Ashburton Courier: March 11, 2021

Public meetingscomingup for
Long-Term Planconsultation
Ashburton District Council ispreparing
to adopt its draft 10-year plan for the
districtnextweekready forresidents to
providefeedback,and aseries of public
meetings have been scheduled that all
residentsare welcome to attend.
The Council's draft 2021-31 Long-Term
Plan will set out what projects, activities
and services the Council is proposing to
carryout over the next decade, and how
these will be paid for.
The proposals will be outlined in a
consultation document and presented
at seven public meetings right around
the district. An online webinar will also
be available for those who are unable to
attend in person.
Community Meetings (7 –9pm)
Town Date Location
Ashburton Monday 22 March 131 Havelock St,Council Chambers
Mayfield Tuesday23March Mayfield Hall
Rakaia Wednesday 24 March Rakaia Rugby Clubrooms
Methven Thursday25March Mt Hutt Memorial Hall, Function room
Hinds Monday 29 March Hinds Community Centre
Mt Somers Tuesday 30 March Mt Somers Springburn School, MultipurposeRoom
Hakatere Wednesday 31 March HakatereHall
Webinar Tuesday6April Details to follow
Consultation is
expected to be
open from
19 March until
19 April.
Tools areyour fingertips:
smartphones helpingCounciltasks
Seen acouncil worker on their phone
lately? Like many businesses that have
integratedsmartphonetechnologyinto
their day-to-day operations, Ashburton
District Council has recently expanded
the use ofthis technology across the
organisation.
COMMUNITY
NOTICEBOARD
Upcoming
Council
Meetings
Meetingsare held in the Council
Chambers, 137Havelock Street,
(unlessotherwise advised).
Smartphones and tabletsare nowhelping
awiderrangeofstaff complete theirdaily
tasks moreefficiently,saving on paper and
administrative tasks.
“Building inspectors, roading engineers
and learn-to-swim instructors have been
using smarttechnologyfor some time, but
now with our newonlinehealth and safety
system rolled out, we have expanded
this to even morestaff,”Council People &
Capability Manager,Sarah Mosleysays.
“Our gardeners and mower operators
are also completing pre-start audits,
reviewing traffic management plans,
reporting near misses or events and
submitting additional work requests all
via their phone.”
From time to time, Council receives
calls from residents about staff using
their mobile phones while in apublic
setting,especially foropen spaces and EA
Networks Centrestaff, but Ms Mosleysays
the tools are integral tohelping Council
deliver everyday services and activities.
"Sometimes, it might look like staff
are unnecessarily on their phones, but
actually, they're completing their duties,"
she explains.
“Thetechnologyallows these taskstobe
completed onthe spot then and there,
which means less administration time is
required later on and we arelessreliant on
using hardcopy paper documents, which
is agreat outcome.”
COUNCIL CHAMBER
Biodiversity Advisory Group,
Tuesday 6April, 1:00pm
Council Meeting (live-streamed),
Wednesday 7April, 1:00pm
Youth Council,
Wednesday 14 April, 4:00pm
Council Meeting (live-streamed),
Wednesday 21 April, 1:00pm
Ashburton WaterManagement
Zone Committee,
Tuesday 27 April, 1.00pm
ashburtondc.govt.nz Week of 8March 2021 |ISSUE 19
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