Tuakau Volunteer Recognised
Tuakau resident Stuart Graham was awarded with a special accolade today.

Crack Down On Hoons At Karioitahi This Summer
Franklin District Council and the Police will be out in force this summer to keep Karioitahi beach users safe from hoons.

Change Of Refuse Collection Day For Some Households
Increases in the amount of kerbside recycling has resulted in a change to the refuse and recycling collection day for some Pukekohe and Mangatawhiri households.

Fencing Needed For Temporary Pools
Thinking of buying a pool for the kids this summer? Franklin District Council is reminding residents that even a temporary pool needs to be securely fenced.

CBD Parking Patterns To Be Surveyed
Don’t panic if you see someone watching your parking patterns in our CBD’s over the next few weeks.

Popular Road Rider Training Brought To Auckland
More than 180 riders became safer road users last weekend after attending a unique motorcycle road rider training day, the first of its kind in the greater Auckland region.

Council And Bank On Track At Pukekohe Hill
Pukekohe’s BNZ has joined forces with Franklin District Council to develop a mountain biking track on Pukekohe Hill.

Franklin Alcohol Retailers Pass The Test
Franklin’s alcohol retailers passed with flying colours earlier this month when a major operation was conducted in the greater Auckland area to check for the selling of alcohol to minors.

Tuakau Sports Ground to be Revamped
Work on improving the sporting facilities at Tuakau’s Dr John Lightbody Reserve will begin next week, with the demolition of the old grandstand.

Franklin District Council submits on boundary and ward issues for Auckland Council
Franklin District Council has today made a submission to the Local Government Commission on local government boundary and representation issues for Franklin.

Council Adopts Annual Report
Franklin District Council adopted its Annual report for the year ended 30 June 2009 at today’s Council meeting.

Franklin Hosts National Anti-Drink Driving Short Film Competition
Franklin District Mayor Mark Ball hosted the inaugural National Secondary Schools Anti-Drink Drive Short Film Competition prize giving this afternoon.

Be Careful on Firth of Thames Beaches
A dog that recently died after visiting Coromandel’s Tapu beach has tested positive for Tetrodotoxin (TTX) – the same toxin found in dogs and sea slugs recently on Auckland beaches.

Changes to Tuakau and Areas Recycling Services
The Tuakau Recycling Depot, located on St Stephens Ave, will close on 12 October. A sign advising of the change has been in place at the depot since September.

Tsunami Relief Information
The following information relates to the tsunami relief effort

Auckland Supercity
The following is a list of the criteria that the Local Government Commission will use to assess the proposals that it receives on 16 October, and the criteria that they will use to determine the boundaries of wards and Local Boards, and the southern boundary.
Local Government Commission Criteria (pdf, 104kb)

Are You Able To ‘Get Thru’ For Three Days?
With National Disaster Awareness Week running from October 11 to 17, Civil Defence organisations across the country are taking the opportunity to remind communities that disasters can come in many forms at any time.
 

Tornado strikes Franklin
On Monday 29 September at around 10.30am, a localised tornado affected around five properties over a 3-4km path in the Ramarama area (Willow/Davis/Maxted Roads).

Hazardous Chemicals Collected For Free
Get rid of those unwanted chemicals and make Franklin a safer place. Simply take advantage of Franklin District Council’s annual hazardous waste collection on Saturday 3 October.
The HazMobile will be parked at Franklin District Council, 82 Manukau Road, Pukekohe, 10am – 2pm.
 

Council and Community Boards meet with the Local Government Commission
On Thursday 17 September, just one day after the Parliament passed the Local Government Auckland Council legislation, the Local Government Commission visited Pukekohe and met with the Mayor, Councillors and Community Board Members.

 Major Safety Works To Begin On Manukau Road
A major roading safety project that will change Pukekohe’s busy Manukau Road is about to commence.

Supercity Bill Passed Into Law
The Government's legislation setting up the new Auckland Council was passed by Parliament on a vote of 64 to 58 after a long debate under urgency.

