Council checking in with residents

Christchurch City Council will be checking in with residents over the next few months to see whether its services and facilities are meeting their needs.

“We are just about to start our annual Residents’ Survey programme, which is one of the tools we use to assess the areas where we are performing well and the areas where we need to make improvements,’’ says Council Chief Executive Dawn Baxendale.

“We want to find out what is working well for residents and what’s not working well because our focus, as an organisation, is on meeting the needs of our residents.

“The findings of this year’s survey programme will feed into the development of our 2021-31 Long Term Plan so I would really encourage people to share their views if they are approached by staff at a Council location or if they receive an email or letter from us,’’ Mrs Baxendale says.

This year’s survey will include some specific questions that will help the Council decide what it should prioritise in the LTP.

The LTP is the document that Councils are legally required to produce every three years. It sets out what the Council will do over the next 10 years and how it will pay for it.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has prompted many people, businesses and organisations to rethink their plans and priorities and to tighten their belts. We are having to do that too.

“As we start to review our plans and priorities, we want to gather your views about the opportunities, challenges and choices that Christchurch is facing,’’ Mrs Baxendale says.

The findings of the survey programme will be made public next year.