Summer 2005/2006

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Affirm festival stronger than ever in Aranui Aiming for a smooth transition Aquatic facilities progress Art Gallery aims for more visitors City Plan online and searchable Council's strength confirmed Day of Disabled Persons - 3 Dec Gut-busting Buskers Festival back 19-29 Jan Moves on cycleways Public invited in to learn about sharp end of Council operations Public transport up for strategic review Remembering Rod Donald positively [Mayor's Column] World Cup a boost to Jade expansion? » Other stories this month » Proposed Variation No.95/Plan Change No.1 - Living 1A Zone

Last Scene to be seen until March

This 16-page issue of the Christchurch City Council’s publication for residents covers the period from December to the end of February and all staff at the Council would like to wish readers a happy, safe and enjoyable holiday season and summer.

The Council budget for the publication, which has a print run of about 138,000 and is delivered to letter and post boxes throughout the city, allows us to produce 10 issues a year — monthly, from March to December. Next year, with the inclusion into the city of Banks Peninsula, that print run will rise to about 144,000.

This bumper issue includes a four-page centrespread and calendar of events taken from the Council’s popular Be There website — at www.bethere.org.nz The centrespread has details of entertainment and other opportunities for people to get out and enjoy themselves. Pull it out and keep it handy.

Also in this City Scene are several reports about some of the many SummerTimes events the Council runs each year. This festival of free outdoor fun is extremely popular. Watch out for the colourful brochure which is being distributed with the 7 December Mail.

Get involved
March’s publication is likely to concentrate on work being done by the City Councillors and staff to prepare a new draft community plan. There will be reports explaining the process, the scope of the plan and the opportunities for you to get involved and help shape our organisation’s work.

Pulling together a new long-term community plan happens only every three years and the result is important because Council operations touch so many aspects of our everyday lives.

Once everyone’s input has been considered and the plan is finally signed-off at the end of June next year, it becomes the basic blueprint for all Council work over the following three years, detailing what the organisation will do and the levels at which it should perform. As well, it will contain fairly detailed financials, including the organisation’s best estimates of the magnitude of future rates requirements.