0800 TAGBUSTERS -Hamilton City Council's new tagging hotline goes live to the public today. If they see graffiti anywhere in the city, members of the public can now call 0800 TAG BUSTERS to report it, remove it and stop it. The new hotline operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. When members of the public make a call Council staff will take details of the tagging and its location, give callers th... more...

A unique initiative designed to deliver a safer, more consistent and vibrant entertainment industry for the city will be unveiled today. The launch of the Hamilton Alcohol Accord is the product of a unique collaborative project between the city's liquor licensees, The Police, Health Waikato and Council. The Accord's purpose is to agree a consistent industry approach to responsible and quality pra... more...

Artist's impression of The Verandah at Hamilton Lake Hamiltonians won't have to wait long to enjoy The Verandah, Hamilton Lake's new lakefront café and event facility. Demolition of the existing lake kiosk began on June 12 and, following an official tendering process, Hamilton City Council today awarded the $1,923,000 contract to construct The Verandah to Foster Construction. Demol... more...

Volunteering Waikato were today announced as the inaugural recipient of the $15,000 Community Media Grant. It's an apt reward, smack right in the middle of national Volunteering Awareness Week, for their work raising volunteer help for over a hundred community organisations in Hamilton each year. The announcement was jointly made by grant partners Community Radio Hamilton, bettle and Hamilton Cit... more...

Hamilton Zoo is doing its bit to protect a ‘vulnerable’ species of frog, as a national public awareness and fundraising campaign is being launched this week to help address amphibian extinctions. The World Association of Zoos and Aquariums and the World Conservation Union have declared 2008 Year of the Frog. The national Year of the Frog campaign was launched at the annual CMaG: ARAZPA NZ Confere... more...

Can the children at your school swim? Would the children at your school survive? That's the question being asked in local schools embarking on a Swim For Life event on 19 June at Hamilton City Council's Waterworld swimming complex on Garnett Avenue in Te Rapa. Last year 110 people drowned in New Zealand, but many of them wouldn't have if they knew how to swim says Brendon Ward, Chief Executive o... more...

Annual plan meetings for 08/09 held this week saw important progression of the next phase of the CityHeart project including a decision to cease any further investigation of a lane though the northern end of Garden Place. The CityHeart community consultation attracted a wide range of formal and informal submissions which influenced final recommendations. Whilst the majority of design concepts for... more...

A strong deterrent for illegally parking in spaces allocated to those displaying a Mobility Parking Permit will be introduced from 26 June. The parking infringement for parking in a mobility carpark without a permit has been $40 to date. This fine will increase to $150 this month following to a change in Land Transport (Offences and Penalties) Amendment regulations. Enforcement Manager Animal Ca... more...

Hamilton City Council has completed its final budget meeting for the 2008/2009 financial year and has confirmed an average rate rise to existing ratepayers of 5.29%, being lower than the 6.56% rise forecasted in the 2006-16 Long Term Plan. Hamilton mayor Bob Simcock says that the 08/09 Plan for the city reflects a level of renewed fiscal restraint which is in direct response to a period of financ... more...

Council CEO Michael Redman announced today that Brian Croad has been appointed as the new General Manager Environmental Services. Brian comes to Council with extensive experience in local government both in New Zealand and Australia. Earlier in his career Brian was Principal Planner at Tauranga City Council. From 1989 –2005 he held various senior management roles at Western Bay of Plenty District... more...