18 May 2017
Media: Rotorua Daily Post
Topic: Overflow Rotorua lakefront
Inquiry
The Rotorua Lake front was overflowing yesterday and I have a few questions for council.
- Will the RLC be inspecting the lake/damage today? How long will the barriers remain at the Lake Front?
- Does the council have a plan in place to stop this overflow happening again?
- Will the council be opening up the Okere gates or Ohau Weir to control the level of water in the lake?
Response
RDP was also advised to speak to BOPRC about the gates as they manage that
From Director for Transport and Waste Solutions Stavros Michael -
Rotorua Lakes Council staff are continuing to regularly inspect and monitor the lake levels. Access barriers will be in place as long as the levels remain high.
Lake levels depend on rainfall, stream flows and the rate at which it discharges. Council's priority is maintaining public safety by restricting access in some places.
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Media: Rotorua Daily Post
Topic: Annual Plan submissions
Inquiry
- How many submissions received in total?
- What are the general themes of those submissions?
- When will those submissions be made public and how can people view them?
- What is the format for the hearings? When, where etc?
- How many people/groups have asked to be heard in person?
- Has there been any confusion or crossover between these submissions and the other "discussions" the council is running right now - spaitial plan, gambling policy, Vision 2030 and Cy-Way.
- When will agenda be available?
Please feel free to add anything you think is relevant to the article.
Response
95 submissions were received, focussing on the key matters about which Council was consulting
41 submitters have indicated they wish to speak to their submission.
Next week's hearings will be held Tuesday 23 May (from 11.30am) and Wednesday 24 May (from 9.30am) with submitters who indicated they wished to speak to their submissions given time slots to present to the Strategy, Policy & Finance Committee. Each submitter will have 10 minutes with five minutes to speak and five minutes allocated for questions (as you're aware, these submissions are including in the agenda for the hearings which is available online).
A full summary of all 295 submissions received will be part of a report to go to the Strategy, Policy & Finance Committee in June when the committee will deliberate and make recommendations to the Full Council for its consideration and final decisions regarding the 2017/18 Annual Plan.
We have not been made aware of any confusion over the various consultations which Council has been undertaking recently. Council's consultation platform Let's Talk - Kōrero Mai makes it clear there are separate consultations happening.
As per the normal process, the agenda for the hearings, including the submissions of those who wish to speak to their submissions, were made publicly available this morning, two full working days before the hearings. Councillors have their agendas for the hearings.
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