Western Bay of Plenty District Council is inviting the community to an opportunity to share, listen, and ensure that the work the council is doing aligns with the needs and aspirations of the community.

"So, whether you want to know more about current projects, future plans, or to raise any concerns you have, come along and be part of the kōrero," said a council spokesperson.

The Maketu - Te Puke Community Forum will be held from 7-9pm on Wednesday, September 25 at The Orchard Church, 20 MacLoughlin Drive, Te Puke.

What the community can expect:

• Te Puke Spatial Plan presentation
• No. 1 Road Rehabilitation update
• No. 4 Road Bridge update
• The chance to kōrero with local councillors
• Community Board projects
• Community safety discussions with Police
• Update from Quayside on the Rangiuru Business Park
• Update on the Heritage Hub
• Plus, information on consents, the District Plan, rates and community grants.

Hosted by local ward councillors – Andy Wichers, Grant Dally, John Scrimgeour and Laura Rae - the evening will open with a short presentation about the Te Puke Spatial Plan.

Following this, people will be invited to explore project hubs around the room and kōrero with their local councillors and the council team.

As well as the major roading projects of No. 1 Road and the replacement No. 4 Road bridge, there will be information on consents, the District Plan, rates and community grants.

The Te Puke Community Board will be on hand to kōrero about projects they have on the go, and there will be a ‘councillors table’ for one-on-ones with the local councillors.

Police will also be there to discuss issues affecting the community, Quayside with updates on the Rangiuru Business Park, and the Heritage Hub team who are looking to get a local museum up and going.

Community Forums were introduced by council last year, to give people the chance to meet with their local councillors in an informal setting.

“This time around we’re doing things a bit differently," says councillor Andy Wichers.

"Instead of holding an open forum, we’re putting on an expo type event. We hope this will create a positive and informative setting where people can kōrero about projects of interest in their community."

In particular, there is a lot of interest in the No. 1 Road rehabilitation and replacement of the No. 4 Road bridge.

"We’re excited to be getting started on these two projects soon and look forward to sharing updates with the community," says Wichers.

“We will also have the giant aerial map of Te Puke on site for the evening. We had the map at the Te Puke War Memorial Hall earlier this year as part of our spatial plan consultation, and this is another chance for people to view it and gain a fresh perspective on their town.”