Council swamped with record number of submissions

Rotorua District Council has been swamped with submissions on its draft annual plan and other proposals with more than 4000 submissions received when the consultation period closed at the end of last week (Friday 7 May).

RDC corporate services director Jean-Paul Gaston said council staff were still registering the submissions but it was clearly a record number and would be at least 500 per cent up the 668 received last year on the draft 2009-19 ten year plan.

"Our team has been snowed under handling the huge influx of submissions and is currently in the process of individually acknowledging each submission received. It means a massive undertaking for council officers, but it's also very encouraging to see so many residents engaging with the council and taking up the invitation to have their say on Rotorua's future.

"We're in the process of undertaking some analysis of the issues covered and this will take a little time to complete. However it's very clear that the future format of recycling programmes in the district is the single biggest issue for submitters, with probably more than 90% addressing this subject.

"Our next steps include making arrangements for people who have opted to attend hearings so they can to come and speak in person to the mayor and councillors about their submissions. These hearings will take several days starting from May 17.

"Then early next month when the the mayor and councillors have had time to read all the submissions, the council starts the long and complex process of meeting to consider all the feedback received during the consultation process, and then determining what decisions need to be made. Those meetings are set down for June 8 - 10," said Mr Gaston.

"Formal and final decisions on all issues will be made when the council adopts it 2010/11 annual plan and finalises the Waste Management and Minimisation Plan and the Air Quality Control Bylaw at the end of June."