In spring each year Horowhenua District Council provides spinifex and pīngao plants and over a morning Council staff and volunteers from the community plant them to help build and stabilise the dunes.
Most or all planting has taken place around where the north track off Reay Mackay Grove exits onto the beach.
This has been very effective in building up the dunes. Based on the Council’s reply below it seems that over the last 8 years HDC has spent at least $100,000 + GST on plantings here — around $13,000 per year.
At the end of December 2021 I asked Horowhenua District Council to provide costs for this activity. Here was their reply:
LGOIMA reference – 2021/820
28 January 2022
Response - Official Information Request
I refer to your request for information received on 10/12/2021. Your request has been considered under the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 (LGOIMA) and I provide the following information.
In the almost 8 years since 2014 there has been a huge amount of planting by HDC that has helped build and stabilise the dunes.
I’m requesting spending data from Horowhenua District Council:
- How much has Horowhenua District Council paid for plants (spinifex and pīngao, other) for the plantings near and around the beach end of the track off Reay Mackay Grove, between 01 January 2014 and today, 10 December 2021?
Horowhenua District Council has paid $336,870.55 excluding GST between 2014 and 10 December 2021 for coastal plants (spinifex/pingao/other) for three of the districts coastal settlements, being Foxton Beach, Waitarere Beach and Waikawa Beach. This is an average of $42,108.82 excluding GST per annum over that period.
Costs have not been captured for plant purchases per individual coastal settlement, and therefore cannot be provided for Waikawa specifically.
- How much has Horowhenua District Council paid in costs associated with those plantings, between 01 January 2014 and today, 10 December 2021? I expect there have been costs for vehicle use, staff time, pest and weed control, stakes and tapes, planting day BBQ, and so on.
Council has not gathered information on costs associated with these plantings, and as such is not able to provide it as per section 17(g) of the LGOIMA Act that the information requested is not held by the local authority
