More Council Services Online

Some great new technology tools have just been launched on the Mackenzie District Council website.

The public can now access a rating information database, a cemetery database, a map viewer and a cemetery viewer. These features join a range of other online services such as hall bookings and forms.

Council chief executive Wayne Barnett says providing online access to council information improves communication and speeds up council business. It is more convenient, both for the public and council staff.

“It means people can find out important information like the rates and valuation of a property, the location of a relative’s grave, or where a sewer is located before they dig a hole.

“Also, if people join our new Facebook page they can be kept up to date with fast moving information like road closures and recent developments. There is a wealth of council information now available online.”

GIS (Geographic Information Systems) Officer Jana Kaeppler has been working on the online map viewer over the last six months, and the cemetery viewer over the last three months. She says the work will be on-going because new information is added and improvements are made all the time.

The online map viewer includes pop-up information about property rates, resource and building consents and licenses. It also displays information about the current district plan, heritage sites, recreation sites and public utilities like water and sewerage. It includes a valuation search and the ability to draw, measure and print maps of areas of interest. As time passes more map information will be added based on public demand.

The online rating information database is a searchable directory of properties in the district. It includes information about the size, zoning and use of property, land values and capital values, improvements to the property, and how much is paid in rates.

The online cemetery viewer has information about every cemetery in the Mackenzie District. It allows the public to search by name or date of birth, death or interment, and a pop-up window brings up plot information and a photograph of the headstone. This is useful for people who live too far away to visit but want information about their deceased family members. The cemetery viewer also comes with an editing function for council staff who use the viewer to store accurate information about new burials, plot reservations, and to allocate new plots.

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