The number of Dunedin City Council plans and strategies undergoing public consultation at the same time may have contributed to a lack of submissions on one of its latest, council staff suggest.
Only 13 submissions were received on the proposed waste management and minimisation plan, consulted on publicly during July.
In a report to a subcommittee due to consider the submissions today, council staff say their general consensus is the number of council documents being consulted on at the same time, at least three documents, but especially the Energy Plan, may have influenced the number of submissions received.
They believed in many cases people with interests in the city's sustainability had to decide which document to submit on, given their personal time constraints.
However, they also thought a high level of stakeholder engagement in preparing the plan and the comprehensive nature of the research, among other factors, might have contributed to general acceptance of the plan and the lower number of contributors.
The premise of the plan is an aspirational vision of zero waste for the city.
It identifies areas where improvements on previous waste management plans can be made, including where more information and data is needed.
It also considers council-controlled waste facilities and services and others, drawing attention to the roles and responsibilities of everyone, including the city council, regional council, private operators, businesses and the community.
Five of the 11 submissions received within the timeframe supported the plan. The remaining six did not state their positions.
Five submitters indicated they would speak to the subcommittee today.
