Western Bay of Plenty District Council's Long Term Plan roadshow is proving popular with ratepayers, who are coming from far and wide to have their say as the public submission period reaches the halfway mark.

In the last week, councillors and staff have made five stops across the region – from Paengaroa to Katikati – lending an ear to residents about what they want to see in the 2015 edition of the plan.

Western Bay of Plenty District Council staff and councillors in Paengaroa on the Long Term Plan roadshow. Photos: Supplied.

The draft LTP is reviewed by council every three years, and outlines what work council will do over the next decade, the reasons behind their decisions and what it will cost.

It went out for public consultation on March 27, and halfway through the process more than 130 submissions have been received.

Despite the positive response, council's planning and community relationships acting manager Liz Davies is still expecting a late flurry of submissions closer to the April 30 cut-off.

'Given we are over 130 now, I would say we are heading towards more than 500 submissions,” she says.

The roadshow is also proving a hit with 220 people stopping in at the four stops – a great number, according to Liz.

'About 50 people attended Omokoroa's event, more than 100 came to see us at Katikati on Saturday, and about 45 people attended this morning's event in Te Puke,” says Liz.

'We went into this hoping to see about 300 people – and it looks like we will achieve that.”

The roadshow comes after last year's community road show ‘Portraits of Our Place' showed a clear message for people who wanted a more sympathetic ear from councillors and greater one-on-one dialogue regarding issues of concern.

At each stop, councillors and staff have casual camping set up with their caravan named ‘Limelight', something a lot of people have commented positively on, says Liz.

'This is a new way of engaging with the public for a Council Long Term Plan, with our councillors and staff going out to meet our residents and ratepayers in their communities. It's being received really well.”

This week the roadshow stops in at Te Puke, Pukehina, Maketu, Pongakawa, and Oropi before finishing up at Waihi Beach on Saturday.

The feedback period on the draft Long Term Plan Consultation Document closes at 4pm on Thursday, April 30.

The group will travel to communities again in May to enable residents to personally present their views on their home turf.

Following the road shows, and after listening to community views, council will meet to make any changes as a result of feedback.

The final Long Term Plan will be adopted on Thursday, June 25, with the proposed work programme coming into effect on Wednesday, July 1 this year.

Western Bay of Plenty District Council roadshow destinations:

• Tuesday 14 April, 9am – 12 noon, Pukehina Community Hall
• Tuesday 14 April, 3pm – 6pm, Maketu Fire Station
• Wednesday 15 April, 9am – 12 noon, Pongakawa Hall
• Thursday 16 April, 9am – 12 noon, Oropi Hall
• Saturday 18 April, 9am – 12 noon, Waihi Beach Church Hall