15 March 2017

Council committee recommends adoption of Easter Trading Policy

The Waikato District Council Policy and Regulatory Committee today heard and considered submissions on the Proposed Easter Trading Policy 2017 and has recommended that the policy is adopted at the full Council meeting in April.

If adopted, all types of retail shops in the Waikato district will be able to open on Easter Sunday this year. Whether they do open or not is up to the business owner.

Council carried out extensive community consultation to find out what people wanted. During the consultation period, from 14 December to 7 February, 1268 submissions were received with 51% (656) in favour of shops being able to open. The majority opposed to the policy cited religious reasons, preserving our community culture or to make sure workers had a break.

During the committee meeting today it was acknowledged that the submissions were very evenly split. The views of those opposing the policy were discussed in detail as well as the benefits of giving shop owners the choice to open. The decision to recommend the policy for adoption was passed with 8 members in support and 4 against. The policy will ensure that individual business owners can make their own choice as well as ensuring a consistent approach across the district.

The proposal will now go to the Policy and Regulatory Committee meeting on 21 March and then to the full Council meeting on 10 April.

For more information, including the draft policy and Statement of Proposal, please visit our website www.waikatodistrict.govt.nz. The Statement of Proposal includes information about shops that can open now, what shops would be able to open.

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