R.D. Lilley
Stratford District Council SEO Sven Hanne replies:
Yes, after consideration of all feedback received and substantial adjustments made as a result, the council approved the scope of work for this project. This included the removal of parts of the original scope as well as relocation of some cycleways from on road to off road. We are now waiting for final confirmation from Waka Kotahi.
Council deliberations are not just a numbers game, it comes down to the substance of each piece of feedback and whether concerns can be mitigated while delivering on the project’s intent. There was strong support from many organisations including schools, iwi, the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Education, and a number of submitters who were critical of some aspects were supportive of the concept in general.
The council will contribute 20 per cent of the total funding of the project, up to $1.56 million. The rest is funded from central government’s Climate Emergency Response Fund. Given the long life of assets such as footpaths and traffic islands, the rating impact of the council’s share will be well below 1 per cent of rates. As part of our School Safety Improvement project, the council applied for Bikes in Schools for all 10 district schools but was successful in receiving funding for the three urban schools only.
Residents can stay up to date with the project and future announcements by visiting: stratford.govt.nz/TransportChoices.
Shop with the seasons
With the rising cost of groceries, it sometimes feels as though making healthy choices in our diets is a rich man’s game now.
So often, as I browse the fruit and vegetable aisle in the supermarket, someone will make a comment as to how unaffordable potatoes, cucumbers, tomatoes and the like are becoming.
I don’t disagree, prices have certainly gone up; however, I think people are also making a basic mistake in their vegetable and fruit picking. Buy in season and you will find your costs are less.
While I don’t doubt strawberries are a lovely treat at any time — if you buy them when they are growing locally, you will find they taste even sweeter for being cheaper. Imported fruits and vegetables, or ones grown out of season, are much pricier for a reason, so try planning your meals around the seasons and you will make a decent saving in your weekly shopping bills.
T. Webster
Promises to be kept?
The election is over, thank goodness. Now the political posturing, debating and campaigning has come to an end, it’s time for those numerous election promises to be turned into reality.
I don’t care who anyone voted for, but I do care that every single member of Parliament who has been elected now makes the effort to keep their promises to each and every one of us. Whether it was about filling potholes, being present in our community or improving our nation’s literacy, those promises were made and so should be kept.
While we might all have breathed a sigh of relief that the election itself is over, that doesn’t mean we can stop caring about politics. It is our job to hold our MPs accountable, and to demand they do the job they have been elected to do — and are paid generously for doing it.
S. Gray
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