MIKE BARKER
Levin jeweller Mike Barker is running for a spot on the Horowhenua District Council table for the Levin Ward.
He has lived in Levin all of his life and has been in business as a self-employed manufacturing jeweller since 1987.
He would like council to be “proactively supporting the consenting of housing across the board, including investigating alternatives such as tiny homes”. He supports a campaign for better and more health services.
On council Mike Barker wants to represent the ratepayers focusing on whether any decision to be made is in the ratepayers’ best interest.
He believes council should retain ownership of our water infrastructure assets “until we can understand what Three Waters really means in terms of benefits and liabilities for our community, and then make a properly informed community decision.
”We should close the landfill, but in doing so we need to come up with a viable solution for our waste and its disposal, and this also needs to be in the context of sustainability and affordability for the community.
“There are many successful examples of community recycling in NZ and worldwide that we can adapt to suit our community.
“By proactively supporting the consenting of housing across the board, including investigating alternatives such as tiny homes.
“By supporting a campaign to recruit GPs and other health professionals, and developing a new health facility that is community-owned or governed, rather than privately owned.”
He said he thinks that by strengthening advocacy to Horizons in line with Horowhenua’s existing integrated transport strategy, we could achieve better public transport.
He is “absolutely in favour of the expressway . I would also like to explore how we can maximise the benefits for our residents and businesses.
“By learning from the past, what works, what doesn’t, and taking onboard community concerns and developing an inclusive and more holistic response to any future public health issues, council can support any pandemic response better.”