Coll Mclaughlin News Today

A rush of late nominations for the Buller ward of the West Coast Regional Council has seen 10 candidates put their hands up, but two outgoing councillors say there are challenges ahead for the area's local body.

The Gloriavale Christian Community is set to have more relaxed planning rules and its own sub-zone in the new combined district plan for the West Coast.

Buller members of the West Coast Regional Council say criticism levelled at them by Mayor Jamie Cleine over the Westport flood was unfair and unfounded. A car on Disraeli St was partly submerged after floods hit Westport last week. Photo: Supplied/NZ Defence Force Cleine said the regional councillors had been conspicuous by their absence during the crisis, and left him to front a public meeting where he was asked why the town did not have floodwalls to protect it. Flood protection was the regi...

Lois Williams Local Democracy Reporter13:43, Jul 26 2021 CHRIS SKELTON / PETER MEECHEM Westport is now moving into a recovery mode after recent flooding in the small coastal town. Buller members of the West Coast Regional Council say criticism levelled at them by Buller Mayor Jamie Cleine over the Westport flood is unfair and unfounded. Cleine said the regional councillors had been conspicuous by their absence during the crisis, and left him to front a public meeting where he was asked why the...

Mobile black spots: Meet the Kiwis with worse mobile coverage than the developing world 13 Jan, 2021 04:00 PM 11 minutes to read West Coast Regional Councillor Laura Coll McLaughlin at Denniston next to her total station. She is a surveyor by trade. Photo / Supplied Tom Dillane is a reporter at the New Zealand Heraldtom.dillane@nzme.co.nz@tomdillane1 Teresa Wyndham-Smith remembers with a laugh when it first dawned on her that mobile coverage was better in West Africa than the West Coast of New ...