Use of affordability metrics and debt headroom buffers in the 2025-34 Long Term Plan preparation was due to my direction.
Waipā’s Community Spatial Plan Ahu Ake has won multiple awards. I was an active member of the Project Control Group and I was a strong voice that actions arising from it needed to be balanced across the district, not concentrated in one area.
Te Awamutu Football Club’s request to Council in 2025 to improve playing fields for their growing team numbers benefited from me remembering that in 2014 a cash compensation fund connected with 110kV lines traversing Anchor Park was set up and had not been spent. I can recall details like this because I read all the papers closely and can join up information from disparate sources. The funding of these improvements would not have been possible through rates.
Waikato Waters Done Well: I was a member of the Project Control Group and supported the decision to move to a multi-council CCO. Since then, my diligence has brought to light significant changes proposed to the Water Services Bill by the Select Committee affecting how the CCO would operate, specifically environmental protection is no longer required, the CCO becomes a ‘plan maker’ not a ‘plan taker’ (so councils no longer set strategic priorities) and dividend payments are enabled. I have asked staff to report back to council on the implications.
Commitment to Climate Change Action: I believe effective climate change responses need to be equitable, affordable, community centred and collaborative across the fullest spectrum of stakeholders possible. In early 2019, I prepared an action plan for Council to respond to Climate Change which involved little or no cost to ratepayers.Take a read here.Council staff are adopting a number of these suggestions. I regularly raise emissions reduction, waste reduction and sustainable living options like rain water tanks, rain gardens and community edible gardens as options for staff to consider. I am part of the Waikato Region’s Climate Action Forum and participated in the Waikato Climathon in 2022 and 2023 as a mentor for biodiversity enhancement.
Community Boards: I supported retaining these as well as a review to improve their effectiveness and performance.
Community Placemaking with public art and creativity: My advocacy has seen Council adopt a policy where 1% of the capital cost of community facilities will go towards placemaking through art or creativity. It’s great to see our creative sector benefiting, especially as many of them are women.
Pirongia Public Toilet upgrade with half of the funding coming from Central Government’s Tourism Infrastructure Fund.
Pirongia Skate Park and Pirongia Under 5’s Playground benefited from my support so that council staff were more co-operative.
Concept Plans for Ngahinapouri and Pirongia were well executed, with a good level of involvement from myself. Ngahinapouri’s concept plan remained funded and received priority due to the strident protests of myself and Councillor Bruce Thomas when timing changes were suggested.
Ohaupo’s signalised crossing project arose from efforts by myself and others to find a solution to road safety issues for residents.
Māori Representation: I supported Māori Wards and am committed to honouring Te Tiriti.
Seal extension for unsealed roads: I strongly advocated for retaining the budget and successfully argued for the inclusion of Jary/Wallace Rd in the seal programme.
Digital Enablement Strategy: I pushed for Pirongia Village to be included in the Central Government Scheme to improve broadband services in rural areas, and that was taken on board.
Pirongia Cycleway Proposal: I strongly supported the community group who are championing this, and I am disappointed this project hasn’t progressed. I acknowledge that with Central Government’s cuts to cycleway funding, it’s unlikely long cycleways will be affordable in the short term.
Mt Pirongia 1080 Operations in 2014 and 2020: I insisted that buffers along the streams in the treatment area for the Te Awamutu water supply catchment be retained.
Use of digital technology: I fully support Council processes being digitalised to make them more accessible and efficient, and insist that any developments using digital technology need to measure the savings produced, whether in time, dollars or efficiencies.
Easter Sunday Trading: I voted in favour of not allowing more shops to open so that people could retain the long weekend and enjoy time off.
Audit and Risk Committee: I took the initiative to formulate an assessment tool to measure the value delivered by the committee over time. This is now used on an annual basis and is held up as an example for other Audit and Risk Committees to use.
Civil Defence Plan will now include arrangements for aged care facilities in recovering from a natural disaster because of my intervention.
