14 May 2004

Last chance to have your say on Auckland’s future

With just one more week to go before the submission period closes, it’s the public’s last chance to have its say on Auckland City Council’s draft long-term plans.

Called Focus on the Future 2004-2014 and containing the council’s draft policies and strategies for the next 10 years, the plans have been available for public feedback for the past four weeks.

Submissions will close next Friday, 21 May at 5pm.

The chairperson of Auckland City’s Finance and Corporate Business Committee, Councillor Douglas Armstrong, says public consultation is an important opportunity for people to have their say on what they want for their city.

“To date, council has received 175 submissions on Focus on the Future 2004-2014,” he says.

“Now that the closing date is looming, I urge people to take a look at the plans and tell us what they think of them.”

The quickest and easiest way to make a submission is to use the online submission form at www.aucklandcity.govt.nz. The draft long-term plans can also be viewed at this site, which can be accessed free of charge from Auckland City libraries. A hard copy summary of these draft plans is available from Auckland City service centres and libraries.

People who wish to make a verbal submission to council about the plans will be heard at hearings from 8 to 10 June.

The submissions will be evaluated and final decisions about the plans made by council at a meeting of the council’s combined committees on 23 to 24 June.

The final long-term plans will be published on 23 July and will form the basis of Auckland City’s strategy for the next ten years.

Under the Local Government Act 2002, local councils are required to produce a long-term council community plan (LTCCP) every three years. Annual plans will continue to be published in the intervening years.

ENDS

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