Our Nelson Issue 157
2 November 2022

Nelson/Blenheim flight trial extended for full SH6 closure
Flights between Nelson and Blenheim will continue for the full seven-week State Highway 6 closure, it was announced today.
“It’s good news that there has been sufficient demand to enable Originair to commit to the service for the full seven weeks,” says Nelson Mayor Nick Smith.  
“This is about making the best of a bad situation. The closure of State Highway 6 for seven weeks from tomorrow to enable major repairs after the devastating weather event in August affects thousands of travellers every day. The provision of this air service provides an option of a 20-minute flight instead of a 2 hour forty-minute drive. It is particularly important for minimising the disruption to important public services like health.” 
“There was uncertainty about the level of demand and so the service was initially to be trialed for two weeks. Today’s announcement gives certainty that the service will be operating for the full closure period.  
Mayor Nick repeated his thanks to Originair, both Nelson and Marlborough airports and Te Whatu Ora Nelson Marlborough for supporting the air service.  
Originair CEO Rob Inglis says ticket sales were strong, and enough to ensure the route was economically viable. 
“It takes a lot to set up a flight service, and my team have managed to move quickly at a time of need for Nelson and Blenheim. Thanks to everyone who has booked a flight!” 
Originair CFO Brendon Grundy says the flights were made possible with support from the Mayoral Relief Fund, the help of both airport companies and Nelson/Marlborough hospitals. 
“This support, added onto the public seat reservations we had in the first week has given us the confidence to extend the service. We hope it can assist travellers during a difficult time.”
The schedule is as follows: 
Leave Nelson: 7.40am – Arrive Blenheim: 8.10am 
Return from Blenheim: 8.40am – Arrive Nelson: 9.10am 
Leave Nelson: 4pm – Arrive Blenheim 4.30pm 
Return from Blenheim: 5pm – Arrive Nelson: 5.30pm 
Tickets are still available throughout the duration of the seven-week closure. The standard one-way fare will be $89 or $99 for a flexifare (changeable and refundable).
Bookings can be made online at originair.co.nz.	

Recovery – two months on, where are we now
The transition period that followed the state of emergency declaration has now ended but our support for residents continues as we move through the recovery process for our community. 
Residents with impacted properties are receiving regular email updates with information, with six email updates sent out to more than 130 affected residents so far. We are also continuing to hold regular community meetings and drop-in sessions to help put residents in touch with agencies, geotechnical engineers and Council teams that deal with building and resource consents. 
Council has recently introduced navigators, people who act as a single point of contact assisting residents to connect with the right organisations and people.  
Group Manager Infrastructure Alec Louverdis said it was important that the community realised Nelson City Council was in for the long haul when it came to recovery. 
“We are here to help, and work alongside people to progress their situation and get back home as soon as is possible. We know from the experience of Westport, that 18 months on navigators are still helping to assist that community. We have one navigator in place now and we will be increasing that number and finding them an easily accessible central city location to work from so that residents can drop in and have a face-to-face conversation with someone who will help them find the information they need.”
If you or someone you know needs the assistance of the navigator, please phone 
03 546 0200 or email navigator@ncc.govt.nz

Mayor Nick’s six elements of a governance reset for Nelson City Council
1.	Council needs to be more business-like, professional and collegial. There needs to be a clearer separation between governance and management. Our community also needs our elected Council to accept collective responsibility for making our Council an attractive and rewarding place to work.
2.	We need a greater focus on getting results. Plans and strategies are a means to an end and not an end in themselves. Good processes are important but not as important as good outcomes.
3.	Council needs to be better connected to the community. Long consultation documents that generate a few dozen submissions may satisfy legislative requirements but only have us engaged with a small section of our Nelson community. We need better tools to ensure we connect more broadly, and we need to spend more time out of Civic House listening.
4.	We need to be relentless in seeking value for money for the ratepayers. Households and businesses are under huge financial pressure. Austerity is not the answer, but we must go about all aspects of Council business as efficiently as possible. This includes understanding that time is money.
5.	We need to be realistic that Council controls only 4% of GDP compared to Government’s 40%. On issues like housing, climate change, transport and economic development, we need to tailor our responses to the resources we have and ensure we are delivering well on those things only Council can do.
6.	Strengthening our relationship and joint areas of work with the Tasman District Council. Town needs country and country needs town.

It is an inevitable consequence of changes like Three Waters, reforms to resource management and the review of local government that change is in the wind. Last Friday's report on the future of local government signals the direction. We will get the best outcome for our region by defining our own future.

Saxton Field, our landfill and wastewater authorities, our approach to biosecurity and emergency management are successful examples of a joint approach. I want to see us adding new areas to that list.

Road closures

Applicant: Nelson City Council.
Event: New Year’s Eve - Safety & Event Road Closures 2023.
Proposed closures: Bridge Street between Trafalgar Street and Collingwood Street; Hardy Street between Church Street and Collingwood Street, including Hope Street and Morrison Street intersections; Trafalgar Street between Bridge Street and Hardy Street, Park Street, Alma Street and Buxton Carpark. 
Date and time of scheduled closure: Saturday 31 December 2022 – Sunday 1 January 2023, closed from 8:00pm – 6:00am. 

Proposed closures: Trafalgar Square between Church Street and Trafalgar Square East, including the Church Steps. 
Date and time of scheduled closure: Saturday 31 December 2022 – Sunday 1 January 2023, closed from 5:00am – 12:00pm. 
These closures are for public safety in Nelson’s city centre on New Year’s Eve, and for the New Year’s event. The road will be closed, and access will be unavailable during this time.

Applicant: Asphalt & General.
Event: Santa Parade.
Proposed closures: Hardy Street between Rutherford Street and Morrison Street; Trafalgar Street between Hardy Street to Grove Street and Hathaway Terrace, including Trafalgar Park Lane and Trafalgar Carpark; Montgomery Square.
Date and time of scheduled closure: Sunday 4 December. Closed from 10:00am – 3:00pm.  

Proposed closures: Bridge Street, at the intersection with Trafalgar Street, and Halifax Street at the intersection with Trafalgar Street. 
Date and time of scheduled closure: Sunday 4 December. Closed from 1:00pm – 3:00pm  
Contingency date and time: Sunday 11 December. Closed between 10:00am – 3:00pm. The roads will be closed, and access will be unavailable during this time. 
Feedback for proposed closures to be given by: Wednesday 16 November 2022.
Email: enquiries@ncc.govt.nz. 
Post: Nelson City Council, PO Box 645, Nelson 7040, Attention: Gillian Dancey.

nelson.govt.nz/road-closures

Meetings
The following meetings of the Nelson City Council have been scheduled.
Council
9am	10 Nov

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