Paekākāriki Community Board June 2026 hui – recaps

This month’s update includes a recap on both the June 8th Paekākāriki Community Board hui and the June 10th Council meeting. 

June 8th meeting of the Paekākāriki Community Board

First up, an overview of our Paekākāriki Community Board meeting, held on a makariri Tuesday night in St Peter’s Hall. All members were present, as well as Cr. Bede Laracy at the table and Mayor Janet Holborow in the public gallery.

Public speakers

Terry Fenn spoke to the work of the Paekākāriki Housing Trust and the grant application they submitted to the Board. The additional dwelling workshops and site visits held recently were successful and the grant would enable them to develop materials to share.

Tony Dowell spoke to the Paekākāriki Village Health Hub development. And said they plan to open in August and are currently in conversation with additional health practitioners to hire the remaining spaces.

Mark Amery spoke to the Paekākāriki Informed Communities Incorporated grant application. Sharing that the website now has over 9,000 unique visitors per month, more than double last year’s numbers. And the newsletter is delivered to around 700 people. The grant would cover the ongoing cost of the Mailchimp email subscription. Mark then spoke to his personal views on the climate change declaration review motion being tabled by Cr Bede Laracy at this week’s upcoming council meeting.

Margaret Jackson spoke to their funding application for funds to support the Kaumatua Day happening in July. They shared a bit about their rōpū Ngā Pakeke o Kāpiti, who create opportunities to learn about te ao Māori and Māori culture, an inclusive group for Māori, Pākehā, anyone who wants to join in.

Peter Handford, Christian Judge, Sue and Mandy Preston, all spoke in opposition to Cr Laracy’s motion and urged Councillors to vote against this motion.

Board chair Kelsey Lee confirmed that the Board is in opposition to the motion and Deputy Chair Elyse Robêrt will be present and speaking to this at Council on Thursday.

Grants

This is the final grant round before the end of the financial year.

  • Paekākāriki Playcentre for general equipment, supplies, and civil defence kit restock: recommended to Campe Estate Trust
  • Ngā Pakeke for contribution towards costs to host a Kaumatua Day/festival. $475 granted 
  • Paekākāriki Informed communities Incorporated to cover the cost of their newsletter subscription service $467 granted
  • Paekākāriki table tennis club towards running costs $298 granted
  • Paekākāriki Housing Trust towards supporting materials and communications for the additional dwellings workshops granted $475

Matters under action updates

Pingau/Pingao Street renaming – KCDC have confirmed the process for this. Cr Grace will work through communicating this process with affected residents, hāpū, and community. 

Te reo Māori name for Paekākāriki library – Board submitted an Official Information Request and the response outlined that there were community conversations when the library was first established, about gifting the name Matewhawhai and Jean Andrew’s, but nothing was formally gifted or adopted. The names were suggested by Kaumatua Karl Farrell, and are those of his mother. Board member Himiona Grace with support from Cr. Grace will continue the conversation with the Farrell whānau and Ngāti Haumia ki Paekākāriki. 

Reserves omnibus – KCDC have provided an update about process for renaming any reserves in Paekakariki. Board will continue to work with KCDC team. 

Seawall – art group have been meeting regularly. A memorial seat for Kaumatua Karl Farrell is to be folded into the project masterplan. 

Wellington Road Raised Crossing due to open at the end of next week school children are leading an opening celebration on the last day of term Friday third of July. 

Full list of Matters Under Action can be found on the KCDC website here

Members business

Councillor Laracy spoke to his motion on climate declaration review that will be before council later this week. Board member Elyse Robêrt asked Councillor Laracy why he didn’t consult or notify the board of his motion ahead of time. Cr Laracy apologised and agreed it wasn’t the best approach and would work on better collaboration going forward. Cr. Laracy acknowledged the public speakers in the room and thanked them for sharing their perspectives.

Chair Kelsey Lee has resigned from her position as Chair intending to handover to the deputy Chair Elyse Robêrt from next meeting. Kelsey will continue as a board member. The nomination and election of chair and deputy chair will happen at the next hui in August. 

Councillor Grace notes the council reforms in amalgamation ultimatum are top of mind and councillors received a briefing. Cr Grace also spoke about the government’s efforts to remove unelected member voting rights on council committees, including mana whenua representatives, and that he opposes it.

Board member Himiona Grace spoke to his opposition of Cr Laracy’s climate emergency review motion, stating that we’re in a climate emergency and it should be top of mind for council and decision-makers, and that we were wasting time and resources rehashing this.

Board member Tina Pope spoke about the sea wall project and the securing of additional funds for the artwork. Tina would be meeting with kura tomorrow about various activities in the community. 

Deputy chair Elyse Robêrt shared that the KCDC community board chairs and deputies collaborated on a joint statement and letter to the CE and Mayor about the value in retaining community boards through the amalgamation, and to keep us part of the consultation conversation. Elyse has met with school principal about matters raised at the previous Board meeting, and is meeting regularly with the principal about school and community matters.

Chair Kelsey Lee noted how pleasing it was to see collaboration by all the KCDC community boards. 

Minutes of the meeting will be published on the KCDC website here, in due course.

The next meeting of the Board will take place August 18.

Council Meeting – Thursday 10th June

A full recording of the meeting can be found on the council website here. 

The draft minutes can be found on the council website here. 

Climate emergency declaration – motion to review by Cr. Bede Laracy (Paekakariki Raumati Ward Councillor)

Public speakers, including three Paekakariki residents Lucy, Christian, and Christina, spoke at the beginning of the meeting – all in opposition to Cr. Laracy’s motion calling for a review and report on the council’s 2019 climate change emergency declaration.

Community Board Deputy Chair Elyse speaks at 2h:16m on behalf of the Board, urging councillors to vote down the motion.

The votes were cast around noon, with Cr. Laracy the only councillor in support. However some other councillors spoke to their agreement in part, before voting against the motion.

Passing of annual plan, rates and charges

Kāpiti Coast District Council adopted its Annual Plan 2026/27 which sets rates and progresses activities for the coming year. Council held the rates increase to 6.5 percent, keeping in line with what was agreed to in the Long-term Plan 2024-34. 

Where Council found savings for the Annual Plan 2026/27 

  • Reducing staff costs due to both organisational and project delivery changes ($660,000)  
  • Reducing funding for the Social Investment Fund ($150,000)  
  • Increasing fees for private plan changes ($200,000)  
  • Reducing economic development budget ($325,000)  
  • Reducing cultural capacity funding ($150,000)  
  • Stopping our planned rates-funded debt reduction for one year ($400,000) 
  • Increasing fees and charges to reflect the impact of inflation, generating an additional $300,000. 

Council will still invest approximately $75 million in capital works in 2026/27. This includes: 

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