FAQs

The permanent sealing of an unsealed road with a bituminous chipseal surface. This includes, but is not limited to, pavement construction, road carriageway widening, water table and culvert upgrades, shape correction and carriageway realignment.

Through its deliberations on the Long Term Plan (LTP) 2021-31, Council increased its annual budget for seal extensions from $1 million per year to $2 million per year for the 10 year period of the plan.

Council needs a clear approach to how it will prioritise the funding it has available to determine which unsealed roads in the District should be sealed. Council receives requests for road sealing in lots of different parts of the District, and there isn’t enough funding to seal all of these roads in the short term.

Under the requirements Council’s existing Seal Extension Policy and Māori Roadways Policy, the requirement to vest land has been a barrier to some Māori Roadways being sealed. Given the connection to whenua (land), as well as the long and well documented loss of land from Māori ownership, it is understandable why owners of a Māori roadway would not wish to vest land in Council but to retain their ownership. 

However, given that anyone has the right to use a Māori roadway as if it a public road (where there are no orders of exclusive use by the Māori Land Court), there is a case for the roadway to be treated as if it were a public road in terms of maintenance and improvements. Therefore, Council has included Māori Roadways for consideration in this proposed policy, noting that they will be subject to the same assessment as any other unsealed public road. Council is proposing to revoke its Māori Roadways Policy.

We want to make it easy for you to share your ideas and thoughts with a number of options:. 

• Explore this online hub where you can complete our online submission form. 
• Post your feedback to Seal Extension Prioritisation Policy review Western Bay of Plenty District Council, Private Bag 12803, Tauranga Mail Centre, Tauranga 3143. 
• Drop your feedback off at any of our Library and Service Centres in  Waihī Beach, Katikati, Ōmokoroa, Te Puke or to the main Council Office at Barkes Corner. 
• Email your feedback to haveyoursay@westernbay.govt.nz

Feedback is open until Thursday 21 April 2022.

Council wants to know if you think the proposed policy will mean that funding is used to sealing the highest priority roads in the District. There is not enough funding to seal all roads.

Council will acknowledge in writing or by email (if provided) the receipt of your feedback and all feedback will be considered through Council’s deliberations process. All submitters who provided email or postal details will receive a decision document.