What the heck just happened with waters?
Last week, our council voted to join with Tauranga City in a combined council-owned (CCO) company to run our tapwater, wastewater and...
26 minutes ago
Holiday home owners enrol now to vote
If you own a holiday home or other property in the Western Bay District but live elsewhere you are entitled to vote in this year's...
Jul 16
Why Ōmokoroa growth is stalling
I would like to draw your attention to a really important Newsroom article as it shows what is happening in Ōmokoroa now, after the...
Jul 7
Waihi Beach library opens
I was very happy today to be at the opening of Te Ara Mātauranga, the Waihi Beach Library and Community Hub. This was a project that...
Jul 1
Rates information for 2025-26
You can now see online your rates forecast for the next year in the Western Bay of Plenty district. For most urban residents, the...
Jun 29
Waters update
The attached media release is an important update on the future of water services in our Western Bay, as we head to a government deadline...
Jun 4
Councillor update, June 2025
In case of interest, here is my most recent councillor report to the Katikati Community Board last week.. It covers some weighty...
Jun 4
Fluoride update
Heads up to this media release from the council today regarding fluoridation of our public water supplies, which will start in coming...
May 27
Rangiuru Business Park First Sale
This is important news for all of us. Rangiuru is a huge investment for both the regional council (through Quayside, it’s investment arm)...
Apr 10
Katikati-Waihi Beach expo
The Katikati-Waihi Beach expo is on tonight (Wednesday) in Katikati. So what is it? It will be set up like a trade show with information...
Apr 9
Food scraps convert
The food scraps bin is a favourite in my household. I was a definite sceptic when this started (before my time on council). I’m a convert...
Mar 25
Regional Deal
This is an important initiative to advance our Western Bay region. It does not include everything we want (the govt required us to...
Feb 26
New Rescue Hub Starts in Bowentown
Great to witness the ground being broken today for Waihi Beach Surf Lifesaving Club’s new Bowentown Rescue Hub. This project has been...
Feb 22
Rangiuru Interchange Opened
This morning, the Rangiuru Business Park near Te Puke took a big step forward with the official opening of its motorway interchange by...
Feb 14
Water qualilty and Health Warnings
I recently published a couple of health warnings about popular swimming holes in Katikati - the Henry Road ford on the Uretara River and...
Dec 22, 2024
New Proposal for Community Boards
A new proposal has just been published that would substantially change the way community boards operate in Waihi Beach, Katikati and the...
Nov 14, 2024
Funding Infrastructure
Some very valuable points are made here today by my brother, Steven Joyce . The one thing I would add is the very real risk, if water...
Aug 24, 2024
Highway Barriers Meeting
Great turn out tonight to the protest meeting opposing the blocking of side roads on SH2 by median barriers. The meeting has opened...
Jul 23, 2024
Matariki in Waihi Beach
Broke out the thermals for the first time in a few years for this morning’s Matariki viewing in Waihi Beach. A stunning morning. Special...
Jul 4, 2024
WBOP District Council backs a Maori ward
I am very happy to be part of this important decision to adopt one or more Maori wards at the next two local government elections. The...
Aug 19, 2023
My WBOP meeting speech in favour of a Maori ward
This is my speech for the Maori ward decision this week. I realise more than a few people struggle with this idea so this explains why I...
Aug 19, 2023
Have your say on council rates and spending
Western Bay district council’s draft annual plan is out for public feedback this month, with a proposed 7.41 percent average rates...
Apr 17, 2023
Merry Christmas and Thank You
Merry Christmas and thank you to the many voters who put their trust in me to represent them at the Western Bay of Plenty District...
Dec 28, 2022
WBOPDC rates due today
A friendly reminder that today (Friday, Oct 7) is the last day to pay your WBOPDC rates and avoid a 10% penalty. Confused? Here is...
Oct 7, 2022
Vote now for real change
What do you want from the new Western Bay council after the current election? Do you want more of the same or do you want real change? If...
Sep 23, 2022
Time to chat in Katikati tomorrow
I'll be back at Eileen's Market, Katikati tomorrow morning (Saturday), along with Richard Logan - Candidate Western BOP District Council,...
Sep 23, 2022
Te Puna meeting readout
Some very interesting and difficult issues discussed tonight for both district and regional council around land use conflicts in Te Puna....
Sep 19, 2022
Maketū sunshine
Lovely morning in Maketū at the community market. Having fun in the sun - great stalls and good coffee! Promise made: if I win, I’ll be...
Sep 18, 2022
Waihi Beach meeting readout
Another great community election meeting in Waihī Beach this morning. What really impressed me again was the quality and varied...
Sep 17, 2022
Voting starts today!
Voting papers go out to Western Bay of Plenty residents today for the new mayor, council and community boards. It is time for real change...
Sep 16, 2022
THE OTHER THREE WATERS RISK
When we talk about Three Waters, it is (for most of us) with disgust about the government’s plans to wrest control of this huge chunk of...
Sep 15, 2022
3 Waters: Privatisation by Stealth
It has been clear from the start that this flawed process has been driven by multinational companies eyeing lucrative contracts to run...
Sep 12, 2022
WBOP Debt Mountain
The wave of red ink on the attached chart shows the WBOP District Council’s official borrowing figures. Up until this year (the blue...
Sep 6, 2022
Out in Maketu
Working on my fitness in Maketu with Ryan, my youth advisor. A lot of work to be done to get my body match fit!
Sep 4, 2022
Press coverage in the Weekend Sun
Press coverage in the Weekend Sun. Nice to see a newspaper go beyond the council press releases. Sorry about the photo. I won’t win any...
Aug 29, 2022
Joyce stands for Western Bay Mayor, seeks change in council’s direction
Local business owner Rodney Joyce has put his name forward to become Mayor of the Western Bay District Council, standing on a platform of...
Aug 16, 2022
The Auditor General’s harsh critique of Three Waters
The Auditor-General has come out with some very serious concerns in his submission on the Three Waters Bill. He says it way better than I...
Aug 8, 2022
Holiday home owners: register to vote now
Do you own a holiday home in the Western Bay and want to vote in this year’s local elections? Property owners who pay rates on a property...
Aug 8, 2022
The ugly facts behind the council’s rates rise
The Western Bay District Council is only increasing residential rates by a median 2.65% this year (2022-23), which is a remarkable...
Jul 15, 2022