Pukerua Bay Residents’ Association Inc
Tuesday 12 December 2025, 7:30 –9:00 pm
RSA, 5 Wairaka Road
Attending: Paul FitzGerald, Jane Comben, Margaret Blair, Moira Lawler, Kay Shapland, Pauline Morse, Lisa Cowley, Jonathan Harker.
Apologies: Judith Frost-Evans, Leanne McKenzie, Duncan Ridd, Rebecca Norrish
Last month’s minutes a true and accurate representation
Moved Paul / seconded Jane. All in favour. Carried.
Election of Office Holders
Need new financial/Executive signatory (Paul Fitzgerald) to be actioned with IRD
Action: Paul Fitzgerald/Kay Shapland
Correspondence
Date: 19 Nov
From: Moira Lawler
Subject: Mt Welcome
Info from Wendy Walker re: Fast Track legislation.
Date: 1 Dec
From: Bruce Freestone
Subject: Local artists
Date: 9 Dec
From: News from PCC
Subject: What’s happening –25 November 2025
Council updates
Porirua City Council – Moira Lawler gave a general update on her induction into Porirua City Council. The first meeting of the recently elected Council was held on Monday 11 December. Minutes are available on Council website.
(i) Flood Mapping – the flood mapping session s for Pukerua Bay had been held. Wellington Water is also updating flood mapping in Whitby, Pauatahanui (Horokiri) and Plimmerton/Paremata as part of the upgrade on information. Once finalised these maps go into the District Plan and will be part of property owners LIM reports.
It’s important to let your insurer know if you are in an inundation zone.
(ii) Amendments to the Long-Term Plan (LTP) – these are in train as a result of the decision on the establishment of Tiaki Wai (the new 3 waters entity)> All reference to the water assets, water services, and associated budget will come out of the LTP as an amendment. This does not require consultation as the decision to establish Tiaki Wai was consulted on in the last Annual Plan.
(iii) Annual Plan preparation – we are discussing key issues for the 2026/27 Annual Plan such as the impact of the transition to Tiaki Wai and the decisions looming on the future of the Landfill. There is little budget for new work.
(iv) Tiaki Wai – the establishment of the new company is a significant piece of work and Council has set up a transition team to manage the process. The new entity will bill separately for water services and it is expected that costs will rise significantly. There is still discussion about how to manage stormwater assets in parks such as Aotea Lagoon and the Whitby and Cannons Creek Lakes.
(v) Mt Welcome – Council has confirmed that it has no role in the fast-track process except as a responder to the application. They have suggested the development team be asked to update the Residents Association
Action: Kay to send invitation
(vi) New Climate Change Officer at Council, James King – has suggested Council take a com-munity development approach, adaptation triggers – Takapuwahia and Pukerua Bay are first two areas to work with. RA to expect contact from James once the programme starts.
GWRC – nil report
Matters arising
(i) Pukerua Bay Sign – IOA request still unanswered. RA role as guardian. Paul has emailed, rang headquarters and talked to someone for another email address. Then he will complain to the Ombudsman.
Action continuing: Paul Fitzgerald
(ii) AGM minutes including Q& A with Simon Barber – approved and on PKBRA website
(iii) Mt Welcome Development – Kay asked Barbara Edmonds (our current MP) about engagement on Mt Welcome development. Electorates are changing so incorporate during introductory engagement with new 2026 electorate candidates. PCC have recommended the development team be invited to update RA at meeting in near future (refer PCC update above).
