Road user charges and driver licence applications have a new home alongside the books and colourful imaginative resources at Te Puke Library.

From Monday, March 21, Te Puke's Automobile Association (AA) Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency can be found at Te Puke Library and Service Centre, allowing people to continue to purchase their vehicle registration, road user charges, plates as well as all other vehicle licensing services in Te Puke and avoid unnecessary travel.

Help with driver licence requirements and other applications will also be available.

The move down Jellicoe Street from Cavanagh Motors comes at the end of a long relationship with the motor dealer and the AA. However changing times and business needs provided the AA with the opportunity to approach Western Bay of Plenty District Council to partner with them in delivering the services from the library location.

'Cavanagh Motors have done a fantastic job in making sure the Te Puke community don't have to travel into Tauranga to take care of their vehicle licensing needs. And so, for Council it was a logical fit to continue this on,” says Western Bay of Plenty District Council Customer Service and Governance Manager, Barbara Whitton.

'It ticks all the boxes for us as a Council in strengthening our offering for thriving communities – now including motor vehicle registrations, number plates, licences, Real Me ID verification, IRD applications, SuperGold cards, and Kiwi Access cards.

'It is great to be working with the Automobile Association to retain what is a very well used service in the Te Puke community.”

Sheelah Ranson, National Manager, AA Government Contracts adds 'Partnering with the Council is an exciting venture for the AA. It ensures the variety of government services an Agency offers remains local and accessible for all. With change there often comes great potential – especially as we look at operating from a different location. We are looking forward to working with the library team.”

Barbara hopes this can also prove to be a successful pilot for the rest of the District where Council can add to the essential services it provides to communities.

'We are not getting ahead of ourselves but with none of our other towns having a permanent AA service this has the potential to help us understand how multi-use facilities can be developed.

'For example, the work we are doing in Waihī Beach to develop a new Library and Service Centre and Community Hub could see similar community service features.”

The AA Agency will be open at its new location on the following days in the coming weeks while the transition from Cavanagh Motors and staff training is undertaken. Hours may vary so please check the AA website for details aa.co.nz

• Monday: 11am-4:30pm
• Tuesday and Wednesday: 9am-4:30pm
• Thursday: 9am-12 (midday)