Looking for sustainable outcomes
Environmentally, culturally and economically
I am also 200 per cent behind the Capital Connection business case which would see Levin connect to both Palmerston and Wellington across four services a day.
Emma Clarke is running again for a seat in the Horowhenua ward of Horizons Regional Council. She is one of three people seeking a seat at that level for Horowhenua with only two seats available.
She is a director of a family business which has been in operation since 1978, and a member of Vegetable New Zealand’s leafy greens product group and has been on numerous others during a 25-year career, including Horticultural New Zealand’s compliance board — GAP NZ.
She is one of two current Horowhenua Horizon representatives — and serves on every council committee — and is deputy chair of the Audit and Risk Committee.
She is passionate about landing sustainable policy outcomes that allow truly sustainable outcomes — environmentally, culturally, socially, and economically.
She said Three Waters is not a regional council issue — Horizons will have a regulator role to play for one of the four entities as it’s proposed currently. “I do believe though change made at pace and executed with haste never lands well — and 88,000 submissions would suggest communities want to be heard.”
She supports the closure of the Levin Lanfdill. “I fully appreciate that there is a large economic reality that comes into play but enough is enough — we have used Hokio as our town’s dumping ground for too long, we have a deadline for it to be shut but bringing it forward and containing the leaching from the old site are going to be key issues for next term’s HDC councillors.”
She said recycling is also not a regional council issue — “but I fully support making recycling more accessible. We have become such a throw-away society and that needs to change.”
Regarding housing, she said working with a range of relevant agencies council can help with affordable housing — it should seek to be an enabler in the development process and support sustainable build’s that are durable, long lasting, low maintenance,
warm and meet the needs of low income individuals.
“As a regional councillor I do not see us playing a role in this area. From a district council prospective I again see the council as an enabler working alongside the relevant agencies to
help achieve the desired outcomes. Rates only derive x amount of revenue and a council can not be all things to all people.”
She is part of Horizons’ passenger transport committee working hard to land an ambitious regional passenger transport plan that works on not only connecting people within their district but inter-regionally as well. In the next term of council the Horowhenua / Levin transport review will be conducted.
“If re-elected I will work to ensure we engage with the communities — identify the needs, the barriers and what would incentivise mode shift when in comes to using public transport and ensure the plan reflects these. I am also 200 per cent behind the Capital Connection business case which would see Levin connect to both Palmerston and Wellington across four services a day. This is a game changer for the Horowhenua — opening up educational, cultural and economic opportunities for our community.”
She said she has supported the expressway from day one — “It can not happen soon enough for the Horowhenua,” she said.
In case of another pandemic she believes council can play a role as an enabler — it can have a part to play in use of facilities — utilising its coms team to inform people and ensure people know where to go and how to connect to key services, she said.