Transpower Receives Final Decision
Transpower today received a final decision from the Board of Inquiry to approve its proposal to construct a new transmission link between Whakamaru and the southern limits of Auckland, known as the North Island Grid Upgrade Project.


Gala And Reopening Of Hamilton Estate Community Hall
Come along to a special gala day and the official reopening of Hamilton Estate Community Hall on Saturday 26 September.

Community Invited to Workshop Franklin’s Heritage
The community is invited to participate in a workshop on 1 October to discuss how to identify and document Franklin’s heritage sites with the aim to protect, enhance and manage them.

Parking Security Charge at Papakura Rail Station
A parking security charge will be introduced at the Papakura rail station “Park and Ride” car park in Ron Keat Drive from October 5th.

New Lease On Life For Hamilton Estate Community Hall – Reopening 26 September
The hall at Hamilton Estate in Waiuku will officially reopen on Saturday 26 September after a major refurbishment.

Super-City Decision Splits Franklin - Contrary To The People’s Wishes
Franklin District Council and youth from the Pukekohe Youth Centre have ‘mucked in’ and helped a Pukekohe family hit by bad luck recently.  

Council And Youth Centre Muck In To Help Family In Need
The Select Committee on the Local Government (Auckland Council) Bill reported back to Parliament this afternoon. Their recommendation for the southern boundary of the new city cuts right through the middle of Franklin District. 

Council Proposes Policy With Focus On Reducing Alcohol Harm
Franklin District Council’s first comprehensive local alcohol policy is now out for public consultation.

Franklin Residents Ignored?
In a front page story on Tuesday 25 August, the Franklin County News quotes a reliable source who says the decision on Franklin’s future is already made.

MOTAT Extends Warm Invitation to Franklin Residents
From 1 to 25 September Franklin District residents can look forward to free fun and interactive experiences at MOTAT – the Museum of Transport and Technology.

Public Hearing for Future of Pokeno Starts Today
The public hearing for Plan Change 24, which outlines future growth plans for Pokeno, starts today.
Independent commissioners have been appointed to hear all submissions and assess the proposed plan change.

New Heart for Karaka
Grand concept plans for a huge new recreation development at Karaka Sports Ground have been approved by Franklin District Council and the Karaka Sports Park Development Committee.

Future of Bledisloe Park Mapped Out
The blueprint for the development of Bledisloe Park for the next ten years has now been approved by Franklin District Council.

Name Change for Safer Community Group
The Franklin Safer Community Council has changed their name to Franklin Safer Community Coalition (SCC).

Speed Limit Changes for Franklin
Franklin District Council has approved three new speed limit changes for Franklin. The speed decreases will take effect on 17 August 2009 at Grahams Beach, Buckland and Patumahoe.

Kids Tell Drivers To Slow Down Near Schools
Franklin District Council is working with NZ Police to run a speed awareness campaign, with the major focus around speed near schools.

Important Policies For Franklin Adopted
In yesterday’s Council meeting an important draft policy was adopted for consultation and a new bylaw adopted.

Urban Crashes Increase In Franklin
Franklin’s Road Safety Liaison Group has released the latest six weekly report, for the period 16 June – 28 July 2009.

True Community Involvement In Revamped Seddon Park
The final plan for Seddon Park’s redevelopment has been completed, with a true community approach taken in designing the space.

Council Interest Free Loans – Apply Now
Franklin District Council is currently calling for applications for the Community Partnerships Loan Funding Scheme. The scheme offers interest free loans to community groups and organisations.

Long Term Council Community Plan adopted, rate increase held to 2.8%
Franklin District Council has adopted the “Franklin District Council Community Plan 2009-19 – working together for our future” with the average rate increase for the coming year reduced from the 4.1% originally proposed, to 2.8%.

