17 May 05

Chch City Council launches 2006-16 Community Plan consultation

Christchurch City Council has begun a major public consultation, seeking public input to help put together a new long-term community plan setting out the CCC's goals and plans for the years from July 1, 2006.

The current version for the years 2004-2014 is called Our Community Plan Christchurch Otautahi and is online at www.ccc.govt.nz/LTCCP/CurrentPlan.asp The long-term plan is important because the law directs councils to line their work up with the wishes of their communities. This document will be used by the CCC to set its priorities and plan its work.

To put the new plan together, the Council is managing a two-stage process. First, it is leading a community-wide effort to establish top-level goals called Community Outcomes. Second, the Council looks at what part it can and should play in achieving those goals. The details of the Council's proposed activities, services and resources will form a further round of consultation in early 2006.

The Council wants to hears people's opinions. It has put together a draft document, called Let's Talk it Through, to assist interested members of the public to take part. The booklet is now available at all Council service centres and libraries and on the Council's website, at www.ccc.govt.nz People have until Friday, 10 June to provide their feedback.

"These top-level goals, Community Outcomes, belong to the city of Christchurch, not just the Council," says Alan Bywater, who heads the Council's research and policy effort. "We're leading this because that's part of our role but these need to belong to the community.

"We've developed some draft Outcomes based on research and consultation with interest groups and agencies in the city. In the Let's Talk it Through booklet, each of the nine Community Outcomes are paired with a series of pointers about what needs to be done to achieve the Outcome. They're the pointers to what the community believes are its most important challenges in the coming years."

As an example, the first Community Outcome being proposed is that Christchurch should be A City of Inclusive and Diverse Communities. The draft priorities flowing from that include ensuring that, "older people remain valued participating members of the community" and that there is support for "families/whanau to ensure the wellbeing of our children and young people".

Feedback on the draft Community Outcomes and Council goals is sought by Friday, 10 June. Members of the public will be able to make their opinions known on the draft 2006-16 Community Plan early next year.

ENDS

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