What it really means to be a councillor
Nominations for Mayor and Councillors for the South Waikato District and for the Tı¯rau Community Board are now open and close on Friday, August 12.
There was a good turnout of interested people at our Candidate Information Session but if you couldn’t attend, that’s no reason not to put your name forward.
It’s not easy or particularly glamorous to be a Councillor and for a conscientious Councillor and Mayor that will mean working to understand Local Government finance, planning and what the RMA means, engineering, caring for the environment and in our District, our social wellbeing too.
Lots of reading and unfortunately attending some
This next term will be exciting as we as a Council have just become a foundation Council for the Local Government Excellence Program.
tedious meetings that can go on a bit.
This next term will be exciting as we as a Council have just become a foundation Council for the Local Government Excellence Program.
That will mean we are striving to see that all which we do is aimed at improving our service to our community.
Assessors will come into Council and spend time evaluating Council’s performance in several areas and then show where we can improve and were we are already exceling.
It is a program that is independent from Local Government NZ and its results will be transparent and open to all.
It’s the chance for us to share best practice with other councils, see what we do works and where we can learn from others.
To be judged by that independent panel will give our community an opportunity to see how the South Waikato rates as a Council.
Interestingly enough the Federated Farmers election manifesto applauds this evaluation.
So if you want to be part of the program the first step is, to put your name forward as a candidate but expect to work.
On top of this work program Central Government has just released its proposed Bill aimed as I read it to reorganise Local Government and give Wellington more control.
It is only a draft Bill at present but to me it reads like ‘Amalgamation by Stealth’.
To make it public in the middle of Local Government elections cycle makes it a bit more difficult to submit on so we as a community must select wisely as if it proceeds in its present form I am concerned about Local Democracy.
It was a major debate area at the Local Government Conference over the weekend and I will report more later. It will be on the agenda for the new Council.
So candidates be prepared to fight for that which I believe is the essence of localism - Local Democracy. Do you agree?