up and running.The group was created a few weeks ago, and now has over 500 members who are either local makers, business owners or customers wanting to help grow the local economy. The page is a platform where folk can introduce themselves and their business; an opportunity to showcase all the great products and services in the area, and to highlight and help connect creative and local makers and businesses in Matakana and the surrounding regions.The emphasis on the personal introduction gives a chance to not only see what is available to buy, but to also meet the people behind these ideas who we are choosing to support during these trying times. The sense of community has always been strong in Matakana, and this page is a great demonstration of that. With everything from sushi to cycling parts, you'd be surprised at the range of products and services you can find in this little community. So, before you head to the mall to grab whatever it is you need, make sure you check out Made in Matakana. 

Puhoi Road nightworks will resume this Sunday, May 24, after being shut down due to Covid-19 lockdown requirements.The work planned will include installing large beams on the Arawhiti ki Pūhoi Bridge across Puhoi road, part of the Puhoi to Warkworth highway project. The work starting Sunday night is expected to take three nights to finish.The road closure will only be a small section of Puhoi Road and will take place between 9:00 p.m. and 4:30 a.m. to minimise travel disruption to the public. Signposted detours and stop/go traffic management will be in place.The detours are expected to add considerable amounts of time to travel, so AT encourages people to avoid the area during this time if possible. “We apologies for any inconvenience caused during the closure and thank you for your understanding while we complete this important work”.By 2026, it is projected the new highway and old SH1 route will cater for 35,000 vehicles a day and shave off 10 minutes on the drive from Auckland to Warkworth.The project was expected to be completed late next year. However, due to the Covid-19 disruptions, it will likely take longer than that.

Level two in full swing means a return to work for many, and for some a long commute into the city. Driving every day can be a drag, and public transport options can add a lot of time to your journey. However, there is an easy-to-access local service that will get you to and from work in the same time it takes to drive yourself, or less because it uses the bus lane, while you sit back and relax on a luxury service with other locals: the Mahu City Express. The Mahu City Express is back up and running at level two for commuters who have started back in the CBD again. Unlike public transport, the Mahu Express is a very controlled environment, where passengers can safely social distance, the vehicle is sanitised after every commute, and there are no random people hopping on and off the bus. “We are very excited to be up and running again! We have a great little community of commuters, who we get to know really well. It is nice for everyone to be able to catch up and connect again”, says Julian Ostling. The Covid-19 pandemic has meant reduced numbers of passengers to comply with social distancing rules. “We are lucky that due to the luxury nature of our service there is already a lot of leg room between our large leather seats. We have reduced capacity to 17 passengers on a 37- seater, so everyone has lots of room around them. Passengers also have to book through the app for contact tracing purposes. “We are asking that all our passengers use all the safety processes we have in place to keep everyone safe. We have posh hand sanitisers from a local company, Co Skin, in each of the seat pockets, and face masks are available on request, if you have been unable to source your own and would feel more comfortable with one. But be assured that as always, we will keep you safe and sound, and that the buses are the cleanest buses that are out there with Crest Clean deep sanitising our buses every day”. Julian Ostling started Mahu City Express after shifting to the area from England and finding no transport for his commute into the city. He started a car-pool, and he went through the long process of gaining certification to use the bus lane and provide a private commuter service from Warkworth to Auckland. He has now grown the service from using a small 16-seater coach, to two 37-seater coaches carrying up to 74 passengers a day back and forth from Auckland. Although they have been able to resume the daily commute to and from the city, they are currently unable to do any private charter work, as it is difficult to social distance in that scenario, but they are looking forward to helping locals break their bubbles and have a great day out with friends and family, either visiting local wineries, and restaurants or perhaps really breaking out and going on a bit of a road trip for the day. It pays to book in advance at the moment so they can manage demand and put on more services if required. You can book through their app, or at www.mahucityexpress.co.nz.If you require a single ticket, please contact them on 425 5566. If you’d like to find out more about private charters, feel free to give them a call or email [email protected]

