Since 1870, Wellington City Council has documented its decisions and actions, evolving from handwritten records to PDFs. While this transition modernized record-keeping, navigating these extensive files often proved frustrating for citizens. Recognizing the need for a more accessible and user-friendly system, we created a purpose-built tool to replace the limitations of static, PDF-based records.
Our tool makes council decisions more accessible by allowing citizens to:
- • View detailed decisions at a granular level
- • Track progress on actions following council decisions
- • Explore related topics without navigating long committee meeting documents
For staff, the tool provides:
- • Clear visibility of decisions requiring action
- • Real-time updates on progress for councillors and the public
We store decision information as dynamic data, making it easier to retrieve and interact with than static PDFs. This modern approach significantly improves accessibility and enables future enhancements.
The changes we've made represent significant progress in promoting civic engagement and government transparency. By empowering citizens with better tools to access and understand council activities, we are setting a new standard for local governance. Our work tackles today's transparency challenges while fostering a more informed and engaged community. It sets a new benchmark for local governance, ensuring our democracy thrives in the digital era.
In the files below, we are sharing information about how we created our tool, to be transparent and share our experience in the hopes of encouraging continued improvement of this and other solutions aimed to increase civic engagement and government transparency.
If you would like to know more or have questions, please contact us:
Democracy services:
Email: busdemocracyservices@wcc.govt.nz
Mātai Manapori (TrackDem) Features (159kB)Mātai Manapori (TrackDem) Web backend view of a Report (416kB)Mātai Manapori (TrackDem) Data model and definitions (319kB)Mātai Manapori (TrackDem) Solution Architecture (178kB)Mātai Manapori (TrackDem) Support Model (127kB)