September 24 2024
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School supports Northland reps School fears unfounded
Social media reports of six teachers quitting Dargaville High School have been confirmed as false by …
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p Dargaville Primary School rallied around students (from left) Cortel Uelese-Pomare, Calvin Waitoa, Tulanga Tu’utafaiva, Layken Irving, Dion Kena and Axle Dunn with a mufti day fundraiser. The six boys will be representing the Ngāpuhi Ahi Rugby League team at the Tamariki Tournament 2024 in Rotorua at the end of the month. The club is part of the Māori Rugby League and is focussed on providing opportunities for rangitahi throughout Te Tai Tokerau with international and national experiences like the Rotorua tournament.
A tribute and an inspiration
An exhibition, He Waka Eke Noa will open in Dargaville’s Tika Pono Toi Gallery on October 1, honouring Kaipara Art …
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Major fundraiser seeks support
With more than $600,000 raised for local and regional needy causes and still counting, The Den second-hand …
u by Andy Bryenton
Further revelations from the 2023–2024 Kaipara District Council residents survey have shed light on how people feel about their interactions with council when things need fixing. The survey found that 38% of people contacting the council were unhappy about how their issues were handled, with 42% citing the time it takes to resolve complaints as a major factor. Ease of making a request for service or repairs, the council’s understanding of the customer’s needs, and handling of complaints overall are slightly down on 2023 results. The number one reason that people called the KDC for aid involved roading. Potholes, edge breaks, corrugations and general road safety make up 17% of calls
for council aid. A further 13% involve animal monitoring, which includes calls for roaming dogs and livestock. Dargaville residents were most impressed with the handling of their complaints and queries, while those in the rural west coast and Kaiwaka-Mangawhai were less enthusiastic. Those who expressed dissatisfaction cited ‘issues not completed to a high standard’ as their prime reason for complaint. In positive news for this publication, respondents to the 2023–2024 residents’ survey say that their primary source for information about
their council is in their local newspaper. Nearly half, 45% specifically, cited community newspapers as their favourite way to keep up with council activities. The number one desire expressed by residents is greater transparency around council meetings and their agendas. All the information about forthcoming meetings is available at kaipara.govt.nz/ meetings, where the notes available to elected councillors are available for the public to read, too. Council meetings are broadcast live on YouTube, on the Kaipara District Council’s video channel. ¢
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