Duck shooting season will kick off this Saturday, May 23. Opening weekend is normally widely celebrated, so many hunters were left disappointed when it was postponed due to Covid-19 restrictions.The season will run from May 23 to June 28, 2020. All hunters will have to comply with the restrictions of alert level 2 while hunting and travelling to their hunting spots. “This includes hunting with your bubble if possible; keeping it local, no non-regional hunting; keep your social distancing if hunting outside your bubble, no overnight trips, travel in your own vehicles and limiting your exposure to people outside your bubble”, says Fish & Game New Zealand Chief Executive, Martin Taylor.The Firearm Safety Council Aotearoa New Zealand is urging hunters to focus on safety while harvesting ducks for their family dinner table.“Safety with shotguns should be a priority for all duck hunters this season”, Firearm Safety Council spokesperson Bill O’Leary says.“Unfortunately, each year there are incidents resulting in shotgun injuries, ranging from minor to serious and tragically, even death. This need not happen – this year we want a safe and incident-free game bird season”, he says.So if you're planning on heading out this weekend, have fun, but make sure you brush up on the rules and safety tips, which can be found here.

If you have spent lockdown editing your wardrobe, there's a great place for your clothes to go. Dress for Success will give your clothing a second life, while empowering women to achieve economic independence.The organisation has been running in NZ for over 20 years, providing women with the support and the tools they need to gain employment and financial independence so they can provide for their families and make a positive contribution.Local business owner Tania Rupapera is taking collections now to be delivered to the Northland branch of Dress for Success next week. Tania owns Unity Collections, an online designer recycled fashion boutique. Her values in life and in her business are simple: empowering women and inspiring confidence through fashion. These values align perfectly with those of Dress for Success, so it was a match made in heaven. “It’s a good balance with selling preloved designer brands through my online shop www.unitycollection.co.nz (opening online this week) and donating suitable garments to DFS to support our wāhine and Northland community”.“Looking good for an interview contributes to feeling good about it. It’s a nerve-racking experience and feeling good about personal presentation helps with confidence and first impressions. I believe DFS supports that”.Tania will be delivering her first lot of donations this Friday, and she intends to deliver regularly after that.“I’ve chosen the Northland branch as I whakapapa to Ngati Kahu Iwi and the Whangarei branch supports women from Wellsford to the far north. It feels like a good fit for me, Unity and the community”.“After lockdown, it became evident that people had time and were having a spring clean; they had garments to part with. Locals are dropping off great quality, suitable garments at my home.“I already have a large suitcase and four shopping bags for DFS. Great community support, I love Matakana!”.If you are wanting to donate, leave a comment here, and Tania will let you know how to go about it. If you haven't got anything to donate, but you would still like to support the organisation, check out their weekly online designer sale here. Pre -loved designer clothing for a fraction of the price, whilst empowering wāhine; it’s a win-win.

As the total water storage across all of their dams slipped to a concerning 44.84 per cent, Auckland Council has introduced water restrictions The restrictions implemented on May 16 mean that people could be fined up to $20,000 for using hoses and water outdoors.The metropolitan supply network facing the restrictions runs from Papakura to Waiwera. The restrictions also don't apply to those on tank water.Auckland Metropolitan Water Supply Network Even though our area is part of the Auckland region, restrictions don't apply to Snells Beach, Algies Bay, Wellsford or Warkworth because the town supply systems in these areas come from local water sources.Warkworth’s water supply came from the Mahurangi River until Watercare opened up their new treatment plant in 2018. Now, water is sourced from an underground aquifer. It is Watercare’s largest water treatment plant unconnected to the metropolitan network. Around three million litres of water are being drawn each day from two bores, reaching 180-220 metres below ground. Although we do not face hefty fines like those in Auckland, it is still a good idea to try and conserve water as much as possible. Last summer we saw waits of up to six weeks for water deliveries, and no one wants to be in that waka again.

