Annual Community Survey to begin
The Whakatāne District Council’s annual community survey will begin on Friday, 31 May.
Undertaken by the National Research Bureau, the Communitrak survey poses a series of questions about Council services and facilities to a random selection of 300 residents. The survey results, in combination with other information sources, allow the Council to assess community perceptions about service quality, spending priorities and community issues.
General Manager Strategy and Economic Development, Julie Gardyne, says that while the Council's normal community engagement activities provide useful information about stakeholder perceptions, the annual survey provides "a reliable measure of the wider community's views and helps to highlight any positive or negative trends".
The survey process will take about a week to complete and involves telephone interviews with respondents from across the District's four community board areas, on a population pro-rata basis. Interviews can take up to 20 minutes to complete.
The 2019 survey results will also be supplemented by more detailed information provided by 30 face-to-face interviews.
Ms Gardyne says the survey results are expected to be completed in early-August and will be made available on the Council website.
Worst Xmas ever?
There's a a lot of planning that goes into Christmas day and sometimes things just don't go to plan. But it can be a good thing - a family mishap or hilarious memory that you can laugh about in Christmases to come.
Whether you burnt the dinner or were stranded at an airport...
Share your Christmas mishaps below!
Suellen’s sweet Christmas tradition
The festive season is always a great excuse to indulge your sweet tooth, and this time of year poses the perfect opportunity to bring a real showstopper to the Christmas table.
For Suellen’s family, that showstopper is Croquembouche, an impressive tower of cream puffs bound together with spun sugar that is popular at weddings in France and Italy.
What began as a birthday treat at a local French café has become a cherished Christmas tradition for Suellen and her 17-year-old twin granddaughters, Ellie and Sadie. Every year, the trio gather in Suellen’s apartment at William Sanders Village to cook this festive dessert - a holiday highlight they all treasure.
Click read more for the recipe.