The number of horses roaming Ōpōtiki's streets has got out of control and neither police nor the council have the resources to deal with the problem, a council spokesperson says.
Charlotte Jones - Local Democracy Reporter16:59, Jun 03 2021
TROY BAKER/WhakatÄne Beacon
Grazing a horse in Opotiki could soon become a privilege not a right as the council moves to consult with the public on a total ban.
Grazing horses in Ōpotiki could be banned as police and council staff are overwhelmed with the numbers roaming the streets. On Tuesday, Ōpotiki district councillors voted to ban horses from grazing on council land. They will now seek public feedback on a proposal to completely ban horses from the township and to hire and train addition animal control staff to respond to the high number of horse-related callouts.
Bach owners on East Coast land being returned to iwi under Treaty of Waitangi settlement can continue to use an illegal road to get to their homes while the council works to solve the access issues.
Whanarua Bay s location, marked by the red pin.
Photo: Google maps
Te Whanau-a-Apanui were elated and celebrated with applause and waiata as Ōpōtiki District Council voted to return reserve land into iwi management on Tuesday.
Iwi spokesperson and councillor Louis Rapihana said there was a lot of shock when Mayor Lyn Riesterer announced the decision. The iwi is astounded and they can t stop jumping for joy that the council has agreed to return reserves that were taken off them many years ago, he said. It s huge and everyone is so blown away.
Rapihana declared a conflict of interest in the matter and did not vote or speak at the meeting.