Flood of submissions to DCC

The Dunedin City Council has again been inundated with last-minute submissions on its draft annual plan, pushing the public response up to record levels.

Council corporate planner Jane Nevill said 1125 submissions were received by Tuesday's 5pm deadline.

That was well up on last year's total of 262 and last week's running total of 427, she said.

Most of this year's submissions had arrived in the past few days and there were more people bringing theirs in even as she collected the box at 5pm, Ms Nevill said.

''This happens every year. Usually, we get almost half of them in the last two days,'' she said.

This year's tally was the highest in the past five years, and ''might be the most we have ever received'', she said.

The most popular topics this year were the Portobello-Harington Point Rd section of road-widening and cycleway work, with 550 submissions, followed by the Waipori Fund's ethical investment strategy (270 submissions) and heritage incentives (200).

Ms Nevill could not explain the sudden jump in public interest, but noted it coincided with a more question-based submission process.

''Maybe people respond better to being asked questions ... It shows there's been a good level of interest in what we're doing this year.''


Having a say
DCC budget submissions by year

2014-15: 1125

2013-14: 262

2012-13: 1024

2011-12: 985

2010-11: 746

2014-15
Draft annual plan submissions by topic. -

Portobello Rd-Harington Point Rd: 550

Waipori Fund ethical investment: 270

Heritage incentives: 200

Aquatic facilities - Mosgiel Pool: 140

Cycleway - Maia to Port Chalmers: 85

Cycleways: 40

Food resilience: 28

Fluoride: 25

Speed limit - Port Chalmers: 24

Dunedin digital office: 23


chris.morris@odt.co.nz

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