Latest News

Latest news

Chief Executive Hamish Riach

CE Hamish Riach: New Season, New Faces

There’s something about the cherry blossoms, the longerevenings, and the warmth returning – that lifts the mood across the district. Spring is a season that brings people out and brings people together.

More news

Severe weather: 17 September

Wednesday 17 September, 9pm. Severe weather warnings and watches have been lifted. The weather caused disruptions across Canterbury today.

Noodle Festival serves up flavour and connection

A crowd of noodle lovers descended on Baring Square East on Saturday for the Hakatere Noodle Festival, a celebration of the district’s multicultural community and Welcoming Week.

EANC swim child

Safety first: Surface upgrades and staff training for EANC

Remediation work on the splashdeck at EA Networks Centre has been programmed after the school holidays, for the two weeks beginning Monday 6 October.

Mayor Neil Brown

MAYOR: Do you want fries with that?

It’s a throwaway comment I hear sometimes, or read on social media: We get nothing for our rates.

Poster of farmer

Local faces help promote local voting

As voting papers for the Local Elections have begun arriving in letterboxes, local faces are once again fronting a campaign in the Ashburton district encouraging people to vote.

Large tree by driveway

Diseased oak trees to be removed

Two diseased oak trees on Walnut Avenue, one outside Ashburton College, will be removed during the September school holidays.

Seat at edge of a lake

Lake Hood water update: Monitoring buoy to be deployed

A monitoring buoy is about to be deployed in Lake Hood next week and several rounds of trials of products to mitigate cyanobacteria blooms are planned in the lake this summer.

Booklets on table

What's On: Your spring school holidays activity guide

Spring into the school holidays at the end of the month, with loads of fun and activities – from searching for treasure to racing remote controlled cars and planting delphiniums in the domain!

Truck and trailer on road

New roading maintenance contract awarded

Fulton Hogan Ashburton has been awarded a five-year, $40.7 million operations and maintenance contract to look after the roading network in the Ashburton District.

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: New Season, New Faces

There’s something about the cherry blossoms, the longerevenings, and the warmth returning – that lifts the mood across the district. Spring is a season that brings people out and brings people together.


MAYOR: Do you want fries with that?

It’s a throwaway comment I hear sometimes, or read on social media: We get nothing for our rates.


View all columns


Upcoming meetings

Stockwater Transition Working Group

18 September 2025, 1.00 pm


BOARD: Methven Community

22 September 2025, 9.00 am


Council - Activity Briefings

24 September 2025, 9.30 am


Council - Agency Presentations

24 September 2025, 1.30 pm


Council

1 October 2025, 1.00 pm


Road Closures

TAVERNERS ROAD

from 23 Sep 6:00 to 26 Sep 19:00


DROMORE STATION ROAD

from 22 Sep 6:00 to 22 Sep 19:00


WITHELLS ROAD - EALING ROAD

from 29 Sep 6:00 to 31 Oct 18:00


PHILIP STREET

from 18 Aug 7:00 to 19 Sep 18:00


LINE ROAD

from 16 Sep 6:00 to 3 Oct 18:00


View all Road Closures | Live map

What's On

Check out what’s on in our facilities.


Ashburton District Council Events

Friendship Bracelets

Ashburton Library

Create two friendship bracelets, one to keep and one to give away.Children aged 5-12Booking required

Zen Garden Diorama

Ashburton Library

Chill out while you create your own mini Zen garden diorama using some fun craft materials.Children aged 5-12Booking required

Pom Pom Key Ring Creatures

Ashburton Library

Come along to the allocated Maker Space time to create a pom pom creature. The room will be set up for you with staff popping...

Remote Control Car Racing

Ashburton Library

Book your spot to have a go on our track with our remote-control cars. Face off against others to gain bragging rights.Mon 22nd September, 3pm-5pmTues...

View all events

Facilities News

EANC swim child

Safety first: Surface upgrades and staff training for EANC

EA Networks Centre

Remediation work on the splashdeck at EA Networks Centre has been programmed after the school holidays, for the two weeks beginning Monday 6 October.

Booklets on table

What's On: Your spring school holidays activity guide

EA Networks Centre

Spring into the school holidays at the end of the month, with loads of fun and activities – from searching for treasure to racing remote controlled cars and planting delphiniums in the domain!

Poster for educational festival

Join the crew of lifelong learners

Library

Departing Mayor Neil Brown will talk about his time leading the Ashburton District, when he opens the Lifelong Learning Festival in the Ashburton Library next month.

Two students and two adults near tree

Ashcoll, Council sport centre friendship celebrated

EA Networks Centre

Ashburton College and EA Networks Centre reinforced their special relationship this week with the unveiling of a new plaque at the base of a commemorative tree.

View all facilities news

Project News

Concept plan for new bridge

Key milestone for new Ashburton Bridge

2025 News

The long-awaited second Ashburton Bridge is a step closer with the signing of a key agreement, Minister for the South Island and Associate Transport Minister James Meager has announced.

Mayor Neil Brown

MAYOR: Early moves on second bridge

2025 News

If you tuned in to this week's council meeting, you would have heard an update from the NZTA team in charge of building our second urban bridge and connecting road.

Water flowing under walkway

Stockwater Exit: Brothers and Alford Forest intakes

2025 News

Community members interested in the future of the Brothers stockwater intake are being invited to a public meeting at Mayfield on 2 September and encouraged to have their say via an online survey.

View all projects news

News feed

A free service that you can easily keep up to date with our latest news.

Open for Feedback

House drawn on Post-it Note

Resource Management Notifications

From December 1, 2031 to December 1 2031

Recently Closed

Water Races Bylaw Review

From May 30, 2025 to June 29 2025

Climate Change & Sustainability Strategy

From May 26, 2025 to June 18 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

Map with highlighted areas

Short water shutdown in north-east on Sunday night

Households and businesses in a large part of north-east Ashburton, including all of Fairton, will have a short water shutdown on Sunday night to allow important work on the Bridge Street water treatment plant.

Map of water shutdown area

Short water shutdown for Philip and Walker Streets

Properties on Philip Street and Walker Street will have a short water shutdown on Monday 18 August as part of work by Council contractors to renew water pipes in the area.

Filling glass from tap

Water pipe renewals under way from 7 July

Work to renew water pipes on Tancred Street and Philip Street in Ashburton will begin on 7 July, with road closures in the affected areas.

Large statue of a fish

Short shutdown for Rakaia water supply

Rakaia residents are being asked to conserve water on Monday 7 July when new UV disinfection equipment at the town’s water treatment plant is being commissioned.

View all alerts