Newsline 254 - 1 July 2011

Friday 1 July 2011

This page contains articles from Issue 254 of Newsline.
Download as a PDF: Newsline 254 - 1 July 2011

Draft Scheme For Joining Nelson City and Tasman District Announced - It’s Time To Have Your Say

On Thursday 16 June 2011 the Local Government Commission (LGC) announced that it had prepared a draft reorganisation scheme for the union of Nelson City and Tasman District in response to the petition that was launched by Aldo Miccio on the 24 July 2009. This issue of Newsline highlights the draft reorganisation scheme and the process from now on.

The draft is now open for submissions – so residents of both Tasman and Nelson have the opportunity to look at what is being proposed and get in-touch with the LGC with their views and opinions on how the draft can be improved or changed. Submissions close on Friday 19 August 2011.
After reviewing all submissions the LGC will decide whether to proceed with issuing a final reorganisation scheme, which will be put out to a public vote, or to drop the amalgamation process.

A copy of the draft reorganisation scheme and its supporting documents can be viewed at Council’s Richmond office, service centres and libraries or downloaded from www.tasman.govt.nz or www.lgc.govt.nz. It is written in a ‘plain English’ format so what is proposed should be clear and easy for the reader to understand. It is really important that all residents fully understand the implications these proposals have on the way your region is governed and operates. Everyone who lives in Tasman will be impacted.

If you don’t have enough time to get a copy of the LGC’s draft reorganisation scheme document we have extracted the key elements here so that you can get an idea of what is being proposed and the important role you play in defining how your region will be governed in future. Your view is important as the LGC has a number of decision points that will be informed by submissions the first being whether to proceed with or drop the proposal.

Constitution of District and Council (how the new Nelson-Tasman Council will be created)

The districts of Nelson City and Tasman District are united into one district to be known as Nelson-Tasman District. There shall be a council for the united district called the Nelson-Tasman District Council.

Administrative Headquarters

The administrative headquarters of the Council shall be located in Richmond.

Service Centres

The existing services to the public, provided by the Nelson City Council in Nelson and the Tasman District Council in Motueka, Murchison, Richmond and Takaka must continue to be provided in those locations for a period of not less than five years from the date that this scheme comes into effect. Nothing in this scheme prevents the Council from offering additional public services during that five-year period.

First election of council (when the Mayor and Councillors of the Nelson-Tasman District Council are elected)

The first election of the Council shall be held on 13 October 2012.

Note: Because of what is stated in the Local Electoral Act if the new Council’s first election is held on or after 13 October 2012 the next election would be held in 2016. If the first election is held before 13 October 2012 the next election would be held in 2013.

How the Nelson-Tasman District Will Be Divided Up

The Council shall comprise a mayor and 16 members. The members of the Council, to be elected at the first election of the Council, shall be elected as follows:

Wards

The united district shall be divided into six wards. Those wards shall be:

The Nelson Ward - 7 elected members
The Richmond Ward - 3 elected members
The Moutere-Waimea Ward - 2 elected members
The Motueka Ward - 2 elected members
The Golden Bay Ward - 1 elected member
The Lakes-Murchison Ward - 1 elected member.

Communities

There shall be five communities in the united district:

The Nelson-Richmond Community, comprising the area of the Nelson Ward and the area of the Richmond Ward
The Moutere-Waimea Community, comprising the area of the Moutere-Waimea Ward
The Motueka Community, comprising the area of the Motueka Ward
The Golden Bay Community, comprising the area of the Golden Bay Ward
The Lakes-Murchison Community, comprising the area of the Lakes-Murchison Ward.

Community Boards

Each of the five ‘communities’ will have a Community Board. The membership of the community boards will be made up as follows:

The Nelson-Richmond Community Board comprising four members elected from the Nelson Ward and two from Richmond, one member (councillor) of the Council representing the Nelson Ward and one member (councillor) of the Council representing the Richmond Ward
The Moutere-Waimea Community Board comprising four elected members and one member (councillor) of the Council representing the Moutere-Waimea Ward
The Motueka Community Board comprising five elected members and one member (councillor) of the Council representing the Motueka Ward
The Golden Community Board comprising four elected members and the member (councillor) of the Council representing the Golden Bay Ward
The Lakes-Murchison Community Board comprising four elected members and the member (councillor) of the Council representing the Lakes-Murchison Ward.

Powers of community boards

The community boards have the powers listed below. These powers must not be altered for a period of six years.

