This was a project that resolved an environmental issue that, while far from unique, was a pressing community issue. Wairoa District Council coordinated the removal of some 800 abandoned car bodies from the district and the safe disposal of the same.
The Judges said: This was a deceptively simple solution to an environmental issue grounded in geographical isolation and economic deprivation. The council brought about the removal of 800 cars by the end of the project – that’s one car for every 11 people who live in the district. Wairoa told a compelling before and after story, using an approach that the council is extending to other areas of environmental management.
