Whakatāne District Council’s Annual Residents Survey will be undertaken between over the next week. General Manager Strategy and Economic Development, Julie Gardyne, says the survey results, in combination with other internal and external information, allow the Council to assess the community’s views about the quality of its services and identify areas where improvement is needed.

“The Survey also provides an opportunity to hear what the community thinks about specific Council projects and proposals,” says Ms Gardyne. “Knowing people's views about a project helps us to determine a preferred approach before we seek formal community feedback through consultation processes such as our annual and long term plans.”

The Survey follows a telephone interview format, with 300 respondents randomly selected from across the District’s five community board areas on a population pro-rata basis. Each interview should take no more than 20 minutes to complete.