Using Technology to Save Money and Paper

Elected members of the Far North District Council are embracing electronic technology in a bid to save ratepayers money.

Councillors are reading reports on iPad tablet computers instead of receiving printed copies of these.

Staff estimate the council has already saved $8000 and about 40,000 sheets of paper by providing Draft Long Term Plan 2012-2022 submissions to councillors in an electronic format they can access via the iPads.

Copying the 1200 submissions to councillors electronically should allow the council to recoup the $6000 it cost to buy the iPads.

Staff expect to save ratepayers more money when councillors begin receiving meeting agendas electronically this month.

Until now, meeting agendas and staff reports have been printed and delivered to councillors’ homes at a cost of about $5000 a year.

Business process improvement specialist Les Smith says the iPads are just one aspect of a policy aimed at reducing waste and improving efficiencies across council operations.

The council also encouraged people to make submissions to its Long Term Plan via its web site.

“The increasing use by the public of the online submissions portal suggests that this type of technology is now part of the business of council.

“There have been around 300 online submissions this time, a substantial increase and a clear signal.”