Meet the candidates & latest Ward news - Councillor update Aug-Sept 2025

What you need to know about Local Government elections 2025:

 Voting papers will be posted from 9-22 September to everyone who was registered on the electoral roll by 1 August. Anyone enrolling after 1 August will need to cast a special vote - which you can request from the Council or Election Services (ph 0800 922 822).  Voting closes at 12 noon on election day (Saturday 11 October). Election papers will include a binding poll on whether you support keeping or removing Maaori wards in the Waikato District.  The result of the poll on Maaori Wards will be implemented from the 2028 local body elections.

Meet the Candidates

The first Meet the Candidate event (including Mayoral and council candidates for both Waikato District Council and Waikato Regional Council) was held in Tauwhare on 30 Aug. The next events are at:

• Tamahere Community Centre on Wed 10 Sept from 4pm,

• Matangi Hall on Sat 13 Sept from 12.30pm.

• Gordonton Hall on Thurs 18 Sept from 4pm

• Tamahere Community Centre on Sat 20 Sept from 11am.

Rates invoices:

Rates invoices this year will arrive by 8 September, a little later than previous years, with the first instalment due on 22 September.  Direct debits will restart on 1 September (instead of 18 August) and will be spread over slightly fewer instalments for those paying weekly (44 instead of 46 instalments), fortnightly (21 instead of 22) or monthly (10 instead of  11 instalments).

Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) Council Profiles

Profiles have been released for every council in the country. They are designed to help easy comparisons on rates, debt, spending, and staffing, but do not take account of differing growth rates and the difference in need to invest in new infrastructure, for example. Waikato DC is compared with a group of “Small Metro/Large Provincial” councils. The report is on the Council’s website.

New Waters CCO – IAWAI Flowing Waters

Hamilton City and Waikato District Councils were the first in the country to have a joint plan for the future of their communities’ water services formally approved by Government.  All councils must submit Water Services Delivery Plans by early September to show how plans will keep up with growth and be financially sustainable. The HCC and WDC joint plan allows for the delivery of services for around 280,000 people through 91,000 connections across the two council areas with a predicted 22% increase in households or businesses needing water services over the next 10 years and with investment in shared water services of $3.6 billion over that period. The Water Services Delivery Plan can be viewed on both councils’ websites. The new CCO will be fully operational from July 2026.

Alcohol Control Bylaw 2020

Following consultation, updates to this bylaw have been adopted. Controls in Tamahere-Woodlands Ward remain largely unchanged under District-wide rules that prohibit consumption or possession of alcohol in all public cemeteries, parks, reserves and esplanades (including vehicles that are not self-contained vehicles parked in these areas) from 9pm-9am daily.

Neighbourhood and sports park management plans

Following consultation, updated plans were adopted at the Infrastructure Committee meeting on 3 September. Additional issues have been noted for consideration in plans for Matangi Recreation Reserve, Tamahere Recreation Reserve, Jack Foster Reserve, Te Awa Reserve, Hukanui and Gordonton Reserves. A master plan will be developed for Matangi Recreation Reserve in consultation with the community.

Tamahere Reserve

Tamahere Reserve (off Tauwhare Rd) is not categorised as a neighbourhood and sports park and will be managed separately. Council plans to appoint Boffa Miskel to establish a concept plan for the reserve including safe vehicle access,  in consultation with the community

Birchwood Lane

New traffic counts and speed data along with the results of a Council survey of local residents were presented to the Tamahere Community Committee’s September meeting. The data was inconclusive with no clear direction from residents' assessment on whether there is a problem and how it should be resolved, but noting that a raised pedestrian crossing was identified as a preferred treatment. The road will be resurfaced over summer, which will remove any remaining road markings, and the speed limit will stay at 50kph for now. The Council will determine the next steps with the community.

Local events in September:

• Matangi Dairy Factory Tour, Sat 13 Sept: Anyone interested meet in the Bootleg Brewery carpark at 10am for a history tour of the factory led by Harry Mowbray.

• The Sculpture Park at Waitakaruru Arboretum: “The Forgotten Forest” exhibition of works by Destine and Nathan Hull runs from 13 September to 27 October

Contact your Tamahere-Woodlands Councillors:

Crystal Beavis, mob 0275 957 927, email 

Mike Keir, mob 027 449 3012, email