At a full council meeting yesterday, councillors decided to consult community groups from next month and to post information online rather than delay consultation until next year. Councillors considered whether an extra layer of consultation would be a good choice in the current climate. "I want to know ... we have done our absolute best to give people the option to engage," Cr Houlahan said. Cr Mike Lord said people focusing on the Covid-19 environment and the upcoming election would not want to deal with added consultation. "I don’t think [it] means we will not consult the public," Cr Lord said.

Source: Otago Daily Times August 25, 2020 16:30 UTC