Many people are thrilled with the return of sports in level two. After a long eight weeks without any action, clubs and teams are finally able to get back out there and play.The move to level two has meant that active recreation and sport can resume. This includes contact team sports and physical activities, but only if ten or fewer people are participating, good contact tracing is possible and hygiene measures, particularly washing and drying of hands, and regular sanitising of equipment and surfaces are in place. Matakana Tennis Club, Mahurangi East Tennis Club, and Warkworth Tennis and Squash Club are all back open for those wanting a game, as long as they adhere to these guidelines provided by Tennis NZ.Warkworth Football Club will begin training again, in groups of ten or smaller, with contact tracing and hygiene practices in place.However, the return of sports comes with a catch. The ten-person gathering limit in place at level two means that although training can be resumed, there won't be any proper games for community sports players who would normally play with more than ten other players. This limit will be reviewed on May 25.Sports NZ have said, “At this point, subject to New Zealand’s continued containment of COVID-19, the limits may be increased which could enable full training and competition environments to restart".For those who miss relaxing and watching a game on telly, good news; a domestic super rugby tournament will kick off on June 13. Although the stadium seats will be empty, the games between New Zealand's five super rugby teams will be broadcast live on Sky Sports. Whether you are a player or a supporter, the return of training and live games should hopefully return a little bit of normalcy to the sporting world.

If you spent level three doing a bit of online retail therapy, there may be a little more of a wait than anticipated to enjoy your new purchases.With retail stores only able to operate online, postal services have been run off their feet trying to keep up with a huge increase in deliveries, receiving 200 new packages to deliver every minute.New Zealand Post said the increased demand on its services in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic had seen staff working 24/7 at 11 locations across New Zealand. While most parcels were being delivered in two to three days, the company warned customers some were being delayed by up to five working days.People have been encouraged to contact NZ Post if their package is delayed for longer than five working days, but customers have had trouble getting through to them both via phone and email.One local postie said that work has been flat out, and that they are working hard to get everything to customers as soon as possible.To try and remedy the situation, NZ Post has added 200 more delivery drivers and vehicles to their fleet who have been delivering seven days a week. The physical reopening of retail stores is expected to lessen the strain on the delivery system, so if you are waiting on a package sit tight, it should arrive soon. 

With level two now underway, many people are excited about the possibility with getting together with friends for a beer or wine at their local pub. Pubs and bars whose primary purpose is serving drinks will remain closed until next Thursday, but our locals are able to reopen now for those who want to dine in and enjoy a drink with their meal. We spoke to a few local favourites to see how they felt about being able to reopen. The Matakana Village pub have said “We are very excited for everyone, locals, regulars, visitors and staff to be able to visit again under level 2. Finally we get a sense of freedom and new normal. Until 21st May we will be open for the primary purpose of dining”The Leigh Sawmill Cafe is “fizzy with excitement to reopen!” There have been a lot of guidelines and practices that they have had to put in place, along with staff re-training to deal with the restrictions and the health guidelines under level 2.  Both venues have taken time over the last 2 weeks to begin getting the premises ready, cleaning, reorganisation implementing new systems to enable them to meet their obligations for the safety and enjoyment of all. “Hospitality NZ has given us invaluable support through this time to negotiate all the processes and requirements.”In terms of gigs and live music, The Leigh Sawmill feel they need to give people and themselves a chance to get used to being out in a social setting again, and time to plan and save for gigs as they appreciate everyone is minding money in the current climate. At this stage, they are hoping to start back up in June. The Matakana are waiting until after Queens birthday weekend to reboot their music and entertainment program.  “We will be working on new artists, live gigs and other entertainment to roll out in the not too distant future. Watch this space.”Both have recommended that customers book in advance, as things are initially expected to be busy as they re-open. They also both suggested kindness and patience as things pick up again.