It may not cause the sort of global sensation Scottish singer Susan Boyle did when she racked up 60 million hits on YouTube, but the Dunedin City Council is hoping the video-sharing site might help with its consultation.
The council already has a trial video set up on the website.
The video features community adviser Paul Coffey explaining the intricacies of consultation on the council's social housing strategy.
If the trial is successful, the council may produce more videos.
Council webmaster Sean Lee said no final decision had been made on using YouTube, but staff had decided to try the idea.
Other councils, including the Auckland City Council, used YouTube.
"The web team has been following the things other councils are doing," he said.
YouTube was seen as another way of getting the council's initiatives across the the public.
Staff would consider the trial's success in about three months, and decide whether the trial should continue.
Community development team leader Rebecca Parata said 140 submissions had been received on the social housing strategy.
The submission period closes on Monday.
The review will tackle fundamental questions about the council's role in social housing, and consider issues such as whether ratepayers should subsidise the service, and whether the council or the Government should provide it.
Ms Parata said the submissions would be analysed, and a report would be written for a hearings committee which is due to meet on September 23.
