Palmerston North's Rachel Bowen: PNCC YouTube channel a way to stay informed

Palmerston North city councillor Rachel Bowen says the Snap Send Solve phone app is an efficient way of communicating with council. Photo / Judith Lacy

OPINION:

Yay – level 2!

Like many of you, I've been juggling work commitments while "supervising" online schooling and missing the freedoms we took for granted.

During these challenging few weeks, we've been extremely grateful to all the frontline workers who have kept Palmy's essential services and supply chains running – including council staff for maintaining the city's operational capabilities.

Covid alert levels may have changed the way council works and the way your elected members make decisions, but lockdown did not mean you were locked out of the decision-making process.

Our online meetings offer increased access to the council, and we'd like you to take greater advantage of these additional opportunities for engagement.

All council and committee meetings are live-streamed, with the opportunity to catch up later through recorded versions posted to our YouTube channel PNCCTV. Feel free to subscribe.

Meeting agendas along with advice on central government's proposed Three Waters reform and other matters can be found on the Participate Palmy page of the PNCC website.

Councillor contact details are available there to help you directly, or to connect you with people who can.

Information is also updated on our Facebook page and through traditional media outlets. Our libraries, museums, galleries, pools and playgrounds may have been closed during levels 4 and 3, but city walkways and reserves have provided wonderful environments for recreation and exercise.

Let's show appreciation by looking after these places, and if you see any issues while you're out and about, we'd like you to make use of the Snap Send Solve phone app to report and log them with a council team to deal with. This is a really efficient way of communicating with the council, and app download details are on the PNCC website.

Palmy's recycling and some drop-off waste services resumed during alert level 3. A reminder to make sure there is no non-recyclable rubbish in your council wheelie bins and that any plastic, metal and glass is washed thoroughly under hot water.

Now we're at level 2, please support local enterprises when you can. Many businesses will be facing extreme difficulties and challenges, and I include the significant financial consequences for our performing arts sector.

I encourage you to help the sector bounce back by booking a ticket for something – anything! – as our venues get back to normal.

Please take the level 2 rules on mask wearing, social distancing and numbers seriously to keep you, your whānau and community safe, and do arrange to get a Covid vaccination to protect yourself and others.

• Rachel Bowen is a Palmerston North city councillor