FAQs
What's all this then?
Let’s Talk Waitaki is the new way for you to have your say on how our district changes and grows. We’re starting out with this Community Conversations page, but in future when Council wants to talk to you about the things we plan to do, we'll add a project on this site for you to submit your ideas, stories, pictures and local knowledge to help build a better district.
Why register?
Registering is quick and simple and you only need to do it once.
It helps you and it helps us. It helps you to stay connected and informed on projects that interest you. It also means you can save your progress in a survey and come back to it later, and find a record of everything you've told us through this site.
It helps us because we get to better understand who we are engaging with. It also helps make sure discussions and results are not manipulated by someone leaving multiple comments to support their own position. Your personal details will not appear online. If you participate, only a personalised user name, which you create, will appear along with your thoughts.
For more information on signing up, go to our 'Why Register?' page
What if I don't want to register - how can I get involved?
Don't worry - if you'd rather not register (or if doing things online is not your thing) we'll have paper surveys available from Council offices and Waitaki District Libraries.
You can still RSVP to one of our Community Conversations by emailing letstalk@waitaki.govt.nz or phoning 03 433 0300 with your name, and which session you'd like to attend, by noon on Thursday 12 October.
What if I can't make it to a Community Conversation?
Don’t worry, we know everyone’s really busy! The good thing about this Let’s Talk Waitaki is that you can share your thoughts and ideas from your own home, or while having a coffee in a café.
This is just the start of a new programme of ways to engage with Council If you can't make it along to one of our in-person events this time round, there'll be plenty of other opportunities coming soon.
This seems familiar - have I been here before?
You might have! We used part of this engagement platform to help us consult on our draft District Plan in 2022.
If you submitted on the draft District Plan, you may already have an account and login details attached to your email. If you can't remember your password, just click 'forgot my password' and follow the prompts to reset. You can then check if your profile information is up to date.
It's great to see you again
What's the difference between consultation and engagement?
Consultation involves seeking public feedback on proposals; it is one form of engagement. We regularly consult communities through process such as the Long Term Plan which determine Council’s strategic direction as well as how we set budgets and prioritise projects.
The Council will consult the community on significant decisions, following the principles set out in section 82 of the Act. Council can also decide to consult at any time on a decision, where it considers that appropriate. For most Council decisions, there is no express requirement to consult the public, but we'll consider people’s views and preferences.
Engagement is a broader and ongoing process of sharing information with oue community and seeking your feedback, with the purpose of involving the community in the process of decision making. This process may include a more formal consultation process to meet legal requirements, but not always.