How to Have your Say
Giving us your input is one way you can contribute to our District’s future and help the Council make the right decisions.
Below are some of the ways to have your say:
Participate in consultations and engagements
You can give your views and influence decisions on plans, policies and projects that are going through consultation or engagements.
Opportunities for sharing your ideas and feedback can include surveys, workshops and formal submission processes. As part of formal submission processes you can also choose to speak in support of your submission at the hearing of the matter.
Typically Council prefers to receive submissions through a formal submission process such as an Annual Plan or Long Term Plan, however, if the scope of works or issue you wish to raise is outside these processes, or the timing doesn’t work, you can request to speak at a Councilor Community Board Meeting (see below).
Contact the Mayor and Elected Representatives
You can contact the Mayor and your Elected Representatives about any issues that concern you.
Speak at a Council or Community Board Meeting
If the scope of works or issue you wish to raise sits outside of a formal submission process, or the timing doesn’t work, you can request to speak at a Council or Community Board Meeting.
At each meeting, there is an opportunity for you to bring matters of concern to your Elected Representatives. These usually take three forms:
Where you are seeking a decision to be made, it would be recommended that a Deputation is made to a Council or Community Board Meeting. From there Elected Representatives can make a decision on the Deputation that will either start a process, or an internal work stream if adopted.
A Public Forum provides the opportunity to present opinions and to bring matters, not necessarily on the meeting's agenda, to the attention of Council. No debate or decisions will be made at the meeting on issues presented, however, the Elected Representatives may request matters for action be referred to the Chief Executive for further investigation.
Click here for further information on how to participate in Meetings.
Provide general feedback on any issue
You don't have to wait for Council to consult on any particular issue before having your say. We welcome feedback and comments at any time and on any issue relevant to council activities and life in Ruapehu.
General feedback such as this can be online via the Have Your Say page on this website.
