Transforming your customer service experience

Published on 10 June 2025

From Monday 23 June, Ōamaru Public Library and Service Centre will become the place for in-person rates, registrations and application enquiries for the Waitaki District.

Council’s HQ will be open for viewing property files, meetings with officers, and attending public meetings and workshops.

Director of Customer Engagement and Experience, Lisa Baillie says: “By relocating our customer liaison team to the Public Library and Service Centre, the community now has an in-person service desk open 6 days a week, with longer opening times than those we provided at the HQ. We’re providing more time, on more days, for people to speak face-to-face with someone at Council by using what we’ve already got sensibly.

Council is also working towards introducing similar access to services at the Waitaki Aquatic Centre, which is open 7 days a week, to further extend our ability to serve the community”.

Council also recently launched an entire One Stop Shop of digital forms, meaning the community can apply for everything from Alcohol Licenses to Water connections online, without having to print off and bring or send in a paper copy. New online forms are being added every week.

Chief Executive Alex Parmley says: “Transformation is about making our organisation leaner, more cost-effective, whilst improving access and our level of customer service. Our digital upgrades mean people can apply for consents, rates rebates, and more from their couch – saving them time and money. Whilst our customer service desk at the library offers access six days a week to our services for residents, without increasing the cost to ratepayers.”

Council’s online One Stop Shop of digital forms can be found here: https://www.waitaki.govt.nz/top-tasks/Apply-for-it

ENDS