Napier council's 'live chat' begins today

A_WB170919ELECTION2.JPG Kirsten Wise gets her say as a Mayor-in-waiting during last year's elections. Now she answers the questions in annual plan live chats. Photo / File

The Napier City Council today holds the first of its 30-minute "live chat" sessions for consultation on its draft annual plan and other issues which have emerged in recent weeks.

Using Facebook Live the public will be able to put questions to a panel comprising Mayor Kirsten Wise and Council staff, facilitated by deputy mayor Annette Brosnan, who will read out the questions as they come in from viewers.

Starting at 11.15am, today's session will be the first of 3, the next being on July 2 and July 19, both at 7pm.

The videos of each season will remain available for viewing afterwards on the Council's facebook page.

Consultation on the plan opened last Thursday, along with consultation on rates remission and postponement policies, a proposal to join the Local Government Funding Agency as a loans mechanism, and a proposal to establish a no-go protection zone over the council's ocean-based wastewater pipeline, to prevent further damage.

The Council adopted the consultation document for the draft Annual Plan 2020/21 earlier this month, and submissions close on July 16. A meeting to consider submissions will be held on August 12-13, and the plan is due to be adopted, including striking of rates, on August 27.

The Council says impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic delayed the plan process and a rewrite of some sections of the plan was needed because of the financial impact – reduced income and increased costs.

It had also changed the way consultation take places, with live chats replacing community meetings, because of the possibility of limits on public gatherings if Covid-19 restrictions had to again be put in place.

Hard copies of the consultation document are available to view at the Customer Service Centre and libraries, where people can also drop-off submissions, although online submissions are encouraged. People can request a hard copy to be sent to them by calling our Customer Services team. All information can be viewed, and submissions made at www.sayitnapier.nz