By John Freer

The region this week has been able to move into recovery mode from the eight weather events which started last November.

Thames Coromandel Mayor Len Salt spoke to CFM this week about that recovery. There is good and not so good news.

The Mayor tells us that he is pleased with the response from central government in terms of assisting with clean-up costs that his region and its ratepayers cannot afford.

The Mayoral Relief fund is now at $250,000 having been supported by the likes of Trust Waikato, Mitre 10 and local residents.

For those with properties along our foreshores there is no clear answers available yet other than the region is slightly ahead of the game due to work on the shoreline management plan.

Ratepayers are going to take a hit, cost escalations are being listed as reasons for a rating increase which as Mayor Len says, ratepayers wont welcome.

The full interview can be heard by clicking the link below.