At the Council Meeting on 30 October 2026 the elected members made a number of key decisions.
Heritage Grant Applications
Council received two applications for grants from the Heritage Grant fund, which met the criteria.
They decided:
- To approve in part funding of $2,500 (the maximum permitted) to the BurkesPass Heritage Trust towards the replacement of the electrical supply and switchboard at St Patrick’s Union Church, Burkes Pass.
- They also approved funding of $1,296.75 towards a public heritage interpretation sign at the former Mount Cook Road Board Office, Burkes Pass.
Formal Consideration of membership with Hauora o Te Whenua
Councillors voted for the Council to become an organisational member of HÄuora Taiwhenua Rural Health Network, after a previous presentation by Bill Eschenbach of Waitaha Health (Aoraki Primary Health Organisation) outlining the challenges and opportunities associated with rural healthcare provision across the Mackenzie District.
The annual membership fee of $1,200 is unbudgeted expenditure in the 2026/27 financial year, and the membership will be subject to annual review, with future membership costs to be considered through the relevant budget process.
Twizel Masterplan
Elected members noted that there have been a number of plans under discussion for Twizel. They confirmed that the first priority was the
Twizel Traffic Master Plan to address traffic circulation, parking supply and management, long-vehicle and caravan movement, signage, pedestrian and cycling safety, and relevant surrounding roads and intersections the wayfinding from SH8 to the CBD.
This plan would need to be progressed in alignment with the adopted Twizel Spatial Plan, the Market Place Urban Design Plan and the parking strategy and paid-parking feasibility study.
They also directed staff to investigate a separate Twizel Township Master Plan and report back on its purpose, scope, relationship to existing and regional spatial planning, indicative cost, funding, consultation, project-management resources and realistic timeframe.
They noted that it would be helpful if consistent names and descriptions for each planning project could be adhered to.
Lilybank Road Realignment Mt Gerald Station
Councillors approved a proposed culvert and roading realignment for Lilybank Road through Mt Gerald Station subject to:
- the works being undertaken to the satisfaction of Council's roading manager and;
- completed works will be appropriately vested in Council as a road.
- costs will be met by Mt Gerald Station.
This work is linked to tenure review in 2015 and is designed to divert public traffic away from the residences.
Annual Report
Councillors adopted the Mackenzie District Council Annual Report 25/26. The final report will be available from the council’s website and in its offices.
Public Toilets – District Wide User Pays
Councillors considered a high-level feasibility and cost-benefit assessment and accompanying financial model for the introduction of district-wide user pays public toilets. They noted that usage for the sites are estimated and the figures are sensitivities, not forecasts.
They also made the following decisions:
1. Approved staff to progress with the implementation of user pays services across the District, including;
- Endorsing Penny as preferred supplier for user-pays public toilet access,
- Setting a capital budget of $165,000 for the supply and installation of the necessary hardware.
- Fairlie Toilets, 8 doors and $40,000
- Burkes Pass, 1 door and $5,000
- Tekapo Tavern Toilets, 6 doors and $30,000
- Tekapo Footbridge, 3 doors and $15,000
- Tekapo Lakeside Drive, 5 doors and $25,000
- Pukaki Toilets, 5 doors and $25,000
- Twizel, 5 doors and $25,000
- Noting that the Pukaki toilets have been included in this resolution.
2. The capital budget is to be recovered from the $2.5m MBIE funding being provided to Council for this activity.
3. That the tariff to be $1.50 per paid use, as per the fees and charge set in the Annual Plan
They requested a separate report on resident and group access, including eligibility of non-ratepaying residents and seasonal workers, and practical alternatives for people unable to use digital registration or electronic payment to be considered at its December 2026 meeting.
The commissioning date is now Waitangi Weekend 2027.