OVER 30 public meetings have been held in Buffalo City on its Integrated Development Plan (IDP) and budget for 2010/11.

Giving feedback on the progress of these hearings, Simphiwe Seti said: "Most of the meetings proceeded without any challenges. Turnout and participation of the general public was also good, except for a few that didn't go according to the plan."

Seti is the City's IDP, budget and policy manager.

The first meeting was held on 14 April at Cambridge Location; meetings followed in other venues, such as NU 10 Community Hall in Mdantsane, Berlin Hall in Berlin, Alphandale High School, Gompo Hall in Gompo, Mzoxolo High School in Mdantsane, Living Waters Hall in Scenery Park, and Beacon Bay Library in Beacon Bay.

Discussions included the upgrading and rehabilitation of roads, housing provision, electricity, water services, indigent services for the disadvantaged and aged, upgrading of mobile clinics and waste management projects.

Seti said attendance was satisfactory, giving Gompo as an example, where the hall was full to capacity. "Also Mzoxolo School in Mdantsane was overflowing with community members who wanted to be part of the meetings."

He commended residents for their approach in raising issues which were seen as challenges in their particular wards.

"Success of the meetings should mainly be judged in terms of attendance, quality of discussions or inputs around the draft 2010/11 IDP and budget, the conduct or behaviour of the public during the meetings, the nature of issues raised by communities and their relevance to public hearings."

Seti added that the success of the meetings might be influenced by the new approach the City has taken this year of visiting each ward and not clustering them. "Perhaps the improvements may partly be attributed to the ward-based approach adopted this year which entails holding a meeting in each ward rather than clustering of wards."

The City was also satisfied with the public's response, including their inputs and attendance.

Seti confirmed that this year's public meetings were a success with no major challenges experienced. "The City's interdepartmental team has been able to deal with minor challenges, which were logistical in nature."