The Whakatane District Council will undertake an initial ‘pre-consultation' process with retailers and the community over the next fortnight to gather information on Easter Sunday trading preferences.
The targeted consultation process will seek feedback from Eastern Bay Chamber of Commerce members, and will involve an online survey for shop-owners throughout the District.
Social media engagement with the wider community will also be undertaken via the Council's Facebook page.
The feedback provided will be reported back to the Council's Policy Committee on October 5, at which stage a decision will be made to either put forward a draft policy for community consultation, or not pursue a policy at this time.
The Shop Trading Hours Amendment Act 2016 allows councils to adopt a policy which would permit shops to open on Easter Sunday in all, or specific parts of their districts.
The Council decided not to ‘fast-track' the development of a policy in December 2016, which would have provided retailers the choice of opening on Easter Sunday this year.
Current feedback on the council's Facebook page shows a mixed reaction.
'I don't see a problem providing staff are rewarded appropriately and have the right of refusal to work,” says Ian.
'No way! People should have a life beyond commercial greed,” says Sue.
If a decision is made to proceed with a draft policy, a formal community consultation process will be undertaken between October 6 and November 6, with any submissions heard by the Policy Committee on November 14.
A recommendation would then be made for the full Council to consider on December 7.
1 comment
If businesses cant trade...
Posted on 22-09-2017 07:09 | By GreertonBoy
At Easter or Christmas, then surely, they will have to do the same for ALL religions respected days? I think that businesses should be able to be open for businesses when they see fit, not by law or regulation. I dont want to be turned away from shops because it is Chinese New Year, Ramadan or the Jewish Sabbath? In todays equal society, and if business opening hours are dictated because of any one religion, all of the others may follow suit which would be a nightmare for businesses. People would be wise to not allow the govt. nor churches of any religion to have a say when businesses can or cant trade... and it has nothing to do with commercial greed, it is to do with common sense. A business told they cant open during Ramadan, the Sabbath, Christmas, Easter, may as well close down...
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