Shops across the Stratford District will be able to open for trading on Easter Sunday if they wish. Photo / Ilona Hanne
Shops across the Stratford District will be able to open for trading on Easter Sunday if they wish. Photo / Ilona Hanne
If the Easter Bunny forgets to plan ahead this Easter - they needn’t panic as they can just hop along to Stratford after the district’s councillors voted in favour of shops being able to open on the day.
Shops in the district have been able to open on Easter Sunday since 2017, when a change to legislation meant councils were able to write their own policies around Easter Sunday trading. The resultant policy for Stratford District has now come up for renewal and was presented to councillors for a decision on Tuesday, February 27.
At Tuesday’s hearing, Stratford district councillors were asked to decide if shops in the district could continue to trade on Easter Sunday, and the answer was a resounding yes, with just one elected member voting against.
In a report to councillors, environmental health manager Rachael Otter said the draft policy had been released for public consultation with submissions closing on February 16.
Two submissions had been received, with one in favour of continuing to allow Easter Sunday trading and one opposed.
Rachael said five organisations - the Stratford Business Association, the Taranaki Chamber of Commerce, Hospitality New Zealand, Retail New Zealand and the Salvation Army, had been directly notified as part of the public consultation process as they had each submitted on the initial policy in 2017, however, none of the five organisations made a submission this time.
In 2017, all bar three councillors voted in favour of introducing a new Easter Sunday trading policy that allowed shops across the district to open on Easter Sunday if they wished.
As the policy had now been in place for a few years, it was a legal requirement for the policy to be reviewed, Rachael said.
Councillor Steve Beck voted against allowing businesses to trade on Easter Sunday, arguing it was a religious day held in high regard across the country.
Councillor Steve Beck voted against shops being able to open on Easter Sunday, saying he recognised he might be a “lone voice” around the table.
“Easter Sunday is a religious holiday, which, as a nation, we’ve always held in high regard. Not many shops [in the district] are open on any Sunday, and I would certainly like to see them all closed on Easter Sunday.”
All other elected members at the hearing voted in favour of allowing shops to open. Councillor Grant Boyde was on a leave of absence.
Mayor Neil Volzke said he noted the submitter opposed to Easter Sunday trading had stated it was the only day off staff could have.
“I don’t agree. Staff are not obliged to work every day, if that was the case, shop staff would never have a day off.”
Stratford Mayor Neil Volzke voted in favour of allowing shops to open for trade on Easter Sunday. Photo / Ilona Hanne
The wording of the legislation was clear, he said, in stating staff were not required to work, and did not have to give a reason if they didn’t wish to work on Easter Sunday.
Easter Sunday was not a public holiday, said Neil.
“While Easter Sunday is part of a religious event it is not actually a public holiday.”
“Many, many businesses” were operating and staff working, on every Sunday, Easter or not, he said.
“Farmers, medical and health workers, police...there are dozens and dozens of professionals who work that day already, why should we take a different view when it comes to shops?”
He said it came down to personal choice for businesses.
“Many chose to operate on Sundays, especially in malls and larger towns, while many equally chose not to, especially in smaller towns. The decision should be owner choice.”
Councillor Annette Dudley moved that the policy allowing for Easter Sunday trading across the Stratford District be adopted, with Councillor Ellen Hall seconding the motion.
All councillors voted in favour, other than Steve Beck who asked his vote against be formally recorded.
The policy will come into action on March 13 this year, ahead of Easter Sunday which falls on March 31.
Disclaimer: Editor Ilona Hanne is married to the CEO of Stratford District Council.
