Covid-19 pandemic

From next Tuesday, 5 April, vaccine passes will no longer be required for those visiting Porirua City Council premises, in line with the changes signalled by the Government this week. These include Te Rauparaha Arena, the Council's front counter on Hagley St, and the city's libraries.

We ask the public to please keep wearing masks, stay home if you’re unwell and maintain 1m distancing wherever possible.

The Council would like to thank everyone for their co-operation and patience as we’ve navigated these challenging times. We wish everyone impacted by Covid a speedy recovery and look forward to life returning closer to normal.

We have faced extraordinary circumstances over the past two years since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Throughout this time Porirua City Council has followed Government advice based on the best available scientific and medical evidence.

The health and safety of our staff, customers and the wider Porirua community is paramount. We have high Māori and Pacific populations in our city and both have been identified as vulnerable populations by the Ministry of Health.

As the Covid-19 virus evolved, particularly during the Delta phase, the Council continued to review expert advice and based on that, we put in place measures to help keep our people and community safe.

Since 3 December 2021, vaccine passes became mandatory at all indoor Council facilities to minimise the spread of Covid-19. We will continue to review our stance as the virus and Government advice changes.

We recognise that some people are nervous about having the vaccine, and that others are nervous about being exposed to unvaccinated people.

We hope to return to “normal” as soon as possible but for now, we believe our stance balances the health and safety needs of the majority.

The Council is obligated under the Health and Safety Work Act to provide a safe working environment for our staff. A consultation process and a survey of staff revealed that there was strong support for a mandated vaccine and since 17 January 2022 all Council staff are now vaccinated.

The decisions above were taken after reviewing our community circumstances, Government advice, the Bill of Rights Act, Council plans and policies, risk assessments and the vaccination rates of our community. In relation to the requirement for staff to be vaccinated we also consulted about 400 staff members. You can read all our information below:

• Ministry of Health Data for Porirua City
• Risk assessment summary
• Protection Framework Policy
• Covid-19 Vaccination Policy
• Bill of Rights review for customers
• Bill of Rights review for staff
• Covid-19 Vaccination for our people
• Consultation on mandatory vaccination
• Decision on mandatory vaccination
• Pandemic Response Plan

Rates

Rates are a tax based on your property value not on the number of services you use. Council services are funded by general rates on a ‘common good’ basis because they provide a benefit to the whole community whether you use them or not. In keeping with this, Council does not offer rates remissions to people who choose not to get vaccinated.

Usual animal control services will resume. Contact tracing and masks will be mandatory for people collecting animals from the pound.

You must wear a face mask in many indoor locations. You do not need to wear a face mask outdoors.

• Masks are mandatory
• 1m distancing required
• Fans, water stations and showers will be operational
• If working with a trainer please maintain 1m distance

At the Arena entrance your pass will be sited by one of our staff and then scanned at reception/ gym reception for verification. We hope this will help reduce and delays this presentation of passes may cause.

Open at red setting, with numbers restricted. One metre distancing for all staff and customers.

Session times will run on weekends and school holidays. Closed 10.30am - 11am, 1.30pm - 2pm and 4.30pm - 5pm for cleaning.

• Face coverings mandatory (excluding in the pool)
• Pools open based on 1m distancing
• Contactless payment preferred
• Lap pools open
• Leisure pool open
• Toddler pool open
• Sauna and steam room open
• Spa pools open
• All features or waves will be running, but the hyrdoslide will be operating
• Pool sessions operate on weekends, public holidays and school holidays
• Aquarobic classes operating
• Learn to Swim operating with health measures in place

• Building inspections will continue, provided a Covid-19 site control plan is in place on site.
• Face coverings mandatory when visiting sites

To all our business whanau in Porirua , we know you are going through uncertain and tough times during the pandemic. Please see our business hub. We know this is a difficult time. Please look after yourselves and each other

• Open to the public
• Contact tracing and masks are mandatory

• Our front counter at 16 Cobham Court will operate at normal hours and offer a full service.
• Record keeping / scanning required for everyone including contractors and visitors
• Face coverings are mandatory
• Contactless payment preferred.
• Customers with appointments will be required to wait in a seated area as directed by staff

• Open to the public with capacity limits based on 1mtr distancing
• Contact tracing is mandatory
• Contactless payment preferred.

• Council and Committee meetings continue with physical distancing in place (1mtr between staff)
• Members of the public can attend via zoom
• You can find the livestream on our YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/c/poriruacity

The Council has moved to internet banking for all payments. Please see our pay online webpage for online payment details. www.poriruacity.govt.nz/contact/pay-online/

• Dog parks are open, but physical distancing applies.

• All Library branches are open
• Some services may not be available because of the need for physical distancing.
• Contact tracing is mandatory
• Face coverings mandatory
• No limits to events
• Public computers are available
• Contactless payment preferred

Main library – show your vaccine pass on entry,

Branch libraries – show your vaccine pass to the librarian.

Our libraries have eBooks, Streaming Video & eMagazines available for those who don’t have passes or prefer to access services externally.

Mountain bike tracks are open.

• Noise control services continue
• Contact tracing is mandatory
• Face coverings mandatory when visiting sites

• Contact tracing is mandatory
• Face coverings mandatory
• Toi Store is open
• Physical distancing markers and signage will be in place
• School and community groups allowed with public health measures in place
• Hire and meeting spaces available with restricted numbers
• Kaizen open with no limits in place

• Playgrounds open
• Skate parks open
• Mountain bike tracks open
• Courts, turf and sportsgrounds are open and bookings can be made - no restrictions for events requiring vaccination - events without vaccination up to 50 people, with 1m distancing
• Dog parks are open

This will operate as usual, with officers maintaining physical distancing and wearing masks where required

Playgrounds, skate parks, courts, turf, sportsgrounds and mountain bike tracks are open.

At the Arena entrance your pass will be sited by one of our staff and then scanned at reception/ gym reception for verification. We hope this will help reduce and delays this presentation of passes may cause.

Open at orange setting, with numbers restricted. One metre distancing for all staff and customers.

Session times will run on weekends and school holidays. Closed 10.30am - 11am, 1.30pm - 2pm and 4.30pm - 5pm for cleaning.

• Face coverings mandatory (excluding in the pool)
• Pools open based on 1m distancing
• Contactless payment preferred
• Lap pools open
• Leisure pool open
• Toddler pool open
• Sauna and steam room open
• Spa pools open
• All features or waves will be running, but the hyrdoslide will be operating
• Pool sessions operate on weekends, public holidays and school holidays
• Aquarobic classes operating
• Learn to Swim operating with health measures in place

Our public toilets remain open and will be regularly cleaned.

There is no change to our regular rubbish collection schedule. Please continue to use Council rubbish bags, which you can still purchase at supermarkets and dairies. Your rubbish will only be collected if it is in an official Council bag.

For more information check gw.govt.nz/parks

• Spicer Landfill is open
• Contact tracing is mandatory
• No cash – eftpos and credit cards only.
• Bulk recycling facility open with limits based on 1m distancing
• Trash Palace open with capacity limits based on 1m distancing
• No vaccine passes required
• Wear face coverings

Courts, turf and sportsgrounds are open and bookings can be made - no restrictions for events.
Changing rooms at our sportsgrounds will only be open.

Open. Remember the golden rule of keeping a distance of one metre. If that’s not physically possible, then please do not use that space such as narrow walkways or tracks.

• Contact tracing is mandatory
• Face coverings mandatory
• Cleaning of chapel required between vaccine certificate or non vaccine certificate events
• The cemetery is open to the public with record keeping encouraged.