Formerly known as the Papamoa Progressive Association, the lobby group has recently rebranded.
A long-standing Pāpāmoa community group has rebranded with a new name and a strengthened mission: to hold Tauranga City Council to account.
The Pāpāmoa Progressive Association has recently become the Pāpāmoa Residents and Ratepayers Association, a name its leaders hope will better express what it does and who it represents.
"No one knew what it was," said Rosemarie Turley, a member of the association's new executive committee and a Pāpāmoa resident of 40 years.
"Someone asked me if it was a church."
The group had about 130 paid-up members and 250 followers on Facebook and met monthly at the Legacy Gardens Chapel to talk about Pāpāmoa issues and hear from topical speakers.
Chairman Wayne George said the group wanted to remain positive and open-minded while still being a strong lobbying voice for the community.
"We don't want to upset the council. We want to be a partner and work with them to improve this area for residents and ratepayers."
George counted the council's decision last month to invest $1.8 million into outdoor public address speakers down the coast as a win for the group, which had lobbied for more than three years for better tsunami alerting systems.
John Middleton, Philip Brown and Rosemarie Turley are members of the executive committee of the new-look Papamoa Residents and Ratepayers Association. Photo / George Novak
Committee member John Middleton said they had a good relationship with Mount Maunganui/Papamoa ward councillors, Leanne Brown and Steve Morris, though they did not always necessarily agree with their votes.
"We work with the councillors and are a conduit between the council and us. If we've got an issue we can go to them," Middleton said.
"It's about giving people a voice."
They said the group was not affiliated to any political party or ideology.
Tauranga City Council elected member Leanne Brown. File / Photo
Both Morris and Brown said the group was a valuable asset to them as councillors.
Morris, who was the group's chairman from 2010 to 2013 before running for council, said he believed it was the largest, most influential and most credible group of its kind operating in Tauranga.
Their submissions to the council carried weight because they were the voice of many people, not just one or two.
"It's real feedback from real people."
Tauranga City Council elected member Steve Morris. File / Photo
More council investment in roading infrastructure and transport were among the issues at the top of the association's agenda.
"They have been caught napping with the whole area," Middleton said. "It's New Zealand's longest cul de sac."
They wanted to see the Pāpāmoa East Interchange build brought forward from 2021 and Te Okoroa Drive four-laned, as originally planned.
The state of Pāpāmoa Beach Rd was another bugbear. They wanted to see more cycle lanes and the loud chip seal replaced with quieter hot mix.
Pāpāmoa Residents and Ratepayers Association
- Formerly Pāpāmoa Progressive Association - Meet on the second Monday of each month - 7.30pm at Legacy Gardens Chapel at 53 Te Okoroa Drive - Annual membership $10 for one, $15 for families of two or more people - www.papamoaprogressive.co.nz/
