Toi Moana Bay of Plenty Regional Council

Meet Ella Florence – compliance officer, runner, adventurer. At first glance, Ella seems an unlikely candidate for a compliance officer – it’s a monitoring and enforcement job, making sure that places like orchards and campgrounds meet agreed conditions for their water use and on-site wastewater systems. Ella is cut from a template that is perpetually young and cheerful, not the type of person you’d expect to show up at your door with a warrant. However, being a people person is an ideal quality for the role. “My job relies on keeping good relationships with people. Taking five minutes to have a conversation and connect on a personal level at the start of a site visit makes the biggest difference. “The option of flashing your warrant and barging onto someone’s land is never going to lead to the best environmental outcomes because right from the get-go they don’t like you and don’t want to work with you.” This is Ella’s story. 

Bay of Plenty Regional Council has confirmed upcoming fare changes to Baybus OnDemand 

Regional House recently hosted the first Instep Young Leaders Business Breakfast involving Priority One and all three local councils. The event offered students a unique opportunity to connect with local government representatives, gain insight into how decisions are made, and explore the kinds of careers that exist within the public sector.   Inside the Regional Council chambers students took part in three structured mock council sessions focused on topical issues. Each session was run like a real council meeting, complete with roles, agendas, discussion, and voting. Students rotated through different positions, building their understanding of how decisions are made and how diverse perspectives contribute to outcomes.   Events like this are a great opportunity for young people to better understand the value of democratic process, and see first-hand how participation in council decision-making processes help shape the future of our region. For councils, transparent and fair democratic processes ensure there is a mandate for the work we do on behalf of ratepayers.   Instep is a Priority One programme inspiring our young people about the career and training opportunities in the Bay and preparing them to thrive in a world of change. https://lnkd.in/gCTZ9-G5 Tauranga City Council, Priority One Western Bay of Plenty, Western Bay of Plenty District Council

Motuhoa Island is not only an environmental treasure, but also a place of significant cultural heritage. Faced with more intense storms, sea level rise and increasing coastal erosion threatening their land, urupa and sites of significance, the whānau connected to this whenua came together to learn about what was happening to their island. They explored what changes are coming and how they can build resilience for their whenua for future generations. If you know of a community grappling with climate challenges, send them our way for a kōrero about our community led adaptation funding initiative: https://lnkd.in/gyu7ih6e

Tauranga's new permanent city centre bus stops are set to open on Durham Street.

Have your say in funding local sustainability projects! 🌿🗳️ Voting is now open for the School Sustainability and Resilience Fund – an example of participatory budgeting in action. This fund is by the community, for the community, with local schools putting forward projects and the public deciding which ones get funded. By casting your vote, you're directly shaping sustainability initiatives that benefit our tamariki and the environment. Every vote counts! How to vote: - Head to www.boprc.govt.nz/vote-now and review the projects. - Choose your favourite projects to fund, you have up to $35,000 to allocate and need to spend at least $25,000. - Submit your vote for it to be counted. - Share with your friends and whānau.   Voting closes Friday, 9 May 2025. A big thanks to our funding partners who have helped make this possible Tauranga City Council, Western Bay of Plenty District Council, Trust Horizon, BayTrust, Rotorua Trust and TECT.

Something special happens when a community comes together. When individuals unite, they bring diverse skills, perspectives and resources that can drive remarkable achievements. The Cutwater Road wetland is the perfect example of this – this one-of-a-kind project to improve water quality and biodiversity sees many communities from different backgrounds coming together for the good of the Waihī Estuary. Hear from some of the partners involved and why it’s important to them.

Toi Moana brought the heat over the weekend at the 25th Inter-Council Sports Tournament, with more than 40 staff getting involved. We had three stellar teams representing us this year, all absolutely sending it for better or worse! Despite age, injuries, lack of experience and awareness of the rules we managed some great results! A big thank you to Whakatāne District Council and Ōpōtiki District Council for organising and hosting. It was great to work alongside them in delivering this event.

It’s all go in Nukuhou! If you’ve taken the scenic route along the Pacific Coast Highway, you may have noticed a bit of construction going on. Alongside the landowner, we’ve started work to enhance inanga (whitebait) spawning habitat in the old oxbow channel of the Nukuhou River. Why are we doing this? Historically, inanga habitat has been diminished due to things like land use changes, drainage and river channelisation. In partnership with tangata whenua, landowners and local communities, we are helping to restore this habitat so our whitebait can thrive. It’s one of the many projects we have happening around the rohe, with a view on improving biodiversity (native flora and fauna) and water quality for local communities.

Travelling with Baybus just got that much easier thanks to new and improved large print timetables. Formatted in plain text and 18-point font and with guidance from Blind Low Vision NZ, these timetables have been designed to enhance readability. Downloading your large print timetable is easy. Simply: Visit baybus.co.nz Search for your bus route Click the download button and select the accessible timetable option At Baybus, we’re committed to ensuring everyone, including those with impairments, can travel with us with confidence and ease. These large print timetables are just one way we’re supporting this. If you or someone in your household could use support getting from A to B, explore our easy-to-navigate transit options and enjoy a more inclusive travel experience by visiting: https://lnkd.in/gt2WqQU8