1. Community boards shall have responsibility to:

facilitate engagement of their community in relation to policies, plans and projects proposed for their community
advise the Council on the priorities and preferences of their community in respect of the level and nature of local services to be provided by the Council – in their community
advise the Council on variations in levels of service provided to their community compared to planned levels of service
where preferred service levels in their community are higher than default levels, advise the Council on the recommended funding mechanism (how it intends on paying for them)
undertake activities for which a budget has been allocated by the Council to the Board.

2. Community boards shall have delegated authority, in accordance with the policies, plans and bylaws of the Council to:

allocate funding and operational grants to local community groups in their community
manage, maintain and approve usage (including hireage charges) of community halls in their community
seek funding (to be held by the Council) from external organisations which can be applied to community projects within their community
make recommendations to the Council on the granting of leases or licences on reserves and public spaces in their community
make recommendations to the Council on proposed developments or activities on local parks, reserves and waterways in their community
make recommendations to the Council on submissions and objections in relation to statutory processes
approve traffic control and constraint measures, parking restrictions and traffic control signs on streets in their community (e.g. stop and give way signs etc)
approve the design and location of bus stops and shelters in their community
approve the design and location of neighbourhood improvements, such as street furniture, in their community
approve names of roads, streets and parks in their community
grant consent for the removal of trees from parks, reserves, streets or other Council land in their community
authorise, within approved budgets, board member attendance at appropriate conferences and training courses.

Rates

The system used across the Nelson-Tasman District shall be the Capital Value System (which is currently how Tasman District Council calculates rates, Nelson City Council currently uses a Land Value system).

Transition committee

The affected local authorities (Nelson and Tasman) must unite in appointing a transition committee. The transition committee shall be a joint committee of the affected local authorities (Nelson and Tasman).

Membership (who will be on that transition committee)

The transition committee shall consist of:

Three members appointed by the Nelson City Council
Three members appointed by the Tasman District Council
The chief executives of Nelson City Council and Tasman District Council who shall be non-voting members of the committee.

Functions of the transition committee (what it will do)

The functions of the transition committee shall be to:

Make arrangements for a person to be the Acting Chief Executive of the Council until a person appointed by the Council takes up the position of Chief Executive
Undertake preparatory work for the 2013/2014 draft annual plan for the Council
Make recommendations to the Council on its management and administration structure
Make recommendations to the Council on general principles of funding and rating policies for the Nelson-Tasman District
Make recommendations to the Council on any proposed powers of community boards, which would be additional to those prescribed in this scheme
Make recommendations to the Council on the amount of funding to be provided to each community board
Make recommendations to the Council on whether the Council should have committees, and what the membership and functions of any committee should be
Make recommendations to the Council on such other administrative matters as are required to ensure that the Council is able to function effectively from the day on which it comes into existence
Consult with community boards and residents organisations on the matters specified in paragraphs (2), (4), (5), (6) and (8) above.

Please note: The long-term plans prepared by the Nelson City Council and the Tasman District Council continue in force in respect of their areas until a new long-term plan is made by the Council.

Resource Management Act – how will the Nelson-Tasman District Council manage our environment?

The Resource Management Act (usually called the RMA) is the main piece of legislation that sets out how we should manage our environment. It’s based on the idea of the sustainable management of our resources, and it encourages us (as communities and as individuals) to plan for the future of our environment.

The (current) Nelson City Council’s Regional Policy Statement and the (current) Tasman District Council’s Regional Policy Statement are deemed to be regional policy statements of the Nelson-Tasman District Council.
The (current) Nelson Resource Management Plan and the (current) Tasman Resource Management Plan are deemed to be plans of the Nelson-Tasman District Council.
The Nelson Air Quality Plan is deemed to be a regional plan of the Nelson-Tasman District Council.

Advantages

Regional decision-making and action

The draft reorganisation scheme better represents the nature and interests of communities within the Nelson-Tasman area and removes an increasingly artificial boundary between Nelson City and Tasman District. The Nelson-Tasman area as a whole is experiencing a pattern of population and economic growth that intensifies challenges and opportunities in the promotion of community well-being and sustainability across the area of both councils.

