The Dunedin City Council's hesitation to agree to become part of a proposed Otago-wide rural fire district has led to a series of short-notice meetings around the outer reaches of the city this week to get some feedback on the idea from the affected public.
A decision was to be made last week at a meeting of the full council on whether to endorse the proposal, but it got snagged when councillors raised concerns about the new structure.
They could not agree whether the council should proceed without first consulting its community and some councillors were worried about a lack of detail on the benefits of the new approach.
Some councillors also felt there was not enough information about the possible relocation of some fire appliances away from smaller centres.
Most other Otago councils have already decided to go with the proposed new structure, which would result in Otago's existing rural fire authorities - run by individual councils and the Department of Conservation - being replaced by a single new authority spanning Otago.
As a result of the council meeting, the council's principal rural fire officer Graeme Still and corporate services manager Sandy Graham will host a series of meetings this week - at the East Otago Events Centre, Waikouaiti, tonight at 6.30pm, at the Island Park Golf Club, Waldronville, tomorrow at 6.30pm, at the Coronation Hall, Portobello, on Thursday at 6.30pm and at the Strath Taieri Community Hall, Middlemarch, on Friday at 5.30pm.
Mr Still said the purpose of the meetings was to explain the proposal and get people's feedback.
Topics covered would include what would happen under the new structure with equipment/resources and vehicles, about permits, volunteers and training and regarding responses to fires.
Feedback from the meetings would be part of the information considered by councillors at a full council meeting next Monday. October 7, when a decision would be made either to endorse the new structure or further consult the community.
