This story was made in collaboration with Safe Software partner Seamless.
Bridging the gap between data and the public
Gore District Council is one of three local authorities in the southernmost province of New Zealand. The Council acts as an intermediary to deliver key data to individuals and companies across the region.
Historically, Gore District Council relied on paper-based processes and social media to manage and communicate vital information. “Everything was manual,” recalled Scott Hewlett, Senior GIS Officer at the Council. “Someone would have to manually update information that the rest of the organization needed… It took up a lot of time.”
Operating without a GIS officer for a year and using an outdated GIS platform, knowledge had become lost, and it became more challenging to attract new talent. The team also had to consider how a new platform would integrate with their ERP and other core systems.
When recurring bottlenecks in existing processes delayed critical work, the Council set out to implement a data integration solution with Safe Software partner, Seamless.
“The advantage that Seamless brought was the FME Platform, that we could learn to use and work with ourselves.” –Andrew McPherson, IT Manager, Gore District Council
Delivering real-time access to critical information
Seamless and Gore District Council’s solution began with a proof of concept centred on Parks and Reserves data, such as playgrounds and rubbish bins. Field teams successfully collected data on their phones via ArcGIS Field Maps, and FME migrated the data information overnight to the Council’s asset management system. This proof of concept laid the foundation for a solution powered by FME.
Today, FME integrates real-time road status data to keep residents informed of critical road closures. The Council’s Closed Roads Viewer is routinely updated with live data to demonstrate where roads will be closed for repair work or during floods.
During a heavy flooding event in 2023, the tool was viewed 15,000 times in just three days. By providing accessible information, the Closed Roads Viewer keeps residents informed and reduces the Council’s reliance on social media to share critical information.
Improving efficiency and accuracy of information
Previously, asset information (including pipes, manholes, and water connections) and property owner details were manually collected by field staff and copied into various locations. This labour-intensive process relied on old scripts that were difficult to repair when they failed. As a result, critical information could be weeks out of date, hindering decision-making for asset management and property teams.
Now, field-collected data is automatically extracted and processed in real time. Data collected onsite is extracted from the Council’s asset management system and ERP and pushed into ArcGIS Online services on a daily basis. This streamlined process has improved data reliability for the public, Council engineers, and customer service teams.
“We don’t have to wait for someone in the field to draw something on a piece of paper or a map, then wait for a couple of weeks to bring it back into the office and see it,” shared Scott Hewlett, Senior GIS Officer at the Council.
Empowering team members with better tools and collaboration
With access to real-time data, the Council is more responsive and equipped to handle evolving situations. When an issue like a burst pipe is reported, field teams can quickly identify and resolve it from their phones. Asset data is collected via a map-based ArcGIS app and sent to the team’s asset management system. This process facilitates the delivery of information, allowing the appropriate staff to be assigned to resolve the issue.
The team’s solution has also streamlined data sharing with its regional council, Environment Southland. Previously, updates from Environment Southland were sent to Gore District Council in various formats and required manual entry. With FME, both Gore District Council and Environment Southland can automatically share real-time updates, significantly reducing workloads and eliminating the need for both parties to manually update their database.
The Council and Environment Southland can now collaborate knowing that they both have the most up-to-date and accurate information.
Inspiring digital and community engagement
Beyond operations, FME has helped Gore District Council build community-oriented digital experiences. Their mobile “Street Art Trail” encourages residents to explore the district, while their Cemeteries Map includes plot details and photographic documentation from four regional cemeteries to provide resources on community and ancestral history.
With plans to build more maps for public use, including district walking trails and playground locations, Gore District Council continues to strengthen public engagement.
By replacing manual workflows with real-time data sharing through FME, Gore District Council has modernized its operations and enhanced public service delivery. From emergency road closures to historic records, stakeholders and citizens now have access to information, where and when they need it.