Microchipping For Dogs Made Easy
Local vet clinics, Franklin Vets, Waiuku Veterinary Centre and Pukekohe Veterinary Centre are partnering with Franklin District Council to offer special microchipping clinics.

Crashes Increase In Franklin
Franklin’s Road Safety Liaison Group has released the latest six weekly report, which included one fatality, for the period 5 May – 16 June 2009.

Graphic DVD Campaign Aims To Reduce Under-Age Drinking
A new campaign to discourage under-age drinking and those buying it for young people has been launched in Franklin.

Household Hazardous Waste Drop-off Day for Waiuku
Franklin District Council is holding a free drop-off day for household hazardous waste in Waiuku on Saturday 27 June 2009. The HazMobile will be parked at the Resource Recovery Centre, Hosking Place, 10am – 2pm.

Lights Installed At Growers Stadium
A significant community project has come to fruition today, with the installation of lighting at Growers Stadium.
 

Rural Bends Focus For Local Road Safety Campaign
Improving driver safety on bends is the focus of a new road safety campaign in Franklin.

 Changes To Refuse And Recycling Services
The start of the new rating year sees a few changes to refuse services in Franklin, including the introduction of additional household refuse and recycling services.

 Franklin Retailer Caught Selling Alcohol To Minor
Franklin District Council and the Police completed an operation last week targeting retailers for the sale of alcohol to minors.

New trees for Pukekohe Town Square
Two trees in Pukekohe Town Square will be removed and replaced next month.

Serious Crashes Up In Franklin
Franklin’s Road Safety Liaison Group has released the latest six weekly report, which features mixed results.

Mayor Appeals To Residents – Please Tell Us About Safety Issue
Franklin District Mayor Mark Ball is making a plea to residents in a bid to keep us all safe.

Free Entry for Franklin Residents to NZ National Maritime Museum
The New Zealand National Maritime Museum invites the residents of Franklin District to visit the Museum free of charge in the month of June.

Further Submissions Close For Proposed Pokeno Plan Change
Another public consultation phase on the future of Pokeno has come to an end when the opportunity for further submissions closed last Friday.
 

Submissions Close on Draft Plan for Franklin
The submission period for the draft Franklin District Council Community Plan 2009-19 has now closed.

Results For Onewhero/Tuakau Community Board By-election
Voting closed at 12 noon today (Wednesday 29 April 2009) for the Onewhero/Tuakau Community Board by-election.

Child Safety Campaign Begins
Council is launching a ‘Parking near a School’ safety campaign next week to coincide with the new school term.

New truck means speedier rubbish collection
Franklin District Council is urging residents to put their rubbish out on time as a new collection truck comes into service.

District-wide Swimming Pool Fencing Safety Checks Begin
Franklin pool owners are being issued a friendly reminder to stay alert around pool fencing safety issues. Franklin District Council is embarking on random checks to ensure pool fencing complies with national safety standards.

Stamp Out Graffiti With Paint Out Kits
Graffiti paint out kits are now available for communities who suffer from tagging.

Household Hazardous Waste Drop-off Day for Tuakau
Franklin District Council is holding a free drop-off day for household hazardous waste in Tuakau on Saturday 18 April 2009.  The HazMobile will be parked at the Tuakau Sale Yards, George Street entrance, 10am – 2pm.

Councils deliver safe driving message with a difference over Easter
The road toll in the southern edge of Auckland is a “bleeding shame” say road safety staff in the area, as they unveil a unique and innovative billboard campaign to promote safe driving in wet conditions.

 Growers Stadium To Light Up
Developing Growers Stadium into a recreation hub will be one step closer in May.

Community Plan Consultation Starts
The Franklin District Council Community Plan 2009-19 is now out for public consultation. 

Angry Franklin Residents - Keep Us Out Of Auckland
Hunua MP, Paul Hutchinson and Franklin Mayor, Mark Ball held a public meeting in the Pukekohe Town Hall last night to allow the Franklin community to comment on the recommendations of the Royal Commission on Auckland Governance.

