Parties dicuss lifeguard donations

Talks between Mount Maunganui lifeguards and Tauranga City Council are continuing after the latter backtracked on their decision to stop roadside donations.

For more than a decade the Mount Maunganui Lifeguard Service has been a mainstay at the intersection of Maunganui Road and Rata Street and Totara and Rata streets during the summer months, in what has become their most effective public fundraising drive.

But a complaint in January, arising around the safety implications of what the lifeguards were doing, threatened to bring their collections to an abrupt halt.

Since then council and the club have been working behind the scenes on a compromise, ensuring safety and the chance for the club to continue raising vital funds are maintained.

In a statement released this afternoon, Tauranga City Council bylaws team leader Stuart Goodman says he recognises the importance of fundraising to the volunteer service, and through discussions, council has agreed to help the lifeguards produce a traffic management plan.

He adds council were obliged to follow up on the complaint and began by asking the lifeguards not to collect in the roadway or in a way that distracts drivers or creates a hazard to themselves and members of the public.

Last month it was outlined to SunLive that lifeguards were welcome to collect on footpaths and beaches as long as it is 'not in the roadway or in a way that unduly distracts drivers or creates a hazard to themselves and member of the public”.

It was recommended by council health and safety staff, as well as the police, that the lifeguards don't solicit for donations from people who are in their vehicles.

'We are looking for a solution that meets legal safety requirements without compromising the collection efforts,” says Stuart, on the latest development.

Mount Maunganui Lifeguard Service general manager Glenn Bradley says the roadside collections are vital to the sustainability of the volunteer lifeguard services and after-hours response activities performed on the beach, Mauao and surrounding areas.

The fundraising efforts at Totara Street and Maunganui Road are seen as the most effective public fundraising initiative that the volunteer lifeguards undertake each year.

'The public have always been overwhelmingly supportive of us and willing to give to the service in this way during the holiday periods we collect,” says Glenn.

'At this stage we look forward to working with council to develop a traffic management plan which will continue to allow us to collect in this manner from these locations.”

Western Bay of Plenty acting road policing manager Senior Sergeant Phil Gillbanks says the traffic management plan is a good approach in keeping both parties happy, but police will continue to monitor all road safety aspects.

'From our perspective, it's about ensuring the collectors are safe and the road users are safe,” says Phil, 'and also that they are not creating a blockage on the road so traffic can continue moving freely.

'If they can come to some form of compromise that's fine, but we will continue to enforce the legislation as it's written.”

Last month, when SunLive first heard of the complaint, long-time Mount clubbie Garry King said in the 12 years he has stood shaking the bucket, lifeguards had been of assistance to the police.

'We have never had an accident,” says Garry. 'In fact, we report drink driving to the police, give public guidance to how busy it is and where the best place to park is, give directions to people from out of town, plus much more.”

Back then he had no qualms with police and council putting a stop to the donation soliciting as long as they suggest how to stump up the vital funds in another way.

'I do find it frustrating that we have to fundraise so we can up-skill and then go and volunteer to save lives on the beach,” he adds.

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5 comments

FOR GOODNESS SAKE TCC

Posted on 19-03-2015 16:55 | By carpedeum

I am disgusted at the Council's decision around this and - as a ratepayer who lives here at The Mount- one thing to say to TCC - PULL YOUR HEADS IN- you should be ashamed of yourselves !!! Overkill around ONE complaint- ask the other NON complainer if they mind- NO ONE DOES


To easy

Posted on 19-03-2015 17:07 | By Turk 4

to put the stop to anything these days. One complaint can appear stop anything (Lost Souls fence for example) How did we get to this????


But a complaint in January, arising around the safety implications ...

Posted on 19-03-2015 17:10 | By Murray.Guy

One complaint and Council staff jump to attention. Sounds like their response to mould issues and Kaka Street parking yellow lines. Life guards are responsible and wearing clearly viable clothing. Perhaps the addition of an orange cone or two either side on the road way collection points with a small sign, 'CAUTION, LIFEGUARD COLLECTION POINT AHEAD' would suffice plus alert car passengers to raid the change in the car! Carry on 'Life Savers', you add enormous value to our community at next to no cost, unlike those putting hurdles in your way!


Lifeguards

Posted on 19-03-2015 21:49 | By surfsup

The whole situation is ridiculous in a country that relies on tourists, and in the case of the mount in a major way. Lifeguards SHOULD NOT HAVE TO GO BEGGING when the responsibility should fall on the government to cover all the expenses, if we are prepared to waste 26million on a flag referendum then there can be no argument that the lifeguard funding is not more important. Council should be in the ear of all local politicians to push for this to happen.


Why does council jump, Murray?

Posted on 21-03-2015 14:41 | By Councillorwatch

I think the reason Council as you say jumps to attention about complaints is that they are driven by process. I think there are plenty of examples on Sunlive of you, Murray Guy, going on about process and evening thinking it was important. In a process driven bureaucracy of course you have to investigate complaints. It's just part of your precious process. Let's hope you are supportive of lifesaving when it has to go through the process of extending its clubrooms through you precious Papamoa dunes too. Meantime I look forward to other organisations also being able to fundraise with roadside collections.


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