Central Hawke’s Bay District Council (CHBDC), in collaboration with MAGIQ Software and a special interest group of councils, partnered to deliver a modern Community Engagement App tailored specifically for local government.
Developed through real‑world testing and close collaboration, the app strengthens communication between councils and residents while integrating seamlessly with MAGIQ’s ERP system to improve operational efficiency.
Working together
When Central Hawke’s Bay District Council (CHBDC) went looking for a better way to stay connected with its residents, it led to a collaboration with MAGIQ Software that has produced an enhanced Community Engagement App for local government.
A Council That Helped Write the Brief
Council staff worked directly with MAGIQ’s team to set practical requirements, test usability and accessibility (with particular attention to older residents), validate security and privacy standards, and confirm smooth integration with MAGIQ’s existing Cloud ERP systems.
More than 100 council staff along with their families and local community groups, participated in testing and provided feedback that shaped the final product. It is an unusually thorough development process, and one that shows in the result.
What the App Does
The Community Engagement App is built as a flexible, scalable framework that councils can tailor to their own communities. It can be fully white-labelled, so residents see their council’s own branding rather than a generic third-party tool.
📰 NEWS FEED
Council announcements and community news can be delivered directly to residents via the app — pulling content straight from the council website for timely, reliable updates.
🔧 SERVICE REQUESTS
Residents can report issues or request services in the app. Requests flow automatically into MAGIQ’s systems, eliminating manual data entry and letting residents track progress in real time.
🔔 TARGETED ALERTS
Opt-in notifications about road closures, water issues, recycling schedules, and local events — targeted by topic and location so residents only receive what’s relevant to them.
🎨 WHITE LABELLING
Councils apply their own branding throughout the app, delivering a familiar, trusted experience that feels like their own product rather than a third-party platform.
The integration with MAGIQ’s ERP system is a significant operational benefit. By automatically routing service requests into the council’s back-end, the app reduces administrative effort for staff and speeds up response times for residents, improving both internal efficiency and public trust.
What’s Coming Next
The Community Engagement App is already live and continues to evolve. Future enhancements such as online payments, rates viewing and animal registrations are planned to further streamline the relationship between councils and their communities.
Built with Councils, for Councils
MAGIQ Software is grateful to Central Hawke’s Bay District Council for its leadership, openness, and commitment throughout this process.
The app that exists today is better because of the people who helped build it – and the communities across New Zealand and Australia who will use it stand to benefit from that partnership for years to come.