Great Community Interest In Pokeno's Future
Public interest in the future of Pokeno is high, with many interested residents and stakeholders participating in the consultation process of proposed Plan Change 24.

Franklin Bee Keepers Need Community Help 

 Seddon Park redesign – have your say

Franklin District Council is currently working on plans for the redesign of Seddon Park. The park, located on the corner of West and Seddon Streets, Pukekohe is undergoing a major redevelopment to make it more accessible for users.

Lights out for Franklin next Saturday
Don’t worry when lights go out next Saturday night around the district – there’s no power cut. It’s simply Franklin residents and businesses showing they care for the future of our planet.

Waiuku CBD Make Over Complete
Waiuku’s town centre make over is all but over. The $2 million project is due to finish on Friday, after nearly one year of construction.

Public Asked For Input into Waste Bylaw
If you have an interest in how waste is managed in Franklin, have your say on the proposed Waste Bylaw.

Have Your Say On The Future Of Bledisloe Park
Bledisloe Park users are being asked to get involved in the future development of this central Pukekohe recreation area.

Nominations Close for Onewhero/Tuakau Community Board By-Election
Two candidates have been nominated for the Onewhero/Tuakau Community Board by-election, which is due to be held on Wednesday 29 April.

Earth Hour Promo Tour Coming to Town
Pukekohe Town Square will play host to an important message next Wednesday.
Mayor Mark Ball and the Executive Director of the World Wide Fund for Nature –New Zealand, Chris Howe, will be promoting Earth Hour to Franklin as part of a national roadshow.

Young Franklin Drivers Learn the Ropes
Franklin students will be safer on our roads thanks to a RYDA (Rotary Youth Driver Awareness) programme being delivered for the second year.

Locals Turn Out In Force For Mayoral Challenge
Last night’s Franklin Bike Wise Mayoral Challenge saw 737 participants jump on their bikes, trikes, tandems and unicycles to show their support for Franklin and compete against the big cities.

Multi Million Dollar Project for Franklin Begins
Work has begun on Franklin’s largest Council-led individual project.

Council Requests Info on Goat Killers
Franklin District Council is asking for the public’s help following the killing of two goats in Franklin on Saturday night.

Fire danger for Franklin
Franklin District Council is keen to remind people of the dangers associated with lighting fires after the recent devastating wild fires at Mahia and Nelson.

Have your say on Pokeno’s future
Pokeno residents and the general public have until 25 February to have their say on the future growth of Pokeno, which could see its population grow to more than 5,000 by 2051.

Changes to Tuakau Service Centre
From 16 February the part-time Franklin District Council Service Centre at Tuakau will be replaced with a full-time information service provided at the Tuakau Library. This service will be available during all opening hours – Monday to Friday 9.30am – 5pm. 

 Inside Pool Open Again
The Franklin Sport, Swim and Fitness indoor swimming pool opened again on Tuesday, 27 January.

Council Hopes a New Year Brings Better Parking
Residents showed their creative parking skills this Christmas as people found any way to park in and around Franklin’s main town centres. Unfortunately the parking wasn’t always legal or safe.

Buildings fall as Council Gets Ready for Road Improvements
Late last year number 2 Golding Road fell under the swinging arm of a bulldozer as Franklin District Council prepared the site for long term roading improvements to the Golding Road, East Street and Belgium Road intersection.

Reminder: Indoor Pool Closed a Little Longer this Summer
Franklin District Council would like to remind residents and visitors that the indoor swimming pool, on Franklin Road, will remain closed a little longer this summer to allow the pool floor to be retiled.

Open Fire Season Now Operating – But Please Be Careful
Franklin District Council has lifted the Restricted Fire Season that has been in place across the District since December. An Open Fire Season is now in operation.

Local bee keepers are asking the public for help in identifying a plant that could send them out of business.
 

Summer Weather Aids Road Works
This summer’s fair weather has resulted in a bumper season for road works.