Decisions from DCC meeting 13 August

Centre upgrade decisions

 Middlemarch’s town centre upgrade will be next cab off the rank after Dunedin City councillors voted to begin community engagement and design work under the Centres Upgrade Programme (CUP).

CUP is a long-standing programme to upgrade and beautify town amenities, having been part of council’s long-term planning and budget allocations since 2012. Its intent is to enhance suburban commercial areas for their communities and support local businesses.

Funding for the current work was allocated for each year of the 9 year plan 2025-2034.

Most recently Musselburgh’s centre upgrade included new planting, street furniture, new paving and crossing points. The work cost $260,000 which was $35,000 under budget.

As part of the discussion, councillors also voted to pause plans for a similar upgrade in Wakari – following public feedback – in favour of Brighton. The work would upgrade amenities on Brighton Road near the dairy, café, and boat hire to the north of the bridge over the Otokia creek. Consideration may also be given to courtesy crossings between the shops and beach, for safer pedestrian connections.

The Middlemarch upgrade would involve two areas, one on Snow Ave near the Railway Station and the other near the Strath Taieri Community Centre at the intersection of Swansea and Aberafon Streets.

Community engagement is the first step and will begin in this financial year.

Councillors voting for the project were Mayor Barker, Cr Simms, Cr Chambers, Cr Walker, Cr Treadwell, Cr Garey, Cr Galer, Cr Hall, Cr Laufiso, Cr Weatherall, Cr Ong, and Cr Mayhem. Councillors who voted against were Cr Lund and Cr Vandervis.  Cr Lucas was an apology for today’s meeting.

Trade Waste Discharge Plan

The Local Government (Water Services) Act 2025 (LGWSA) requires councils to each prepare and issue a trade waste discharge plan by August next year. Councillors agreed the bylaw was the most appropriate way to manage trade waste in Dunedin and the discharge of trade waste to the wastewater network, and voted to proceed with public consultation.

Draft Local Alcohol Policy

Councillors voted to progress a draft Local Alcohol Policy (LAP) to public consultation, after noting the results of the second stage of early engagement on the policy.

In that engagement 38 organisations across a range of sectors were invited to respond to the 21 suggested components for a new LAP. The public was also alerted to the engagement via extensive publicity. In total, 48 responses were received, with 27 of those coming from organisations and 21 from individuals or anonymously.

That engagement, along with relevant case law and established principles to minimising alcohol harm, were used to develop the draft LAP. This new policy proposes several changes and amendments to the current policy including location limitations for new licences with regard to sensitive facilities, a freeze on the issue of new off-licences in certain areas of Dunedin, and no issuing of special licences for events focused on children and young people.

The public consultation will be run through the Special Consultative Process, starting later this month.  Hearings and deliberations arising from that consultation will be held in October with a final report to Council in November.

Councillors voted unanimously to send the LAP through public consultation with the exception of Cr Ong and Cr Vandervis who had left the meeting.

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