Our Council endorsed a range of support measures at its online meeting today to respond to the immediate and ongoing social and economic needs of our communities due to COVID-19.

“There are still a lot of unknowns and uncertainty in the medium- to long-term situation and so we want to provide some flexibility and develop resilience for our communities,” says our Mayor Sandra Goudie.

Some of the measures that have been approved are:

• A refund of fees is available to anyone who wants to cancel a building or resource consent application, based on financial hardship grounds and noting that the criteria that applicants will need to meet to qualify will be circulated later this week.
• Payment of the third instalment of rates been extended a month. The rates instalment was due on 15 May - but we've pushed it out to 15 June. Penalties for late payments for rates won’t apply until 30 July. To avoid late payment penalties after that we’re encouraging anyone in financial hardship to contact us to arrange a payment plan. A letter is being sent out to all ratepayers with this information.
• Water invoices will not be sent out until meter readings can be completed when we move into Alert Level 3. Water-by-volume invoices will be sent once meters have been read and payment will be due one month after that.
• Redirecting existing Economic Development budgets towards local business support which will include:

1. Promoting local businesses to the domestic market

2. Financial support for lodgement of Council consenting/licensing fees to businesses.

3. Business case writing/central government application support for central government’s “shovel ready,” infrastructure funds, and other related funding applications.

4. Staff working on proposed initiatives for the medium- to long-term to support economic development for the district. These will be brought back to appropriate Committee or Council meeting in the next six weeks.

“The redirection of the Economic Development budgets is complementary to what the government assistance package is offering to SMEs (small medium enterprises) and businesses - it's not a double dip,” says Mayor Sandra. “And again, there will be parameters that businesses will need to meet.”

You can read the full reports that went to Council here

“Also, if you are facing emotional or economic stress - please get in touch with our Civil Defence Team on 0800 800 405– as we can help put you in touch with the right agencies and look at what assistance we can also offer,” says Mayor Sandra.

Today’s Council meeting

The meeting was held online using Microsoft Teams.

An unedited video of the meeting can be viewed on our Council’s Youtube channel.

What does this all mean for the proposed rates increase for the 2020-2021 Annual Plan?

“We are over half-way through a statutory process with our Annual Plan consultation, so we need to follow through with consultations,” says Mayor Sandra. “We are also being urged by central government to carefully consider any major financial decisions to avoid situations that could hinder response and future recovery efforts, including zero rates increases.”

We received more than 200 submissions during our public consultation from 10 March to 14 April. More than 50 people want to speak to their submission to Council, with hearings scheduled for early May. From there, Council will deliberate before making a decision.

Meanwhile, Council staff are also working on the impact of COVID-19 on Council revenues, cashflows, rates relief, borrowing, budgeting and wider economic forecasts. All of this will inform the final outcome of the upcoming Annual Plan.

Click here for more information.

Golden Rules

At Alert Level 3 we need to be even more vigilant. Once we transition, we will all need to follow the Golden Rules for everyone at Alert Level 3:

1. Stay home. If you are not at work, school, exercising or getting essentials then you must be at home, the same as at level 4.

2. Work and learn from home if you can. We still want the vast majority of people working from home, and children and young people learning from home. At risk students and staff should also stay at home, and they will be supported to do so. Early learning centres and schools will physically be open for up to Year 10 for families that need them.

3. Make your business COVID-19 safe. COVID-19 has spread in workplaces, so the quid pro quo of being able to open is doing it in a way that doesn’t spread the virus.

4. Stay regional. You can exercise at parks or beaches within your region, but the closer to home the better. Activities must be safe – keep 2 metres away from anybody not in your bubble. Make minimal trips.

5. Keep your bubble as small as possible. If you need to, you can expand your bubble a small amount to bring in close family, isolated people or caregivers.

6. Wash your hands often with soap. Then dry them. Cough and sneeze into your elbow.

7. If you are sick, stay at home and quickly seek advice from your GP or Healthline about getting a test. There is no stigma to COVID-19. We will only be successful if everyone is willing to play their part in finding it wherever it is.

Click here for the golden rules for businesses.

Update on our Council services

Worksafe has provided "Transitioning from Alert Level 4" advice including the necessary health and safety requirements for businesses. Visit here for more information.More information about Alert Level 3 is available on the covid19.govt.nz website.

Tree works at Flaxmill Bay - Contractors have started today to clear away a pine tree that came down above Purangi Rd on 10 April. At the time, Cooks Beach Fire Brigade attended and unblocked the road, and the following day our contractors made the site safe by cutting further branches and will complete the work tomorrow. All safety precautions will be taken and the contractor will adhere to all requirements given on COVID-19 website while completing this work.

