Council
Community
Fees
Maps
News
Publications
Services
Contacts

Welcome mats out for shared

Civil Defence plan

SOUTHLAND's four councils are one step closer to a shared Civil Defence organisation for the region after agreement this week by Southland’s political leaders, says Invercargill Mayor and Civil Defence Emergency Management Group Chairman Tim Shadbolt.
     He said a shared Civil Defence organisation would lead to greater efficiencies, better use of resources and more services than are currently provided by the four councils acting individually.
     Invercargill City Council, Gore District Council, Southland District Council and Environment Southland, in June this year, commissioned a Civil Defence review as part of the combined council group that looks at sharing services between councils.
     The review concluded that a  shared organisation should be formed,  located at Environment Southland and jointly controlled by the four councils.
     Mr Shadbolt said benefits would include:
* Civil Defence would be better able to cope in an emergency;

 

* Planning integration;
* Increased backup for key roles;
* Higher specialisation of staff;
* Less duplication of resources;
* Improved financial accountability, and
* Increased transparency and performance accountability.
     “The proposal will go to all four councils for their approval before Christmas and it is hoped that the new organisation will be up and running before April 1, 2010,” Mr Shadbolt said.
     Southland District Mayor Frana Cardno said: “I am delighted – Southland councils have proven again how we can work together and achieve the best result for Southlanders."
     Environment Southland Chairman Stuart Collie said the restructured joint Civil Defence organisation was the only logical way to proceed. 
     Gore Mayor Tracy Hicks noted: “It is a concept that makes sense.  The time is right."

* Full media release  


Popular pages

AERIAL MAP SERVICE: The Council's free online aerial map service shows property boundaries superimposed on aerial pictures of the city. Many other maps are offered at this link, including street maps, planning maps, bus route maps, a map of Queens Park and many others.

BUILDING
:
The latest edition of Building Sector News is available here. And the latest edition of the Homeowner's Building Guide is available online now (it's a 6.7MB download).

BUSES: Timetables and routes (includes school bus information)

CEMETERY SEARCH ONLINE: Burial records for the four Invercargill and Bluff cemeteries and the Southland Crematorium are available online.

COUNCIL JOBS 
are advertised online when they become available - and you can apply online too, if that suits! An Engineering Cadet position is currently being advertsied. The Employment section also has advice about jobs and some handy links.

ENTERTAINMENT: Check the Entertainment section for details of quality shows heading to Invercargill.

PLANS and PLANNING: Click for the District Plan, the Environmental Iwi Management Plan and the Review of the Regional Policy Statement for Southland and Southland District Council District Plan.

PROPERTY/RATES SEARCH: Search the ratings valuations for properties here. Details of the new rates that will apply for the 2009-2010 rating year are now available. NOTE: Next rates payment due by December 17.

WEATHER from MetService and the ICC Weather Station:
Invercargill | Gore | Bluff tides | Foveaux Strait | Five-day brief forecast
ICC Weather Station (updated every 15 minutes)

Council forms: building consents, LIMs
Online request for service form - contact us now for fast attention!
Parks and reserves...


Other Council business

Contact your councillors

Council meetings 2009

Council tenders

Funding, scholarships

Waste management

Youth Council

Checkpoints

Civic, Stadium merger talks
Southlanders are to be consulted about a plan to merge the operations of the Civic Theatre and Stadium Southland, possibly saving  ratepayers $150,000 a year.
* Full media release

The Mayor writes:
Why we should back bio-technology
(Southland Times)
Stags big winners for Zero Fees
(Southland Express)


In the
swim


Check the Splash Palace  calendar for updates.



City Talkback
Replies by Council staff to questions posed on Cue TV's City Talkback show are available here


Online cemetery search
More than 50,000 records for the Invercargill and Bluff cemeteries and the Southland Crematorium are available online. The search page is just a click away!
  



Civil Defence
Contacts checklist