Survey reveals residents’ views

Every year the Council goes to residents and asks them what they think of the services it provides, so it can consider their views and respond to their needs. The annual survey allows individuals to have their say on issues that affect them every day. It is part of the Council’s consultation programme and is important because it means the Council can represent the views of those who pay for and use the services it provides.

This year a majority (12 out of 17) of Council services were seen as being good or very good value for money by 60 to 80 per cent of people.

While the survey showed increasing concern about roading and traffic congestion, the new shuttle bus has quickly become one of the more valued services.

Kerbside recycling proved popular and 90 per cent of those asked said they were satisfied or very satisfied with the service. The survey shows that Christchurch people are active because leisure activities proved popular once again. Of those asked, 70 per cent said they had visited a council library, 96 per cent visited a park or beach and 81 per cent of children visited a swimming pool.

The survey reflects many of the trends seen in previous years, the most notable of which was that 93 per cent said they thought Christchurch was a great place to live, work and play.

Eighty- two per cent said they thought their standard of living was the same or better than it was last year. However, health and employment continue to be issues of major concern.

Most people think Christchurch is safe, at least during the day, with over 91 per cent saying they felt safe or very safe in their own home during the day, 76 per cent said they felt safe or very safe in their homes after dark.

People can get a better idea of what Christchurch's new art gallery will look like from this model in the pavilion on the corner of Worcester Boulevard and Montreal Street, the site for the new gallery. Craig Prentice (right), the model maker and sculptor Graham Bennet are pictured diccussing materials. Graham is working with the architect to create works for a sculpture garden. Construction of the Gallery will start in September next year.

Kate Laveesen (pictured) and Rachel Wilson’s design scored highly in the Council’s truck art competition and will soon decorate a litter truck or floating litter trap. Form three and four students were asked to come up with designs with anti- litter messages. Kate and Rachel are from Villa Maria College.

The other winners were Jenny Davis from St Andrew’s College; Edward Van Dadellszon, St Bede’s, and Milly Watson and Kate Aitken from Rangi Ruru.

The successful artists were given movie tickets and their schools were given $500 each. Every school entered went into a draw for the major prize, a computer software package, and Christ’s College was the lucky winner.

Red light means go

A red light usually means "stop" but a new traffic light in Beckenham means "go" in terms of energy savings.

The light may save $130,000 in the annual rates bill — and provide an opportunity for a local technology innovator to earn substantial export dollars. Electronics designer Paul Sintes and his company Sound Logic Research Ltd are responsible for the Light Emitting Diode (LED) technology, which uses innovative science to make traffic lights more energy- efficient and easier to maintain.

Council signals engineer Bill Sissons has helped develop the new light, which is being trialled at the intersection of Colombo Street and Strickland Street.

He estimates that introducing LEDs across Christchurch’s 213 traffic light- controlled intersections would save $93,000 a year in power bills and $38,000 in maintenance costs.

Paul Sintes, whose company was helped through research and development of the new light with funding from Technology NZ, believes export potential for the LED is vast. He has already had interest from Singapore.

Over the past five years the Council has also identified and implemented about $7million worth of energy- efficiency measures, from upgrading lighting and heating systems to generating electricity from biogas at the wastewater treatment plant.