We are a non-political, community elected group of residents, formed in 1980, to actively work to protect and improve the unique environment and lifestyle of the Bayswater peninsula.

The committee is elected every two years at a public meeting and meets every second month to discuss local concerns and meet with community and council representatives. We make both informal and formal representations to the Devonport Community Board, North Shore City Council, regional authorities and other community support and environmental groups to ensure the voice of Bayswater residents and ratepayers is heard.

If you would like to receive occasional email news from the BCC please email: Bayswater@xtra.co.nz

This page contains news of our recent activities and concerns. The 2008-2010 committee is listed at the end of this page.

Fullers gives 90 days notice of its intention to withdraw from the Bayswater ferry service - 16 October 2008
We are aware that Fullers and ARTA have been unable to reach an agreement on a new contract for the Bayswater services. Media releases explaining their positions can be read on their websites: www.fullers.co.nz and www.arta.co.nz. The BCC will make representations to both parties to seek assurances that the service will continue. Members of the Bayswater Community Committee and the North Shore Ferry Users' Group hope to meet with ARTA in early November to discuss the commuters' concerns. ARTA have given assurances that the service will continue possibly with another service provider.

Bayswater - Ngataringa Bay Clean Up - 27 September 2008
Around 20 people from Bayswater, Devonport and beyond spent a pleasant morning on the Ngataringa shell bank and mudflats collecting 25 bags of plastic and other assorted debris around the foreshore. Thanks to Peter McQueen, long time Birkley Rd resident, Maire Vieth, Devonport Community Coordinator and Nicki Malone, North Shore City Council for helping with this community activity. North Shore City provided rubbish bags and gloves and took all the accumulated rubbish away. This clean up was only able to deal with relatively small rubbish. The BCC is concerned that there is a considerable amount of larger debris along the foreshore. We would encourage owners of properties adjacent to the foreshore to make an effort to clean up any debris near their properties and ensure that rubbish is disposed of appropriately in future.

Biennial General Meeting 2008
The BCC Biennial General Meeting was held on 28 May 2008. Mayor Andrew Williams spoke at the meeting which was attended by around 60 people, including a number of North Shore City Council and Devonport Community Board members. The purpose of this meeting was to report to residents on BCC activities over the last two years; to provide residents an opportunity to raise matters of concern on the Bayswater peninsula and to elect the 2008-2010 committee - current committee list below. If you would like a copy of the Biennial Report prepared for this meeting, please email: bayswater@xtra.co.nz

Submissions
Submissions have been made to North Shore City Council and Auckland Region Council on their draft annual plans. We raised the need for funding for the Bayswater Ferry Terminal, which now has resource consent, with both councils. In the submission to North Shore City Council we repeated the need for a plan for the on-land section of Bayswater Point, a wider walking/cycling bridge at O'Neill's Cemetery, better traffic management on the peninsula and into Lake Rd, and seawall maintenance in Lansdowne St.

Our submission to the Royal Commission on Auckland Governance reflected those made by Devonport Community Board and North Shore City supporting better resourced Community Boards and a strengthened Regional Council. We look forward to presenting these points at public hearings on each of these submissions.

BCC supports NSCC's Environment Court action
Last year members of the BCC agreed to become a party to the Environment Court proceedings between Bayswater Marina Ltd and North Shore City Council. The BCC's position is that it supports NSCC's Variation 65 which zones the area occupied by Bayswater Marina as for marine purposes. Tthe The Environment Court hearing will commence on 17 November 2008 and is expected to last for two weeks.

Bereavements
The BCC was saddened by the death of Owen Hutchinson, an active member of the committee for 12 years. Owen died in March after a short illness. The Bayswater community lost another outstanding member when John Campbell died in May. John had been a member of the BCC and its Secretary for many years, retiring from the committee when he was well into his eighties.

Committee members have completed a survey of the Bayswater Peninsula looking at the condition of roads, berms, footpaths, gutters, stormwater outflows, powerlines, lighting, playgrounds, reserves, including O'Neill's Cemetery, walkways, signposts, bus shelters, public toilets and even fire hydrant markers. An extensive coastal audit has been made with photographs illustrating erosion and rubbish dumping. This has been sent to the Devonport Community Board and the North Shore City Council and some matters have already been acted on.

The resource consent for this long awaited facility was granted in December 2007. Both the Auckland Regional Transport Authority (ARTA) and North Shore City Council have committed funds to progressing this project in the 2008/09 financial year. No building work has commenced as yet.

Chairperson: Gay Richards
Tel: 445 6568
Mobile: 021 1747 066
Email: bayswater@xtra.co.nz

2008 - 2010 Committee members:

Gay Richards (Chairperson); Tricia Best (Secretary); Roger Worsley (Treasurer); Paul Barton; Joe McCallum; Peter McQueen; Harry Richards; David Russell; Paddy Stafford-Bush; Ross Steel; Russell Ward; Roger Worsley; Helen Wright; Mike Cohen (Devonport Community Board Chair).

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