Plan formal presentation being added to sessions

The Clutha District Council is changing the structure of two "soapbox" public consultation sessions next week, because of the complexity of its latest long-term plan.

The council has run the casual drop-in sessions during several recent consultation programmes, but announced yesterday it would add a formal presentation element to sessions in Milton on Monday and Balclutha on Wednesday.

Clutha Mayor Bryan Cadogan said the change was necessary to properly convey the detail of some aspects of the plan to ratepayers.

"As the long-term plan is our visionary document for the next decade, with particular significance for Balclutha and Milton, both these sessions will include a more structured presentation from staff at 5.30pm."

Ratepayers would be able to talk to staff and councillors in person both before and after the presentations, he said.