Council engages with community online

We want more members… joining and sharing their ideas, views and commenting about the future our District, is the appeal from Whakatane Mayor Colin Holmes.

The Mayor’s appeal follows the launch last month of the council’s web forum as an initiative to open more ways for the Council to engage with the residents and get to know their views on Whakatane issues. The site is going well but it needs more members.

The web forum which opened with some ideas and proposals that the Council is considering as part of preparing the next LTCCP 2009 -19 is attracting some interesting viewpoints but more people should join in on the discussion.

Best of all, the forum is available 24hours, anyone can join.

“Once you have signed up to be a member, you can login anytime and comment on any topic, rank Council issues or services or debate issues with other members,” said Mayor Holmes.

The web forum is an opportunity for Whakatane residents and the Council hopes it will encourage those that have not engaged with the Council before (often thought of as the “silent majority”) will utilise the forum to have their say.

The Council wants to make sure that the views coming through the web forum are as varied as the Whakatane District community so whether you are young or old, if you care about Whakatane District and want to help shape our future you should join up!

“We would really like as many residents as possible to get involved. It’s your chance to tell us what you really think – all from the comfort and privacy of your own home,” says Mayor Holmes.

It is fun, interactive, informal and confidential and compliments the necessary statutory consultation that Council has to undertake.