Latest News

Latest news

Two men holding signs

Council partners with ANZ for business awards

Ashburton District Council has again welcomed ANZ bank as the naming partner for the 2026 Business of the Year Awards.

More news

Three men standing together

Volunteer civil defence radio operator's long service recognised

Civil Defence volunteer radio operator David Watson received a very special message this week.

Mayor Neil Brown

Mayor: Keep up the water services feedback

Thank you to all those people who have given Council feedback on its plan to deliver water services in the future.

Council services over Easter and Anzac Day 2025

The public holidays over Easter and Anzac Day 2025 will see temporary changes to some Council services and facilities.

Two small buildings

Mayfield water treatment plant upgrade goes live

New filtration and UV disinfection equipment will come online at Mayfield’s drinking water plant on Monday, in a seamless transition for the community.

Pedestrian crossing on urban street

Tinwald School 30km/h variable speed zone to be extended

Council is extending the variable speed limit zone outside Tinwald School to include Graham Street, which means traffic must travel at 30km/h at the beginning and end of the school day.

Large group of people on footpath

Walk this way to see our heritage and culture

Councillors and members of Historic Places Mid Canterbury joined forces yesterday to launch two town walks, designed to show off Ashburton’s heritage and cultural spots.

Chief Executive Hamish Riach

CE Hamish Riach: Weighty decisions about water for Council

It's been a week of big decisions, many about water: the second Ashburton bridge has cleared its last administrative hurdle, water reforms that affect this district are out for consultation and Lake Hood is closed until further notice because of cyanobacteria.

Old public toilet block

Hakatere public toilets to be replaced

Contractors have begun installing a new public toilet block at the Lower Hakatere Huts.

Rail and road bridges side by side

NZTA, Council work together to progress second bridge

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) and Ashburton District Council have signed an agreement to manage the construction of the second Ashburton bridge and connecting road as one project.

View all news

Council Brief

A weekly roundup of our top news and important notices. Council Brief is published every Thursday in the Ashburton Courier, Ashburton Guardian and on this website.

View previous issues


Public Notices

Latest Public Notice


From the Mayor & CE

CE Hamish Riach: Weighty decisions about water for Council

It's been a week of big decisions, many about water: the second Ashburton bridge has cleared its last administrative hurdle, water reforms that affect this district are out for consultation and Lake Hood is closed until further notice because of cyanobacteria.


MAYOR: Big water services decisions ahead, have your say

There’s a very big piece of Council work open now for feedback, and it’s about services that we mostly take for granted.


View all columns


Upcoming meetings

Council

7 May 2025, 1.00 pm


COMMITTEE: Three Waters

14 May 2025, 10.30 am


COMMITTEE: Audit & Risk

14 May 2025, 1.00 pm


Council

21 May 2025, 1.00 pm


BOARD: Methven Community

26 May 2025, 9.00 am


Road Closures

BLANDS ROAD

from 17 May 9:00 to 17 May 16:30


WITHELLS ROAD CLOSURE

from 17 Apr 6:00 to 9 May 18:00


EALING ROAD CLOSURE

from 17 Apr 6:00 to 9 May 18:00


TREVORS ROAD

from 7 Apr 7:00 to 27 Jun 18:00


FRISBYS ROAD

from 28 Apr 8:00 to 28 Apr 19:00


View all Road Closures | Live map

What's On

Check out what’s on in our facilities.


Ashburton District Council Events

Hakatere Noodle Festival 2025

Ashburton District Council

The Hakatere Noodle Festival is back with more yummy dishes and free entertainment.

Light up the Night 2025

Ashburton District Council

Ashburton kicks off the season of Christmas festivities with Light up the Night. Join us for a night of food, fun and the jolly man...

EA Networks Glow in the Park 2025

Ashburton District Council

Save the Date!Glow Up Your Winter! Bring your family and join us for three magical nights of light, music, food and fun for all ages...

Dyslexia Presentation

Ashburton Library

Dyslexia Presentations@ Ashburton LibraryTuesday 13 MayThe BOOST Programme and Ashburton Library are bringing you 2 information sessions on dyslexia presented by Ros Lugg.Ros is a...

View all events

Facilities News

Library assistant helps senior visitor

Ashburton Library joins modern libraries on the rise

Library

Ashburton Library is cresting a wave of increasing library membership and use, along with other modern libraries around the country.

Reception area

New shared reception area coming to AAGM

Art Gallery and Museum

The Ashburton Art Gallery and Museum will close for two weeks after the April school holidays to combine two reception areas into one on the ground floor and create new exhibition space on the upper floor.

What's on this April holidays?

Library

Following the success of the first summer holiday What’s on Guide, an autumn holiday guide has now hit countertops at Council facilities.

Repair coming for hydro pool

EA Networks Centre

The EA Networks Centre’s hydro pool will be closed for about a week from 7 April to address a sand filtration issue.Other pools in the centre will not be affected but members will be emailed with the option to put their pool membership on hold.

View all facilities news

Project News

Stockwater race

Stockwater Exit: Water balance report commissioned

2025 News

Council has commissioned a water balance report for the Washpen/Mt Harding Creek system, as part of its work on the future of the Pudding Hill stockwater intake.

Man speaks to meeting

Stockwater Exit: Pudding Hill wider survey

2025 News

Methven community members who came along to a public meeting about the future of the Pudding Hill stockwater intake are being encouraged to take part in Council’s online survey about the intake.

Stockwater race

Stockwater Exit Transition Plan: First intake surveys in the mail

2025 News

Land owners who have water races on or adjacent to their property and who pay stockwater rates for water from the Methven Auxiliary Intake are receiving letters this week asking them to take part in a survey about the future of the intake.

Wastewater project sign

NW Ashburton wastewater extension project moves to final stage

North West Ashburton Waste Water Servicing

Contractors will return to Allens Road at the end of May to begin the final stage of the North West Ashburton wastewater extension project.

View all projects news

Tenders

Portal used for advertising tenders and other commissioning requirements to the market. All processes through to contract award stage are manage in Tenderlink.

Open for Feedback

House drawn on Post-it Note

Resource Management Notifications

From December 1, 2031 to December 1 2031

Recently Closed

Climate Change & Sustainability Strategy

From January 20, 2025 to February 23 2025

Solid Waste Management and Minimisation Bylaw Review

From August 28, 2024 to September 29 2024

Representation Review Initial (Draft) Proposal

From June 13, 2024 to July 21 2024

Draft Long Term Plan 2024-2034

From March 27, 2024 to April 28 2024

View all consultations

Alerts & advisories

Aerial shot of water plant

Hosing ban for Methven during water plant maintenance

Council is implementing a hosing ban on the Methven and Methven Springfield water supplies from Wednesday 26 February to allow maintenance on one of the reservoirs at the Methven water treatment plant.

Holiday homes

Hakatere water notice extended by three days

Council is extending the conserve water notice for the Hakatere drinking water supply for another three days so additional work can be done on the water plant infrastructure.

Overnight disruption for Hinds water supply

The Hinds drinking water supply will be temporarily shutdown overnight (Wednesday 5 February) between the hours of 11pm and 3am, to allow for urgent repairs following the discovery of a leak in a watermain at the water treatment plant earlier today.

Conserve water notices – Mayfield, Hakatere Huts and Chertsey

Residents of Mayfield, Chertsey and Hakatere Huts are being asked to conserve drinking water on various days this week.

View all alerts