The draft scheme promotes a truly regional approach to council-community decision-making and action and this is required to efficiently and effectively address key issues facing the wider region. Shared service arrangements between the councils will not achieve this because of their limited scope and dependence on coordinated decision-making by the two councils. The interests of, and accountability to, the two separate communities will remain paramount over the interests of the regional community as a whole. The draft scheme will enhance:

the efficiency and effectiveness of council decision-making and action as a consequence of the ability to take account of truly regional community interests and views
community and other stakeholder participation in the planning and development of the region
representation of, and accountability to, the region
advocacy on behalf of the region.

Other plans

Any plan, policy, rule or strategy prepared by the Nelson City Council or the Tasman District Council under any Act continues in force in respect of those areas until that plan, policy, rule or strategy expires or is revoked by the new Nelson - Tasman District Council.

LGC Statement Summarising the Advantages and Disadvatages of the new Nelson - Tasman District Council

Here is a statement put out by the LGC that breaks down, in its view, the advantages and disadvantages of the creation of the new Nelson - Tasman District Council.

Explanatory Statement of Advantages and Disadvantages of the Proposed Union of Nelson City and Tasman District Introduction

This statement is issued under clause 42 of Schedule 3 of the Local Government Act 2002. It is a statement of the advantages and disadvantages of the proposed union of Nelson City and Tasman District. It should be noted that the reorganisation scheme is a draft at this stage and could be subject to change following the Commission’s consideration of submissions.

Local representation

The draft scheme better reflects the nature of distinct local communities within the Nelson-Tasman area, and relationships between these local communities. It maintains a ward structure to ensure specific representation of rural and outlying communities. It provides district-wide coverage of community boards to enable decision-making and action by and on behalf of local communities where appropriate.

Council capacity

A combined council will have significantly greater financial capacity than the councils separately, to respond to community needs and address current and future issues such as adequate water supply, drinking water and unforeseen disasters/emergencies.

A combined council will have enhanced organisational capacity, through designated specialist positions, to identify and address both regional and local priorities. Resources currently applied to facilitating collaborative links between the councils will be directly focused on achieving regional outcomes.

Costs

The draft scheme will generate immediate efficiency gains through a reduction in the total number of duplicate management, support service and supervisory positions. However, there are some off-setting costs, including one-off transitional costs and ongoing additional costs of democracy.

Promotion of good local government

The draft scheme will result in structural arrangements that improve the ability of local government in Nelson-Tasman to deliver on its purpose to:

enable democratic local decision-making and action by, and on behalf of, communities
promote the social, economic, environmental, and culturall wellbeing of communities, in the present and for the future.

Disadvantages

Transitional disruption

Implementation of a reorganisation scheme will cause some short-term transitional costs and disruption associated with, for example, redundancy and organisational change. The draft scheme sets out transition provisions to effectively manage and mitigate potential disruption and cost.

Perceived loss of democracy

There may be perceptions of a loss of local and/or rural representation in the Tasman District area and remoteness of a council for a larger district. These concerns are addressed by a system of wards to ensure representation of rural and outlying communities, district-wide coverage of community boards with budgets and decision-making responsibilities, and a central location for the council headquarters.

There is likely to be a modest increase in overall democracy costs associated with the provision and servicing of a greater number of community boards.

What Happens Next?

This section is of key importance to everyone who lives in our region and has an interest in how they are governed, and by whom. If the union of Nelson and Tasman goes ahead, and the new Nelson-Tasman District Council is created, it will be as a direct result of you voting for or against the proposal. Neither Council has a say in the process. Below is an outline of the timeline and at what point you are able to have your voice on the proposal heard.

The procedure from now on is as follows:

The draft reorganisation scheme is open to submission until Friday 19 August 2011 (note: all submissions MUST be sent to the LGC in Wellington and not Tasman District Council)
The Commission meets with those who make submissions
The Commission considers the submissions and makes any other investigations or inquiries it considers necessary.

The Commission decides whether to:

issue a final reorganisation scheme based on the draft reorganisation scheme, or
issue a final reorganisation scheme based on modifications to the draft reorganisation scheme or
not issue a final reorganisation scheme if it considers that the proposal does not meet the Local Government Act's criteria.

If the Commission issues a final reorganisation scheme, then polls of electors in Nelson City and Tasman District will be held.

For the final reorganisation scheme to be successful more than 50% of the votes cast by the electors in each poll must be in favour of the proposal.

If both polls are in favour of the proposal the final reorganisation scheme is implemented by Order in Council.

How do you make a submission and have your voice heard?

