There's now less than a week left for people to put fingers to the keyboard or put pen to paper and have their say on the Central Otago District Council's Long-term Plan 2021-31.

Council is encouraging residents and ratepayers to “help frame our future together”.

“Don’t let others have your say for you,” urges Central Otago Mayor Tim Cadogan.

“Even if you’re pretty relaxed with what’s in the Long-term Plan let us know; if you’re not happy about it, let us know, because we can’t hear the voices that don’t talk to us and it’s so very important that we hear from as many people, and as broad a cross-section of our people as we can. 

“Our last LTP we had 1 in 40 people submit and it made it so much easier to be able to say ‘here’s what our community wants’.

“This is an opportunity that only comes along once every three years and there is only a few days left for you to have your say.”

The five key issues that Council is calling for community views on during the consultation period are how a district museum function is delivered, how to progress the Cromwell Masterplan, and proposals to support three community-led projects – the Roxburgh community pool upgrade, Alexandra Riverside Park development, and the Omakau Community Hub.

Undoubtedly the “big ticket” item is the Cromwell Masterplan and projects within the masterplan programme will impact not only Cromwell ratepayers but all district ratepayers.

Cromwell Community Board Chair Anna Harrison and Central Otago Mayor Tim Cadogan need you to submit your thoughts on the Long-term Plan 2021-31.

Cromwell Community Board Chair Anna Harrison agrees “the more people involved and engaged the better”.

“We need to hear from everyone, all sectors and all age groups, to hear what you want for our future. 

“We need people to let us know what level of spending they would like us to include in this Long-term Plan, with the information that is included in the consultation document, so they know what it’s going to be out of their own back pockets.

"We need them to let us know so that we can then go into those next phases knowing what our community wants and what they are comfortable spending. 

“Only then can we start working on the detail of what the Mall and Hall will look like, who’s going to lead the projects and how are we going to fund it."

Elected members and Council staff had attended numerous engagement event around the district over recent weeks and these had generated a great deal of interest and discussion, says Mr Cadogan.

“We now hope that translates into good numbers of people putting in a submission on either the whole plan, or just the bit that people feel the most passionate about or have the most interest in.”

The Long-term Plan consultation opened on 26 March and had attracted 233 submissions a week out from closing.

A copy of the Ka Aka Whakamua - Framing our Future consultation document and supporting information is available at www.codc.govt.nz/framing-our-future where submissions can also be made online. 

Hard copy information and feedback forms are available at all Council service centres and libraries.

The public will have until Sunday 25 April to submit their views on the council’s proposed Long-term Plan consultation document, with the opportunity to be heard at a series of community board and Council meetings to consider feedback scheduled in May.

Photos: Contributed.