Stories by Charlotte Jones

The triple crises of the Edgecumbe floods, the Whakaari / White Island eruption and Covid-19 have cost Whakatāne ratepayers millions of dollars.

Innovation has come in the midst of Covid-19 and Whakatāne is leading the way with New Zealand's first regional virtual mall.

More families have been exploring their Whakatāne neighbourhoods than before the lockdown and a petition wants to keep it that way.

Lobby group Hobson's Pledge has started a nationwide petition calling for the end of iwi-led "vigilante" checkpoints and has chosen a photo of the Murupara team to illustrate every social media post…

Kawerau District Council has approved nearly $1 million in spending on its 'three waters' infrastructure.

Whānau returning home to their ancestral lands will be supported through the economic turmoil of Covid-19 as promised funding is finalised.

Some of Ōpōtiki's rural ratepayers can look forward to a small drop, but town-dwellers may be in for a rise.

Kawerau District Council has applied for more than $17 million in government funding to ensure its people stay employed following Covid-19.

Māori constituency councillors are calling for more than just "pretty words" when it comes to consulting with Māori.

The Whakatāne District Council is considering next steps to remove homes from the Awatarariki fanhead after the 2005 Matatā disaster.

Eight Bay of Plenty civic leaders have met to discuss infrastructure projects with the potential to employ thousands. Video

Kawerau District Council is preparing for tough and urgent discussions on the lockdown's financial impact.

Ōpōtiki District Council is still getting to grips with the lockdown, but says staff layoffs aren't the answer.

Ngāti Manawa has become the latest iwi to set up a checkpoint and restrict access to its lands in the central North Island.

Awatarariki residents have vowed to continue the fight for their homes in the Environment Court.

Freedom campers have described a makeshift campground at a Whakatāne shopping centre as a breach of human rights.

The Bay of Plenty Regional Council has suspended public consultation for its annual plan, but will continue for crucial flood protection measures.

Whakatāne District Council has activated its emergency operations centre to assist its response to Covid-19.

Ngāti Awa is asking the public to stay off its farmland at Ōhope, saying the number of people using it for recreation during the lockdown is "unmanageable".

One of New Zealand's smallest councils is on track for a 478-hectare boost, which it hopes will create more jobs.

Whakatane District Council's decision to isolate freedom campers at a shopping centre carpark has drawn criticism from some in the community.

Kawerau's Mayor has expressed concern the nearly $20 million promised to the town through the Provincial Growth Fund might be cancelled through a change of government.

Whakatāne has become the latest district in the Eastern Bay of Plenty to benefit from the Provincial Growth Fund, after major announcements in both Kawerau and Ōpōtiki.

No one, including Whakatāne District Council staff, know what options there might be for Awatarariki residents who have not opted into the council's managed retreat.