Submissions on the draft reorganisation scheme can be made on both the proposal made by the draft scheme as a whole and on the specific provisions of the draft scheme.

Submissions should be sent to the following address:

Chief Executive Officer
Local Government Commission
PO Box 5362
Wellington 6145
Email: info@lgc.govt.nz
Fax: 04 494 0501

Persons making submissions should clearly state whether they wish to appear before the Commission at a hearing, and should provide a daytime contact telephone number. If this information is not provided the Commission may assume that the submitter does not wish to appear before the Commission. It is the Commission’s policy to make submissions publicly available on request.

Mayor’s Comment

After the initial publicity surrounding the Local Government Commission’s decision to continue the process with its delivery of a draft reorganisation scheme I think it is time to take a step back and review what is in it and what does it mean for Tasman.

The Commission has requested submissions on the draft scheme to be received by 19 August and I can assure you this Council will be submitting. While yet to be finalised the submission will be focused on the representation issue and include a large number of corrections to the information within the reports the Commission used to inform their draft scheme.

One thing that has concerned me in these initial days is the constant repeating of the view that ‘cost savings that will run into the millions each year’ and that there have been ‘lost opportunities’. Both reasons have been featured regularly in media commentary, but neither has been the focus of further questioning, nor has there been any evidence presented whatsoever to back either claim up. Whereas there is evidence, nationally and internationally, that expected cost savings are not realised in practice and that the opposite occurs.

These two fundamental reasons will be among the extremely important factors to many in the District and region when they are weighing up which way they view the draft scheme.

I urge Tasman residents to take the time to review what is proposed and if there is anything anybody wishes to be clarified, give me or the Council a call. If you wish to make a submission these need to be addressed to the Commission via the process outlined in this issue of Newsline.

We will be providing information to people about the process in a neutral manner, but this will not stop us asking for the answers to the questions that we believe Tasman residents need to assist them in making up their mind if the proposal goes to a vote.

This is probably one of the biggest decisions residents will have to make about how the place you call home is governed and developed in the future and, as such, I urge you to be involved.

– Mayor Richard Kempthorne

Rugby World Cup Fanzone

Backed by the Tasman District Council and Sport Tasman the only Fanzone in the Tasman District is coming to the Motueka Recreation Centre.

The Fanzone will enable the community to enjoy Rugby World Cup 2011 Semi-finals on Saturday 15 and Sunday 16 October 2011 and the Final on Sunday 23 October 2011 for FREE.

The Fanzone, as well as featuring a large 8 x 4 metre screen complete with digital surround sound, will also have live performances, beverages and food and even a supervised fun area for the kids. The entertainment will begin well before kick-off and the kids area will run up until the final whistle.

The Fanzone will create a festive atmosphere for the community to get together and be part of Rugby World Cup 2011. “The Fanzone will provide a fun way to be involved in this huge international event whether you’re a big fan of rugby or not,” said Ria Ahearn, Fanzone Coordinator.

The recent upgrade to the Motueka Recreation Centre has created a facility that is well suited to hosting community events. So come enjoy the spectacle of the 2011 Rugby World Cup with friends and family.

Tasman Youth Shine at Youth Volunteer Awards

The contribution that young people make toward ensuring our communities are better places to live was recognised at the recent 2011 Nelson Tasman Youth Volunteer Awards.

The awards, now into their eighth year, attracted over 100 nominations from across Tasman and Nelson, for young people involved in a wide range of voluntary community, school and sporting activities. The awards ceremony on 23 June 2011 was hosted at the New Hub in Nelson, and featured live music, drama and dance performances, along with guest speakers and the presentation to award recipients.

Members of the Tasman and Nelson Youth Councils were responsible for allocating the five ‘Special Awards’ from their respective regions – a task they found extremely difficult due to the high calibre of nominations received.

Tasman’s 2011 Special Winners were:

Jenna Ross

Jenna has had a busy year at Waimea College where she was involved as a Stage Challenge Coordinator, Special Education Captain, Social Coordinator and Environmental Captain.

Becky Polglaze

Becky volunteers at the Nelson Ark, assisting with animal rehabilitation in the community. She supports and mentors other students on the course, and is an active fundraiser for the programme.

Virginia Win

Virginia gives up around 20 hours of her time each week, assisting at Richmond Riding for the Disabled. Her work varies from the everyday tasks, such as bagging horse dung, and fund-raising to assisting as a ‘side walker’ - providing support during therapeutic sessions.

