The consultation period for the Tararua District Council Long-Term Plan has now closed with 499 submissions received to date. It is a possibility that a few more postal submissions that were mailed before the cut-off date of 31st of May will be received this week which will increase this total.

Of these, 38 sumbitters indicated they wish to present their submission in person at the upcoming hearings. The Pahiatua Pool consultation item recieved the most submissions of the 7 topics discussed.

During the consultation period, 14 public events were held across the district, providing residents with opportunities to engage directly with the Mayor, Councillors, and Council staff. A Facebook Live session was also held, which to date has had over 3,500 views.

Tararua District Mayor Tracey Collis is pleased with the number of submissions received. “It’s great to see this engagement from our community. Every submission is reviewed by myself, the Councillors, and key members of Council staff. These submissions tell us whether or not we are on the right track with the preferred options Council have put forward, and it helps us to understand anything we may have missed.”

Councillor Scott Gilmore also emphasised the importance of submissions. “Submissions give Council an important opportunity to discuss ideas or comments from the public if they want changes. Without submissions, Councillors can’t have those discussions.”

The next steps in the adoption of the Long-Term Plan are Council hearings which take place on the 11th and 12th of June.  Members of the public who have indicated they would like to speak to their submissions will be allocated times to share their thoughts directly with the Council. This provides another opportunity for meaningful discussion on key issues. “Listening to individuals speak to their submissions in person is really powerful and aids us in our deliberations and final decisions,” says Councillor Sharon Wards.

Finally, on the 19th June Council will consider all matters raised through submissions and make their final decisions.  The Long-Term plan will then be formally adopted and come into effect on 31st July 2024.