Action: Kay Shapland
Finance Report
Finance Report to December 2025 Meeting
BNZ $10,481.35
Income:
$5.13 Res Assn Interest
$560.00 CGFF Calendars
$1323.60 CGFF Garden Tours
$183.00 CGFF Plant Sales
$101.00 CGFF Unspecified
$4.00 CGFF Donation
$100.00 CGFF Palmers Invoice
$407.10 Korero (From Flying Colours over payment x3 issues)
$50.00 He Ara Book Sales
Expenditure:
$95.90 Surfers’ Seat Maintenance
$814.20 Korero, Flying Colours
$85.36 CGFF Garden Trail expenses
$1372.45 CGFF Hutt Mana expenses
$165.76 CGFF Compost storage construction
$287.50 He Ara Website
Invoices Issued:
$100.00 CGFF Palmers for Calendars - Paid
Account balances as at 8 December 2025
Res Assn 000 $ 264.17
He Ara 001 $ 396.00
CGFF 002 $1222.01
Kōrero 066 $ 433.77
Climate 083 $ 000.01
Surf Seat 067 $ 78.83
OnCall 025 $8086.56
________________________________________________________________
Notes: CGFF
• Printing cost $1707.00
• Calendar sales @ 8 December $4060.00
• Liabilities Kiwi Rail due 112/2025 $ 481.02
On Call Accounts
Res $ 736.56
He Ara $ 0.00
Korero $ 700.00
CGFF $6100.00
CC $ 550.00
Note: Kðrero have applied to Pelorus Dec/Jan 2025-26 for funding, and is scheduled to apply to Hutt Mana in March 2027.
Budget for Kōrero 2026
Here is the predicted income and expenditure for January to December 2026. This covers the publication and delivery of 5 issues of Kōrero.
Current balance: $1,133.77 ($726.67 plus $407.10)
Income:
Advertising $1610.00 (5 issues)
Expenditure:
Printing $3,392.50 (5 issues @ $678.50)
Donated Costs:
Newsletter Design: $1,500
Newsletter Editing: $1,500
Newsletter Distribution: $500
Budget 2026
Account balance 28.11.25 1,133.77
Anticipated advertising income x 5 issues
2 Full Page @ $250. 500
4 Half Page @ 125 160
2 Card size @ $80 250
5 services @ $50 200
Community ad koha500
1,610
Combined total 2,743.77
Expenditure 3,392.50
Budget Shortfall 648.73
Action Items
Pukerua Bay sign remediation ongoing. RA is working on ways to restore sign, and insurance possibilities, the RA (Paul Fitzgerald) have contacted the Council who are prepared to help find funding options
(ii) Local artist list to be updated
Action: Jonathan to update list
(iii) MOU for umbrella organisations circulated, discussion to be had at next meeting
(iv) Rail Replacement Bus service – No update.
Action: Paul to contact Regional Council again.
(v) Dog/Penguin signs – New Dog and Penguin signs are on beach about when to take dogs to beach. The next issue of Korero will include an item on dogs on the beach Judith has corresponded with Andrew Gray who will action when he has time. Judith has asked if anyone else was also interested to be involved – to be discussed next meeting.
Action Jane to post reminder on facebook page on when dogs are allowed on beach.
- Pukerua Beach Rd remediation works – no update
- Ara Harakeke Remediation – no update
Project Updates
Climate Action – Nil
Kōrero
Kōrero report to Pukerua Bay Residents Association, December 2025
We’ve wrapped up another year of Kōrero with a team that has now grown to now include Kate Dreaver, Gill England, Jen Erceg, Carla Guy, Jonathan Harker, Anne Johnston, Moira Lawler, Kelly McClean, Kay Shapland, Fiona Sutton, and Nikky Winchester.
We’re supported by the design skills of Anne Johnston and a team of distributors led by Gill. Moira looks after advertising, Kay Shapland liaises between us and the Residents Association, and, of course, Margaret Blair pays our bills.
We are grateful to our advertisers and sponsors for their support, including the Sutton family and Con Dreaver.
We have planned the following themes for 2026:
- February: Pukerua pets
- April: Celebrating our volunteers
- June: Matariki Herenga Waka – For Everyone
- September: Film and TV
- November: Our village
We have attached a separate budget indicating that we need a grant application of $1000 to get through next year. Unfortunately, the online process is quite unwieldy, including with the need to get approvals from the RA to proceed with an application – frustrating when you’ve already put a lot of time into preparation! We’ll be putting in an application to the Pelorus Trust when this has been accessed.
