Jane Nees BOP Regional Councillor www.janenees.co.nz

Last week, I visited Whangamata and saw its attractive civic gardens, filled with spinach and parsley, where local residents are encouraged to harvest produce for their own use. What a great idea, I thought, and I wondered why more local councils don't do this sort of initiative.

Turning on my computer when I arrived home, I was pleasantly surprised to find an email from a local community group encouraging me to make a submission to the Western Bay of Plenty District Council on its recently announced draft Community Gardens and Planting of Fruit and Nut Trees Policy. I don't often comment on what other councils are up to, but this time I couldn't resist. I applaud the council for this initiative which truly supports community development and wellbeing.

The draft policy aims to:

• Provide options for members of the community, who lack enough private open space, to have their own vegetable gardens or fruit and nut trees; and to assist communities to become more sustainable by growing their own produce.
• Make available public open space for community gardens and for the planting of fruit and nut trees as a form of community development and recreation.
• Provide an opportunity for social networking, teaching and learning about gardening and the planting of fruit and nut trees.
• Establish opportunities for local pride in public open spaces.

The policy sets out the criteria for assessing proposals for community gardens and planting of fruit and nut trees on council-owned or administered land. In general, where a community group can establish a management entity to run a community garden; or where individuals wish to plant fruit and nut trees; and where a suitable site can be found, the council will make public land available for community gardens or fruit or nut trees, subject to the criteria and the process outlined in the policy.

To me, such an initiative is a win-win. It enables good use of a community asset for the well-being of the community in partnership with those who wish to participate. If you want to know more about the draft policy, contact the Western Bay of Plenty District Council and take the opportunity to provide your comments during the submission process which closes 4pm Wednesday, June 19.

If you have any views on this or any other issue, please contact me at: neesj@xtra.co.nz or ring me on 07 579 5150. Or you can check out my website at: www.janenees.co.nz