Kevin Gauntlet

Kevin’s a key member of the youth leadership team at Grace Church, donating his time and money to ensuring kids can attend the events and activities the youth group run.

Special Group Award

Anika Stephenson, Sophie Harrison, Joni Tomsett, Mackenzie Lightwood, Jonty Comins, Josh Muldoon and Rebecca Adams picked up the Special Group award for their contribution towards providing wholesome, hearty breakfasts to the Motueka school community. They coordinate with the community to obtain donations of fruit, jam, cereal and milk and have huge pride in the service that they offer.

Nelson Special Winners were:

Mathew Buckingham
Aaron Inwood
Rory East
Mitchell Chandler
Nicholas Somerville

New ‘Councillors’ Grapple with Making Law

Around the Council table they couldn’t all agree, some liked to hog the microphone, others lost their train of thought mid-sentence, more than a few possessed sound common sense, and the Mayor was guilty of playing favourites. Cynical ratepayers might think it was business as usual in the Tasman District Council Chambers, but these ‘councillors’ were aged 5-8 and on a school trip recently to learn about laws and law-making.

Three groups of about 20 pupils each from Nelson Christian Academy were given a glimpse of the whole process, from formulating a bylaw, to visiting the police station across the road to meet those who uphold the law, and calling at the old jailhouse in Washbourn Gardens to learn the consequences of breaking it.

While at the Tasman District Council headquarters Mayor Richard Kempthorne welcomed the pupils to his office, then gathered them around the Chambers table to discuss a new ‘bylaw’ formulated by Deputy Mayor Tim King: ‘That all cyclists must wear pink helmets.’

“What about the boys,” several ‘councillors’ argued forcefully. Others favoured any bright colours, and a consistent bloc suggested companion safety measures such as fluoro clothing, lights, gloves and shoes. When put to the vote, all three groups upheld freedom of choice, by healthy majorities.

In the last session, one ‘councillor’ and her sibling broke with protocol by sitting on the Mayor’s knees – but then his grand-daughters Isabella and Eva are entitled to special privileges.

After their taste of bylaw-making, the pupils were introduced to the idea of ‘consultation’ by Cr Judene Edgar, who let them design a playground by sticking pictures on a diagram of a field. In all, it was a hands-on experience that will linger in young minds for many years.

Poem to Grace Mapua Amphitheatre

Moutere poet Cliff Fell has won the competition to compose verse for sandblasting into concrete benches at the new Mapua waterfront park.

Being part of the ‘regeneration’ of the former chemical factory site “feels almost privileged”, says Cliff. Tasman District Council will spend up to $450,000 on landscaping the park, which should be finished by summer 2011/12.

Landscape architect Robin Simpson asked the Mapua Community Library to contribute to the design of the amphitheatre, which includes tiered rows of benches on a grassy incline at the edge of the estuary near the wharf. The library group first thought of using an existing poem, then decided to call for submissions.

The text had to evoke the estuary and its many moods: sunrise and sunset, tides, the migration of birds and marine life, plus the people who fish, boat and swim.

Cliff says the four winning lines are intended to be read as a sequence, with the last on the seat closest to the sea:

Quietude of the inlet: to feel the breeze and lapping of a wave

In the springtime they will come, wandering out of the sun: the birds

The smell of salt (and vinegar), a pied stilt picking at a shell: as I will wait and watch for you: spoonbill and godwit, heron on the foreshore, don’t be shy

Turn me tides, into this again: the light that leads to the sea

Contest organiser Ro Cambridge says it was a challenge in that each of the four “bites” had to work individually – since strollers might come upon them from either end – and be coherent when read as a whole. Poets also had to work to a set number of characters or less.

“Since the piece would be ‘memorialised’, it needed literary weight and still be accessible to the public,” says Ro.

Cliff worked out the piece in his head on Christmas Day morning, down at the coast. He says that when he typed the words into his laptop two sections came out at exactly the right length, giving him a “goosebumps feeling” that he was on the right track.

To have his words immortalised in concrete is “an extraordinary honour”. He will be present at the sandblasting in September 2011.

London-born Cliff immigrated to the Nelson region 14 years ago. It was a homecoming in a sense because he hails from pioneering Nelson stock. His great great-uncle Charles Yates Fell was Mayor from 1882-1887.

Cliff is also an essayist, reviewer and Creative Writing tutor at NMIT. He is the author of two collections of poetry, the first of which, The Adulterer’s Bible, was short-listed for the 2004 Montana Poetry Prize.

