Timaru District Council

30/07/2026

South Canterbury and Mid Canterbury Councils Meet to Discuss Head Start Opportunities

Elected members, mayors and chief executives from Ashburton, Mackenzie, Timaru, Waimate and Waitaki District Councils met at Fraser Park in Timaru on Wednesday for a facilitated discussion on options for a potential joint Head Start proposal and opportunities to strengthen collaboration across the region.

The meeting brought together local government leaders to explore how councils could work together under the Government's Head Start pathway, which provides an opportunity for councils to develop locally-led proposals for future governance and service delivery arrangements.

Discussions focused on identifying areas of shared interest, understanding the opportunities and challenges facing the region, and considering how councils might work collectively to develop a proposal that reflects local priorities and delivers long-term benefits for communities.

Timaru District Mayor Nigel Bowen said the meeting was constructive, positive and demonstrated a strong commitment to working together.

"Today's discussions were open, thoughtful and focused on the future of our communities,” he said.

“While each district has its own unique characteristics and priorities, there was a clear willingness around the table to explore opportunities for greater collaboration and to consider what arrangements might best serve our region in the years ahead.

"We recognise the importance of taking a considered approach and ensuring any proposal is informed by robust discussion and a clear understanding of the opportunities and implications for our communities."

Participants agreed that further work will be required over the coming days as councils consider potential options and assess how best to respond within the Government's timeframe.

"The meeting highlighted the value of councils coming together to discuss common challenges and shared opportunities. Whatever form any proposal may ultimately take, there is a genuine commitment to maintaining a positive working relationship and continuing to explore ways we can achieve better outcomes for our communities through collaboration," said Bowen.

Councils will continue discussions and undertake further analysis ahead of the 9 August deadline for submitting any outline proposal to the Government.

You can watch along with council deliberations on reform today from 10am here: https://www.timaru.govt.nz/news/council-news/reform-council-meeting-31072026

27/07/2026

Hi Folks

There is a water pipe with a leak (leek not to scale) and we currently have it isolated, but to repair it we will be closing part of the coastal walking track from 8am tomorrow (Tuesday July 28) and it should be open ready again for those that enjoy the walkways in the evenings on Wednesday (expected to be open again from 5pm).

The closure will be from the Richmond Street entrance of the walkway to Virtue Ave (Caroline Bay).

For more information: https://www.timaru.govt.nz/news/infrastructure-matters/works-ahead-week-starting-tuesday-july-28

24/07/2026

Don't forget, our consultation on local government reform closes today at 5pm on the dot. Make sure you don't miss out having your say on one of the biggest decisions we'll ever have to make!

You can do so at timaru.govt.nz/headstart it only takes a few minutes.

23/07/2026

Hi folks

We've had to temporarily switch off the drinking fountain at Centennial Park before Jack Frost freezes the pipes any further.

It'll be back on tap once things thaw out a bit. Until then, do like the pipes wish they could - BYO water bottle!

Thanks for your patience.

21/07/2026

Hi Folks

We think creative communities are the best communities and we're really pleased to let you know that the Creative Communities Funding round is now open!

20/07/2026

Hi Folks

UPDATE: The full Council Meeting video has now been reuploaded. Please note there are some technical issues with the video footage at the beginning of the recording, but audio is available for that part. Watch here: https://youtu.be/ac0a9ghoT8Y

UPDATE: We are now live! We will still post the recorded version tomorrow.

We're experiencing some technical issues with our council meeting livestream, we are working on a fix but in the meantime we are recording it and will share it later.

You are of course most welcome to come on down to the Council Chambers to view the meeting in person, in real time!

This reuploaded video includes the first 20 minutes that were missi...

19/07/2026

Happy Monday everyone. Don't forget you've got till this Friday at 5pm to have your say on the future of our district. Who should we buddy up with to build a new council? Should we just say nope and let someone else decide? Some other idea?

Make sure you read about this imporant subject and have your say at timaru.govt.nz/headstart

16/07/2026

In case you missed it last night, you can access a recording of our Big Reforms Big Decision panel discussion session from Geraldine.

It's available on our youtube channel here:

Update: Due to copyrights issue, we have re-uploaded the video for ...

16/07/2026

Morning everyone, just to close off:

NATIONAL ADVISORY: TSUNAMI ACTIVITY – CANCELLED

The National Advisory issued following the magnitude 5.9 earthquake near 40 km north of Te Anau at 2026-07-16 09:14 PM New Zealand Standard Time is cancelled.

The advisory has been cancelled because no tsunami signals have been detected by Earth Sciences NZ for approximately the past two hours following the event. This indicates that there is no ongoing tsunami activity affecting the area, and the threat has now passed.

16/07/2026

Hi folks, advisory from National Emergency Management Agency:

NATIONAL ADVISORY: TSUNAMI ACTIVITY – EXPECT STRONG AND UNUSUAL CURRENTS AND UNPREDICTABLE SURGES AT THE SHORE
We expect New Zealand coastal areas to experience strong and unusual currents and unpredictable surges at the shore following a magnitude 5.9 earthquake near 40 km north of Te Anau at 2026-07-16 09:14 PM.

Strong currents and surges can injure and drown people. There is a danger to swimmers, surfers, people fishing, and anyone in or near the water close to shore.