Dogs - The dogs on lead at all times rule will continue under Alert Level 3.

Council services - For updates on all other Council services such as Kerbside, water restrictions, playgrounds, parks and reserves, boat ramps, freedom camping, roading, public toilets, consents, applications, rates and more see tcdc.govt.nz/COVID-19.

Bin it, don’t block it.

COVID-19 has led to a big spike in people using toilet paper alternatives such as wet wipes, this means more blocked pipes.

Many people are not aware that actions like flushing wet wipes, paper towels and tissues down the loo, affect our wastewater workers who must leave their safe bubble to unblock pipes.

Help keep our workers safe and in their bubble by thinking before you flush – all wipes, paper towels and tissues must go in the bin.

Only flush the 3Ps: poo, pee and toilet paper down the loo!

Let’s all help each other stay safe.

Happy package for our elderly

The Thames Valley Emergency Operations Centre has been working with Elderly Person’s Housing and Age Concern across Thames-Coromandel, Matamata-Piako and Hauraki districts.

“We have identified a need in our communities where elderly tenants are struggling, not necessarily with provisions, but feeling isolated, so we’ve created a small ‘happy package’ to show there are people out there who are thinking of them and hopefully cheer them up,” says our Thames Valley Emergency Operations Centre Controller Garry Towler.

Free phone 0800 800 405 for people in our Districts struggling to get food, groceries, medication or other household goods and services is available between 7am-7pm daily.

"If you, or any members of your family and friends are struggling with emotions or feeling the pressure of the sudden change to life, then talk about it don’t hold it in and let it build up," says Garry. "We are in isolation, but we are not isolated."

Not feeling ka pai right now? Did you know that the Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand offers a range of free services including a chatbot called Aroha? Whether you need somebody to talk to, or just need somebody to listen, all New Zealanders can access these services all year round here.

Getting through together is an online set of tools for coping with the effects of COVID-19 on our mental health. Divided into subjects such as parenting and whānau, workplace wellbeing, te ao Māori and identity and culture, and offers articles, tips, questionnaires, activities and games delivered in a range of formats. Phone numbers for services such as Lifeline and Healthline can also be found on the site.

You can also free call or text 1737 at any time to speak with a trained counsellor – it’s free and confidential.

There are also three new online self-help tools: Melon, Mentemia and Staying on Track , which provide different levels of support and practical strategies to cope with the stress and disruption of day-to-day life.

Staying connected to local artists in our bubble

The team at Creative Mercury Bay have been working hard at brainstorming innovative ways to support the local arts sector through this tough time, so creatives can continue to work on their art practices and share their creations.

The ‘Bubble Bites’ series is an initiative by Creative Mercury Bay aimed at providing an online creative platform for performing artists from around the Coromandel Peninsula area, and their audiences, both local and broader. This online platform will help artists and audiences (new and existing) to remain connected in these uncertain times.

‘Bubble Bites’ is a weekly video series of 30 minute pre-recorded shows, featuring three artists each performing 10-minute ‘bites’ of their creative practice. Each show will be available to view on Creative Mercury Bay's YouTube Channel, every Thursday at 5:30pm, commencing 23 April.

Creative Mercury Bay is inviting performing artists from all over the Coromandel Peninsula to participate in ‘Bubble Bites’. Participants won’t need any fancy recording or sound equipment, just a mobile phone or laptop.

For more information about Bubble Bites or Creative Mercury Bay contact Kerryn Wakelin on admin@creativemercurybay.co.nz.

Stay informed, get support or contact us:

• Free phone 0800 800 405 is available between 7am-7pm daily for anyone struggling to get food, groceries, medication or other household goods and services. Find more here on what support is available during lockdown and some ways to stay connected.
• Check our website's COVID-19 page for local information, daily updates and advice on how people can stay connected.
• Tune into the radio - We’re advertising on local radio stations any important updates and our Mayor Sandra has an interview with CFM on Mondays, Gold FM on Tuesdays and with Coromandel More FM on Thursdays.
• Newspapers - Keep an eye out in the local newspapers that are still running as we are advertising Council information in some of those. The Mercury Bay Informer is still printing and will be in letterboxes and distribution points. All other local papers are all online for now. Tear out the Kerbside changes and stick it on your fridge.
• Call us: 07 868 0200
• Email: customer.services@tcdc.govt.nz
• Website: tcdc.govt.nz
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• Make Online payments

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