Council Releases Heritage Strategy Discussion Document.

Franklin District Council is hoping to receive plenty of feedback after releasing the Heritage Strategy Discussion Document today. Council launched a project in May of this year to prepare a District Heritage Strategy to guide the management of historic and cultural heritage throughout the District.


“The initiative is a response to concerns from the public that Franklin is losing objects with heritage value including trees, buildings and archaeological sites. There are also concerns about the need to better manage documentary heritage and ensure that the District’s stories are recorded and celebrated,” says Franklin District Council Policy Planner, Leah Alexander.


The Heritage Strategy is slightly different from other strategies prepared by Council as it is a holistic Strategy rather than solely Council focused. It is based on providing a coordinated approach to the management of the District’s heritage resources by a number of parties; Council, private landowners, tangata whenua and organisations specialising in the protection and maintenance of historic and cultural heritage resources.


Franklin District Council points out that the discussion document reflects the views of many people who have already been involved through talking with Council or attending workshops.


“We are very grateful for the time many members of the community have dedicated to formulating this discussion document. It was also very heartening to see so many people give up their time to attend the heritage workshops we held earlier in the year. Strategic and policy documents can only reflect the community through public participation,” says Leah.


You can pick up a copy of the discussion document from any Council office or download from their website – www.franklin.govt.nz. You can also fill out a feedback form online.


“You may wish to challenge, reinforce or simply refine this document but whatever input you have will be gratefully received by the heritage working party,” says Leah.


Feedback should be received by Council by Friday 21 December 2007. Council staff and key stakeholders will continue to refine the document and, following a summary of feedback, aim to release a proposed Heritage Strategy in February 2008.