It was a privilege to be able to speak recently about the thought and planning that went into the design and delivery of our new Council chambers, Hine Paaka.

The legend of Hine Paaka is a key aspect of the chambers and it has been brought to life through the wood panels, carvings and carpet. Hine Paaka was the wife of a Ngai Tahu chief, Maru, in the late 1600s and her name was given to a huge Matai tree at Alford Forest that stood for over a thousand years.

The tree was a landmark and used by Maori as they travelled across the district. In our chambers, you can see the branches of the Matai tree in the design of the wool carpet, you can see the leaves in carvings on the ceiling, and a pillar running from the ground floor through the chambers and up to Level 2 symbolises the trunk.

The design as a whole is to celebrate democracy and we have been working hard in there already on issues that are important for the district. It has been wonderful to show residents through the chamber and wider building, and see their positive reactions.

Last week we hosted a group of international exchange students from Mt Hutt College and invited them to sit around the Council table. The nine students came from Japan, Thailand and South Korea, and are all busy improving their English language skills and enjoying our Kiwi way of living.

We’ve also restarted our weekly Talk it up Tuesday sessions, which are a chance for people to drop by for an informal chat with a councillor. Councillors take it in turns to host these weekly sessions, which are held from 1pm-2pm just inside the main entrance to Te Whare Whakatere.

It’s a great chance to tell us about an idea or a worry on your mind, and if it’s something that our Customer Service team can help with, they are only 20 metres away.

It has also been good to see the hundreds of responses to the Safer Mid Canterbury and Council online survey inviting people to share their views on the future need for public transport. The survey is open until 8 March, so jump in and tell us what you think.

The feedback will be analysed, alongside the thoughts of community groups, businesses and existing transport operators, to help Council gauge if a public transport pilot is feasible.

Lastly I want to say a big congratulations to the Methven Rugby Club for hosting the Crusaders and Highlanders at the Methven Domain last Friday. The grounds looked incredible and the rugby match was a great event for the town.