The Bay Say survey is designed to help us learn more about the needs and wants of Bay of Plenty residents, and also your understanding of Bay of Plenty Regional Council and the work we do.

This should take approximately 5 - 10 minutes to complete.

About the survey

The survey is a mix of questions that help us understand your views and how much you know about us, alongside focus topics (such as your knowledge of services, or the environment). This helps us to find out:

• What we’re doing well,
• What we could be doing better, and
• What’s important to you about the region.

The focus topics help us shape our thinking to make sure our work reflects what Bay of Plenty residents want.

How do I have my say?

To share your thoughts, click into the survey online, at a kiosk in any of our offices, or at advertised events. Your responses will help us plan and deliver our work for you. The survey should take approximately 5-10 minutes to complete.

The Bay Say survey is held three times a year as a ‘check in’ with our local communities. The information from these surveys will help us plan and deliver the work we do for you, across the rohe (region).

By completing the survey (and sharing your email address) you can go in the draw to win one of three $100 Prezzy cards.

If you sign up to be a regular survey participant, you go in a bonus draw to win another $100 Prezzy card!

Since 2018, we’ve conducted a two-to-three yearly Residents Survey. This survey was carried out by an external third party, and used both a phone call and a postal survey to reach ratepayers across the region.

This year, we've changed how we deliver the survey to make it more frequent, more accessible and more cost effective, while still collecting information that can help shape our work to make sure we are delivering for our community.

The online survey is open for one month at a time, three times per year.

You can participate through our online platform here, or picking up a hard copy form from Regional Council reception or at one of our events.

Win a $100 Prezzy card!

By completing the survey (and sharing your email address) you can go in the draw to win one of three $100 Prezzy cards. If you sign up to be a regular survey participant, you go in a bonus draw to win another $100 Prezzy card!

Your survey is anonymous (unless you choose to share your details to be in to win).

Aggregated data will then be shared with staff and councillors at Regional Council to help build our collective knowledge about how communities view and interact with us.

Key findings will be shared publicly after each survey closes

We use this information to help inform operational decisions and improve corporate functions, such as communications, engagement, and customer service.

From the air we breathe and the land we live and work on, to the water we fish and swim in, Bay of Plenty Regional Council’s core mahi (work) is about ensuring the environment is kept healthy and used responsibly – now, and into the future.

While city and district councils are responsible for roading, recycling, animal control, parking, libraries and other public infrastructure, our focus is on the sustainable growth of the region in a way that keeps people safe and connected, and natural resources and unique cultural features protected and enhanced.

Our work reaches from Waihī Beach to Waihau Bay, and includes Tauranga City, Western Bay of Plenty, Kawerau, Rotorua Lakes, Whakatāne and Ōpōtiki Districts, and part of Taupō District as well.

It's important for Regional Council to know how Bay of Plenty residents feel about our performance and the way we deliver our many services and activities. Thank you to everyone who had their say!

These results are a snapshot only of what we do well, and where we need to make improvements. No margin of error can be assigned to the results. The survey results are shared with Councillors, Executive and the Regional Council's Management teams to identify key actions that can be taken.

Each Bay say survey, we will draw three $100 Prezzy Card prize winners for completing the Bay Say survey, plus a bonus $100 Prezzy Card draw for those who followed our Bay Say page. These names selected using a random number generator under supervision of a Justice of the Peace. In the event the winners are unable to be contacted, the prizes are redrawn

Congratulations to our Spring prize winners

• Bevan from Eastern Bay of Plenty
• Melanie from Western Bay of Plenty
• Kath from Whakatāne
• Margaret from Whakatāne

Congratulations to our Winter prize winners

• James from Whakatane
• Kelly from Tauranga
• Michelle from Tauranga
• Rachael from Rotorua

Biodiversity is the plants and animals special to a location. Many species found in the Bay of Plenty are unique to New Zealand and under threat. We're keen to understand what the community thinks so we can help protect what is most important to you.

Biodiversity is the many different kinds of living things (plants, animals, insects, micro-organisms) here on Earth or in a specific place or ecosystem.

Biodiversity is also used to talk about the number and variety of, and the complex relationships between all living things. It can refer to the differences between individual species, or the differences between a species and an ecosystem.

High biodiversity is important because it makes ecosystems more resilient and adaptable to changes, such as climate change or natural disasters.

Visit our website to learn more about biodiversity.

Every Bay of Plenty resident over 18 years old can enrol to vote in the Regional Council elections plus your city or district council and government elections. In June, we were keen to find out how we could support as many people as possible to enrol and cast their vote.

Local elections are held every three years. In the Bay of Plenty, residents and other ratepayers have the chance to vote for 14 Bay of Plenty Regional Councillors representing Tauranga, Western Bay of Plenty, Rotorua, Whakatāne, Kawerau, Ōpōtiki and a small part of Taupō.

Visit our website to learn more about the most recent elections.