Tararua District Council is heading back to the community for a second round of early engagement on its Long Term Plan (LTP) 2027–2037, after the Budget Challenge gave us plenty to think about.

In April this year, the Budget Challenge asked people what mattered most, where Council should invest, and where it could do less. That feedback is already helping shape Council’s LTP discussions.

But it also showed some areas where opinions were divided, and others where people raised ideas we want to explore further.

So, before formal LTP consultation begins in March next year, Council is asking the community to help fine-tune its thinking on three topics: libraries, footpaths and economic development.

The Round Two Engagement runs from 7 to 27 September. Each topic takes only a couple of minutes to complete. The engagement can be completed on a phone or computer, and paper forms will also be available at Council service centres. You can give feedback on all three, or just the topic that matters most to you. We’ve kept the engagements simple, interactive and a little bit fun too!

Mayor Scott Gilmore says coming back to the community is an important part of getting the decisions right.

“The Budget Challenge gave us some really useful direction, but it also raised some questions. Rather than make assumptions, we want to go back and ask.”

“We are giving our people the chance to shape the direction of the Long Term Plan from the start – to tell us what they value, what they would prioritise, and what trade-offs they are willing to accept.”

Round Two directly incorporates what people told us in the Budget Challenge. Affordability was a strong theme, so this round is about understanding the trade-offs: what matters most, what people would invest more in, and where Council could do less.

Libraries were one of the district’s most-loved services, but views were mixed on opening hours. One person suggested: “Look at more flexible operating hours for our libraries to capture more customer flow instead of the usual 9am–5.30pm.” Feedback on this will help Council decide what library hours work best for our communities, what improvements matter most, and what people are willing to invest in.

Footpaths also generated a lot of comments, particularly around safety and accessibility. As one person put it: “Tidy all footpaths in town. Lots are uneven.” Council wants to understand how important footpaths are to the community, whether people support investing more in them, and how that should be balanced against other priorities

Economic development produced some of the most divided results in the Budget Challenge. Some told us, “If we want our district to grow, we must invest in the attractions we have.” Others said, “We just can’t afford niceties”. Now we’re asking whether Council should do more or less in this space, and where to focus its efforts, such as supporting businesses to navigate Council processes, attracting external funding, and promoting the district as a place to do business. Community feedback will help Council decide where limited resources could make the biggest difference.

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Join the conversation between 7 to 27 September.
www.tararuadc.govt.nz/design