Well informed voters aim of two Council reports

Two reports recently produced by Gisborne District Council will inform prospective candidates and voters in the October’s local body election. One outlines the district’s vision and how Council will contribute, and the other sets out how Council has been performing.

The booklet ‘Our Vision for the Future, He Tirohanga Whakamua’, describes the Council’s vision and how Council contributes to its achievement. The vision was articulated through drafting its 2012-2022 Ten Year Plan and the series of public meetings held and submissions received.

The Ten Year Plan sets out in detail how Council will contribute towards achieving the vision of our community but is a large statutory document, says Chief Executive Judy Campbell. “The vision booklet is a restatement of that statutory plan in a visual and easy to read format. It aims to excite readers and allow better understanding of how the work and projects Council has prioritised contributes to Tairawhiti in 2022 that we all aspire to.”

The 2013 Pre-Election Report is a new mandatory requirement of councils under recent local government legislation. Unlike other council reports and strategic plans, preparation of pre-election reports is the responsibility of council chief executives rather than elected members. The document is intended to encourage discussion about the issues facing Council in the future. It has a focus on the council’s recent performance, and highlights major projects, issues and significant areas of key spending for the coming three-year council term.

"Pre-election reports are seen as being useful for those standing for office in the coming election and for residents wanting know more about council performance and direction before casting their votes. The document shows that Council is in a good state financially and operationally with lower than average debt rates for a council our size. Planned rate increases are lower than expected which we expect to continue for the foreseeable future. This is an exciting time for Council with many capital projects coming to fruition and lots of work going on internally to ensure Council is operationally efficient and as customer focussed as possible.”

Copies of Council’s Vision booklet and the 2013 Pre-Election Report are available from the council offices in Fitzherbert Street and Te Puia Springs, HB Williams Memorial Library, Gisborne Vehicle Testing or from the council website.

http://www.gdc.govt.nz/2013-pre-election-report/

http://www.gdc.govt.nz/our-vision-for-the-future/

Anyone looking for more detail on Council plans for the future could check out the 2012-2022 Ten Year Plan and the 2013/14 Annual Plan, both of which are on the Council website.

ENDS

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