Noise control stretched over summer

 

Locating a noise control officer in Mangawhai over the Christmas and New Year holiday period is under consideration by the Kaipara District Council.

However according to the council’s general manager regulatory, Fran Mikulicic, budget constraints may prevent this happening over the 2014/2015 holiday period.

“It makes sense to cover the area during the peak period, but we just need to look at how we would fund it,” she said. “The following year we could probably guarantee local coverage if we plan our budget to include the cost.”

The Focus asked Ms. Mikulicic to outline what Mangawhai residents and visitors could expect from noise control over the holiday period.

Some local residents have complained on the Mangawhai Locals Facebook page that noise control either does not turn up when a complaint is lodged or are busy in other areas of Kaipara.

The council’s noise control function is contracted out to a Whangarei-based company, Environmental Northland Limited.

The noise control officers covering the Kaipara District are based in Ruawai, meaning it could take up to 50 minutes to respond to a noise complaint from Mangawhai.

“It is such a big district and it’s not easy to cover,” said Ms. Mikulicic.

Ms. Mikulicic says that the council wants to hear any complaints from residents about what they consider poor service. This included either the officers did not respond to a complaint, or they failed to shut down what was obviously a serious noise nuisance.

“We will respond to all complaints,” she said.

People with complaints should ring the council’s toll-free customer services line.

She said that as a back-up, noise control officers were available from Whangarei and these should respond if the Ruawai-based officers were unavailable.

By Peter Nicholas

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