Rural Firefighting Company Rebounds

A new management team has taken over at Rural Fire Network following the tragic loss of the previous business owner, Neil Eder, in a road accident in March 2011.

Ian Reade, former Chief Operating Officer of Nelson Forests Ltd, will soon join the company as business owner and team leader. Ian has many years’ experience in rural firefighting, is a member of the Waimea Rural Fire Authority Incident Management Team and is Fire Chief of the Mapua Volunteer Brigade.

Rural Fire Network (RFN) provides management services to the Waimea Rural Fire Committee, whose members include the Tasman District Council, Nelson City Council, Department of Conservation, Nelson Forests Ltd and Hancock Forest Management. The Waimea Rural Fire District managed by RFN covers more than one million hectares of land, including national parks.

Richmond-based RFN was set up in 1998 under the management of Tom Broderick. The company oversees the region’s volunteer brigades, including Appleby, Brightwater, Ngatimoti, Glen/Hira, Tasman (Motueka), Marahau, St Arnaud, Upper Takaka and Wainui. RFN also issues fire permits (more than 6000 a year), manages 25 fire appliances and firefighting equipment, and staffs the Richmond Hill Lookout over summer.

Neil Eder joined the team three years ago as Manager/Principal Rural Fire Officer. He was well-respected by both Rural Fire Committee members and volunteer firefighters.

Tom said RFN had become a model for Rural Fire Authorities nationwide. Neil’s death was a shock, but company staff had all pulled together to ensure the professional delivery of fire management services.

Tom acknowledged the support provided by Tasman District Council Community Services Manager Lloyd Kennedy and other Fire Committee members during the transition period.

Ian Reade said he is looking forward to the challenges of his new role and working with the committee, RFN staff and the region’s rural firefighting community. He takes over on 1 August 2011.

Winning Photo Makes a Splash

Mapua photographer Niki Boon captured a boy’s stomp through a puddle to take the supreme prize in the annual SeniorNet Motueka Photo Competition.

Judges commented that the photo ‘Xtasy’ “conveys brilliantly some of the action which we all, at some time in our lives have enjoyed. The concentration on just a part of the person keeps our attention on the action; the lights and tones of the picture are very effective … a worthy winner”.

The best entries from the competition are on show in the Motueka Museum and Muses Café until 29 July 2011. Entry is free.

The photo competition is in its fourth year, and has doubled in size in that time. Organiser Shirley Frater says the quality of entries has also soared. They received 450 entries this time, of which 310 are in the exhibition.

Niki won a DVD movie camera plus a prize package that included a Farewell Spit safari. Section winners collected activity and product vouchers worth $150-$200 each, donated by local businesses. The contest receives financial support from the Tasman District Council through the Motueka Community Board’s discretionary fund, plus a Creative Communities grant.

Section winners this year are:

Portrait

Who Wants To Take My Picture? by Laura Hay, 1; Karla, by Cherie Palmer, 2. Highly commended: Rudolf Mosimann, Kim Falconer (twice), Margie Hunter.

Close-up/macro

Eye Spy, by Heather Knapp, 1; Who’s Watching Who, by Tania Fowler, 2. Highly commended: Ray Bagnall, Rick Stokes, Alan McRae.

Nature

White-fronted Tern, by Kim Falconer, 1; Up Where We Belong, by Rudolf Mosimann. Highly commended: Rudolf Mosimann (twice), Cherie Palmer, Heather Knapp, Tania Fowler, David Samways.

Our Place Tasman

Takaka Hill Sunset, by Cor Mastwijk, 1; Japanese Drummer – Sarau Festival, by David Letsche, 2. Highly commended: Jennie Askew, Clair Wilson, Rudolf Mosimann.

Action

Xtasy, by Niki Boon, 1; Paddling the Brick, by Jan Baily, 2. Highly commended: Jimmy Wright, Jessica Rance, C M Kong, Laura Hay.

Humorous

The Boys in Blue, by Gillian Gately, 1; I’ve Got My Seat Too, by Rick Stokes, 2. Highly commended: Brian Brown, Wendy McGregor.

Open Category 10x8

You Are The One, by Rudolf Mosimann, 1; The Fragile Gift, by Kim Falconer, 2. Highly commended: Kim Falconer, Niki Boon, Jan Baily, Lisa Ball.