Councils

Invercargill City Council wants to know whether two underused parks should be sold off — and residents have until August 7 to weigh in. The two sites are Newfield Park in South Invercargill and JG Ward Reserve in Bluff. Both were flagged as potential disposal candidates during the Long-term Plan process.

Wallacetown's new BMX and pump tracks opened on Saturday — though they nearly didn't make it to the ribbon-cutting in one piece. A group of motorcyclists rode over the tracks the night before the opening, forcing Ryal Bush Transport staff into an emergency cleanup job. Ōreti Community

Invercargill's public transport system needs to be scrapped and rebuilt. That, at least, is the view gaining traction at the council table. Mayor Tom Campbell told councillors this week the city should abandon any tinkering with its existing setup and start over. "Clearly what we have at

Invercargill's plan to replace a homeless shower facility has hit a wall over accessibility concerns. The city council has been trying to find a new home for the Wachner Place public toilet and shower since May last year, when councillors voted to close it — provided an alternative site

The ILT Southland Art Awards are open for entries, with $20,000 in prize money on the table for visual artists from across New Zealand. Now in their third year, the awards are a collaboration between the Invercargill Public Art Gallery and the Southland Art Society. The top prize — the

Invercargill's new council-built elderly housing complex cost twice the rate of a high-spec retirement village unit — and some councillors want to know why. The Miller St complex, which opened in May, is a $2.8 million development featuring six single-bedroom units with mobility-friendly bathrooms and garden beds. It

Southland District Council has expanded its community facilities maintenance contracts from 16 to 22, opening the door to more local contractors across the district. The new contracts were awarded after a registration of interest process last year drew 49 tenders. Evaluations ran through February, with further negotiations on scope and

Invercargill’s Deputy Mayor Grant Dermody will represent the city council on the Local Democracy Enhancement Working Party. The ICC decided this afternoon (June 30) to approve principles in guiding the proposal for the Government’s ‘Head Start’ process, alongside the Southland reorganisation process with Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ.