The 2022 Local Elections are critical for South Wairarapa people. Do we want more of the same at our district council … or do we want a different more professional, effective, and responsible approach? People are thinking about:
1. Financial management and spending. Do we want: a. To keep up a spending culture where budgets are always exceeded and rates increase without any proper explanation, or b. a council that operates with competent, prudent and transparent financial management. If the election does not deliver a qualified financial expert to the council, I will recommend appointing one as Chair of the Finance Committee.
2. Rate setting. The current council has shown that it cannot manage this key task. Let’s elect competent new people who can come to grips with the rating process, pay attention to the details and who know what questions need asking.
3. Competence. Elected members receive huge amounts of material to read. They need to be able to analyse it, then make sensible thoroughly informed decisions. Voters must elect people who are capable of this. People with the ability to read and comprehend large amounts of material, some of it difficult.
4. Trust and confidence. People are entitled to have confidence in the councillors and mayor they elect. That means no big changes to our towns or the rural surrounds without clear and meaningful consultation. We don’t expect new road painting in the Square, for example, without real engagement with the people who care.
5. The quality of council services. A core function of a council is to provide services such as street lighting, roading, and library services. When residents see short-comings in those services the council needs to respond promptly to those concerns. And that does not always happen. I plan to introduce new Customer-Service systems so that queries and concerns get dealt with quickly.
Our council is not a big business – people can expect it to run properly and efficiently without a great deal of fuss. But it does require you – the voter – electing the best people to make decisions AND who will properly supervise management.
I bring many years of senior management experience in large central government organisations .
I have experience of fiscal management, personnel management, legal and policy development and operational delivery for the public good – THAT is what we need in South Wairarapa (and what I fear is currently missing!)
