You can help write Wanganui into records

Wanganui has been selected as one of the world's top 21 Intelligent Communities because of the fantastic work undertaken by local volunteers, and Wanganui District Council staff members, in implementing the council's forward thinking "Family Friendly" and "Digital" strategies. The next step in process is for WDC to prepare a response to the Intelligent Communities Forum's (ICF's) detailed questionnaire due by December 19 2012.

This questionnaire requires responses to the following questions, and you can help by preparing descriptions of Wanganui-based initiatives, or other information, which you believe should be included in Wanganui's ICF response:

Question 19: Please provide up to three examples of innovation in the delivery of products and services by local businesses and institutions, including new business formation.

Name, description, incentives (if any)

No21: What were the top three most recent investments backed by venture or risk capital in your community within the past 36 months?

No22: How does your community feature its Intelligent Community initiatives and success - in broadband, knowledge workforce development, digital inclusion and innovation - in its economic development marketing? Please provide a summary only; the next question asks for specific examples.

No23: Please give up to three specific examples of marketing programs or materials - aimed either at people outside or inside your community - that feature your community's Intelligent Community initiatives and successes. Include hyperlinks where available.

Marketing programs or materials, Intelligent Community initiatives featured; how explained.

No25: Please provide up to three success stories of business formation, growth or attraction in your community.

Company, description.

No26: If your community is named in the Top Seven, or as the world's 2013 Intelligent Community, how will you use this honour to further your marketing goals?

No28: Provide up to three examples in which new employment was created in your community by innovation taking place in the private or public sector. Describe the types of employment created (low-skill, high-skill, professional) and relative value (low-paid, better-than-average, high-paid), and explain whether the new employment is expected to be permanent or temporary.

Description, type and duration of employment.

You may think WDC's staff members will be aware of all of Wanganui's innovative initiatives, but that may be far from the truth.

Please take the trouble to write a paragraph or two which describe initiatives which you believe deserve to be included in response to any of the above questions.

Please email your contributions ASAP to john.patty@xtra.co.nz, and all of them will be forwarded to WDC, evaluated, and where appropriate, included in WDC's ICF questionnaire response.

Article contributed by the Wanganui Employers Chamber of Commerce UFB Business Strategy Group. To contact the group, drop an email to john.patty@xtra.co.nz