The Waitaki District Council is not planning to take its draft annual plan on the road this year, dropping rates meetings it used to hold around the district.
The council has changed the way it publicises its draft annual plan this year after poor attendances at public meetings last year.
Road shows - public meetings attended by councillors and staff - were introduced so ratepayers could learn about the annual plan and question the impact on their rates, encouraging them to make submissions.
However, last year, possibly because of the low rates rise of 2.65%, there was little interest in attending meetings held at Oamaru, Palmerston, Otematata and Five Forks.
At most meetings, councillors and staff outnumbered ratepayers - the Oamaru meeting had 12 people and the Five Forks meeting 15.
This year, the council has an overall rates increase in its draft annual plan of 4.55%.
Communications officer Scott Ridley said, apart from the poor attendance, it was also difficult to provide a consistent and accurate message at the meetings.
During last year's annual plan process, the council used online submissions for the first time as well as other methods to engage the public.
This year, radio would be used again as a way to make the community aware of the plan and to call for submissions, which open on March 23 and close on April 29.
Instead of formal public meetings, there would be static displays in high-traffic areas.
However, the council would have staff and councillors available to attend meetings organised by others.
The amount of information available online would be increased and questions would be accepted, increasing accessibility for a large portion of the community.
A summary of the draft annual plan would be produced and distributed to ratepayers, as well as being provided in high-traffic areas such as libraries and supermarket.
