What's important to you?

29 September 2014

The public are being asked to help shape a new Significance and Engagement Policy for Waipa District Council.

The Policy will help councils decide what the really important issues are for the community, and how and when they want to be involved in the decision making processes.

Cindy Kent, community and planning team leader said council today released a short survey to ask residents for their views.

We want to know if the draft policy meets your expectations, whether we have understood what is important to you and how you would like to be involved in important decisions and proposals.

Ms Kent said the short survey would give council some valuable feedback on how to continue to improve in the involvement and engagement space.

The draft policy is available on the council website www.waipadc.govt.nz. It outlines how council will engage with the community in decision making. The processes used range from information sharing , consulting, involving, collaborating to empowering.

Council will be able to use any number of these options when looking at specific decisions or projects. This draft policy has opened the door for us to use less formal communication channels to seek community views.

Through our Let's Get Engaged campaign we have already begun to use a number of mechanisms and I am sure the public will see more of these over the coming months and years, she said.

Copies of the survey can be found on council's website, Facebook page, at libraries and council office and in local newspapers. The survey needs to be completed and returned to council by 5pm, Wednesday 15 October.

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For further information please contact Jo Ireland, 021 408 806.