My vision: A better future Waipā for everyone

Council needs to change – we need to make it easier to deal with us, we need to listen and take care of our diverse population. We should work more effectively together to make Waipā’s thriving communities more resilient and vibrant so there is a better future for all of us. This is my vision.

As mayor, I would focus on three immediate priorities:

1. A council which is easier to deal with – Council needs to be more enabling and less of a “road block” – in everything we do. We must make living and doing business here easy.  Building consents, dog registrations, and everything in between. Our processes should be more transparent and access should be easy. Council should simplify things to make our customer experience enjoyable.
   
2. A Council that truly listens – I mean listening, reflecting and then acting on what we hear. But the first step is listening. We must listen to everyone – those who have strong views and those members whose views are shared more quietly. And once we listen, we must improve the way we communicate back to the community. This means we can better understand and reflect what people want Waipā to look like now and into the future. We will never be able to please everyone, but with active listening and better communication, we’ll get it right more often.
   
3. A future which will be good for everyone. We have a diverse population. Rural communities and urban centres. People with thriving businesses and in exciting jobs, and those who are facing challenges.  We must make decisions which offer more people greater opportunities. Our aim should always be to make Waipā a great place to live, work and relax, now and long into the future.

Further information about me

I’ve also written elsewhere on this site about my leadership style, my background and my track record.