Lower Hutt asked to have your say in a new way

The new digital direction for the council provides more ways for the community to provide feedback and share ideas on the Have Your Say website. The innovative digital engagement forum is live from today until 15 April, and profiles the projects and spending in the Long Term Plan 2018-2028.

The website includes information on planned expenditure in areas like infrastructure, leisure and wellbeing over the next decade. The new-look site calls for ideas and input on key projects underway across six parts of the city.

Lower Hutt Acting Mayor David Bassett says Lower Hutt is looking for smarter ways to make connections with people who haven’t traditionally participated in a formal consultation or submission process.

“For those of us involved in local government, we know that we have an important role to play. The decisions we make affect people’s lives on a daily basis, but for most people the work of a council probably doesn’t seem relevant, or isn’t top of mind.

“In 2019 we’re trying something a little different, and we want to make connections and understand what’s important to a much wider group of people across Lower Hutt. There may be ideas out there that can make a difference for a community really quickly. Others can be worked on for the future.”

Acting Mayor Bassett says everyone who works, lives, or plays in Lower Hutt can be a part of improving the city for all. “We’re the seventh largest city in New Zealand, and we’re going to keep growing. Making connections between the people who live here, the work we do, and asking for input on what our communities need is more important than ever.”

In place of the typical consultation approach for an annual plan, Hutt City Council is utilising flexibility in the Local Government Act and is not formally consulting on a draft 2019/20 Annual Plan. The Council is asking residents to share input and contribute to the city’s future across the year, and not wait for the legislative planning cycle.

Lower Hutt residents are invited to share their ideas on the Have your Say website.

Councillors across Lower Hutt, as well as members of the council’s three community boards, and four community panels are also available to receive ideas and feedback from anyone who prefers to engage face-to-face.