A social media programme is forming part of this year’s Annual Plan public engagement.

A series of short video clips featuring elected members discussing key issues is part of the campaign is now live on Council’s Facebook page.

Consultation on Council’s Annual Plan 2022/2023 began earlier this month with the public encouraged to share their views.

Wairoa Mayor Craig Little said the social media engagement extends the way Council can communicate with the community and is a good model to use to reach more people.

This year key issues are around requests for additional funding from the Wairoa Community Centre and Wairoa Museum. If Council continues to fund these two vital community assets at the current level, the rates increase would remain at an average increase of about 8.2%, as indicated in the 2021-31 Long-Term Plan.

If the community indicate they have an appetite to increase funding to cover increased costs for these important community facilities, that could result in an average rate increase of around 9.5% for the coming year.

Wairoa Mayor Craig Little said the Annual Plan is the time for local people to tell the Council what they want so that input can help shape the future of the Wairoa community.

“We will continue to engage with the community across as many mediums as possible and the social media programme is another method of informing people. Hopefully the messages from elected members will encourage people to head to Council’s website so they can then be even more involved in the Annual Plan process and hopefully make a submission around their thoughts.

A hybrid community meeting will take place in town on Tuesday May 17 (tonight) with elected members and any members of the public who would like to attend, as well as a Zoom capability for those people who don’t want to attend in person. This meeting will take place from 5pm at the War Memorial Hall. To attend via Zoom head to https://www.consultations.nz/wdc/annual-plan-20222023/

Online engagement will be via website Council’s website, www.consultations.nz/wdc. Submissions can be completed via this site or by using the submission form in the hardcopy Annual Plan Consultation Document which is available from the Council office on Queen Street.

Consultation on the Annual Plan closes on June 5.

18 May 2022

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