Council has put together a draft climate change and sustainability strategy containing 80 proposed actions and is looking for feedback from the community.

The actions are distributed across six priority areas and include everything from work that’s already underway, such as stormwater upgrades, to nature-based solutions such as tree planting.

Group Manager of Democracy and Engagement Toni Durham said the strategy builds on the existing climate change policy and resilience plan, and was developed following community workshops in February to get public input.

“We found through that process that there’s a wide range views in our community around climate change and what action is required,” said Mrs Durham.

“Ultimately, Council has a responsibility to look after our district by building resilient infrastructure, helping people understand what to expect and finding ways to deliver services sustainably.”

Mrs Durham said that over the next few weeks, Council staff and councillors would also be visiting high schools to engage directly with young people.

“During our recent youth forum, many local students spoke about climate change and sustainability issues, and we want to ensure that they have the chance to contribute towards this strategy.”

The draft strategy includes the estimated costs of implementing the new proposed actions, however Mrs Durham said that the budget should be considered indicative only.

“As with any plan we prepare, it’s only words on paper until it’s properly resourced. If the strategy is adopted, funding would still need to be allocated by Council through the Annual Plan or Long Term Plan.”

Submissions are open until Wednesday 18 June. The full draft and online feedback form can be found at itsourplace.nz