We’re very much here to support community activities, but we do need to be able to meet our costs. For this reason, we’ve made the difficult decision that we need to ask community groups to contribute towards printing costs when they advertise with us. They will be asked to pay half of what a regular advertiser would pay for the same amount of copy. Actual articles will of course remain exempt.
Wishing you a happy and safe festive season.
Community Garden & Food Forest
Thanks to Vicky for her donation of $200 to the garden from her Art Sale.
Compost Structure – we’ve tabled the financial part of the accountability report with Hutt Mana and is has been accepted. We’re compiling the visual project report which is yet to be completed. Any further expenses to finish the structure needs to be allocated and approved through the group before purchases because Hutt Mana money has been spent.
Summer Watering – Investigations are underway with Ted helping Ara to work out an efficient watering for the Rongoā. We need to have a talk about the systems already there and what we need for this summer’s watering. Vicky’s art money can to go towards hoses.
Calendars – Well taken at approx 50 left to sell.
Garden Trail – great success in terms of PR and money raising. We’ve got interest for another trail with visitors and gardens. Flags and sign to be kept in the green container. Jane approved to buy ink
Christmas on the Field – calendars, plants,seedlings and cut flowers to sell. We have been allocated a table and gazebo.
Access fee – we are happy to continue with the non-payment experiment. Question from the Community Garden Committee on possibility of a paper trail of the various people that have been approached
Nikau palm gift – to Gay while attending Porirua City celebrations at Pataka.
He Ara
Earlier Ashley and Margaret volunteered to do some planting at the Escarpment Domes. In return for this Blair Boswell hosted our group to visit their site. We had a good look around although the mist blocked much of the magnificent view.
Margaret has since prepared a brochure featuring some of the articles guests can read online to get an overview of the history of Pukerua Bay.
A recent posting on the website is the transcription of a talk given by Miria Pomare for Heritage Week in 2021. The talk, entitled “Ngāti Toa, Te Rauparaha and Pukerua” related early contacts between Māori and Pakeha and was very informative. A lot of work went into preparing the talk for publication and it can now be read on our website.
Heritage Week in 2023 led to another project which has just been completed. “The Long Walk” tells the inspiring true story of the Bevan children, forebears of Paul Fitzgerald. The story is beautifully illustrated by Isaac du Toit and has been adapted for young readers so they can learn of the challenges that faced four young children 180 years ago as they walked 100 kilometres from Wellington to Waikawa to join their father and brothers. We have just this week received the first copies of the book and it will soon be available to the public.
As a group dedicated to researching and publishing the history of Pukerua Bay, we are always pleased to be told that others are interested in what we share. Recently Megan Krishnan, Porirua City Council’s Senior Advisor for Partnership attended one of our fortnightly meetings and just this last weekend we were pleased to be able to join the crowd at Christmas on the Field and show some of what we do.
General Business
- Regional Council amalgamation – mayors will continue to meet with their staff on what a good plan looks like for the GWR, to take a proposal to the Minister for Local Govt
- Pukerua Bay School Tree Removals – PKB School has advised 4 pine trees on Rawhiti Rd on roadside edge of school to be removed during summer break because of safety and erosion concerns.
- 2026 central Government Elections – PKBRA supports “Meet the central government candidate” evenings
Action:Paul to initiate invitations
- Classic Homes/Mt Tauriko Property Group Ltd Partnership limited (Mt Welcome) – Advise Council of PKB interests (covering Roading and access to the highway, waste water and protection of Taupo Swamp, refer PKB feedback on the northern growth plan provided to the Council previously.
Action: Kay Shapland
- PKB Newsletter proposed
Action: Pauline Morse to look into regarding the following points
- Power pole at Muri Road. Where the road is coming out from the subdivision it’s up on the bank near there. We need to look at the method of communication from the council about all the various works. Sort out some protocols about getting information out for important messages.
- Correspondence – This may be something to be addressed as it’s an issue for lots of the community groups. E.G. a notice board outside RSA.
- Upcoming dates of significance
- The Residents’ Association will be celebrating 100 years in March 2026.
- The school will be celebrating 100 years at King’s Birthday in 2027.
Meeting ended 9.05 pm