Consent decisions online in move towards greater openness

The public will be better informed about Auckland City Council's resource consent hearings process in the future as hearing commissioners' decisions are made available online.

The commissioners' decisions and council reports are being progressively added to the council's website, as the council moves to make more of its activities accessible through the internet.

"We are providing more information to the general public rather than just to those who are involved in the hearings process," says Councillor Glenda Fryer, chairperson of the Planning and Regulatory Committee. "It's a step towards council information being more accessible."

The hearing agenda and council report will be available two days before the hearing while decisions will be uploaded shortly after they have been distributed to the applicant and submitters. A back catalogue of past reports and decisions is being added to the website and the council will maintain the records online for a year.