Councillors need to be visible in community

Tuesday’s Taranaki Daily News carried an opinion piece about the NPDC’s marketing campaign to get people to vote: The ‘Give a s***’ message. In it, NPDC external relations manager Jacqueline Baker pondered what it might take to push voter turnout to back over 50 per cent.

In the letters section, New Plymouth council candidate Colin Bell, whose campaign focused on climate change, called on new councillors to adopt stronger responses to the global issue.

It struck me that the two were related. Firstly, voter turnout seems higher when people feel they know their candidates.

Smaller rural areas fare better.

This year districts like Grey, Kaikoura and Westland recorded turnouts of 63 per cent, 61 per cent and 63 per cent respectively.

Presumably that’s because there’s more interest and connection with those who govern councils.

On the campaign trail people often said to me they didn’t know who to vote for.

I honestly believe people should make the decision themselves so I pointed them to the Spinoff website’s Policy Local or to meet the candidate meetings or the NPDC website.

But often they weren’t motivated – or were too busy – to investigate further.

Sometimes they said, ‘it won’t make a difference anyway.’

What would I suggest to stimulate interest? Firstly be visible in the community.

Have meetings in places other than in council chambers.

Turn up to stuff not because consultation is taking place or you might get some publicity from it, but because you’re curious about your community.

Set up regular ‘ask a councillor a question’ clinics, at libraries, and perhaps at the Seaside, Farmers or Waitara Night markets, or at sporting and cultural events.

Halfway through your term run a forum to get public feedback on how you are doing as a council (a suggestion someone put to me).

Use technology and run surveys but, equally, don’t forget that many people struggle with digital literacy and value a chance to chat.

Secondly, act like the leaders we want our young people to look up to.

Don’t quibble over parking tickets, and provoke on social media – demonstrate integrity and move beyond self-interest.

Stand up for issues like climate change.

If you declare a climate emergency, however, ensure actions follow the talk so it’s not a hollow pledge.

Read the excellent Len Houwers opinion piece, printed in the Taranaki Daily News on August 26.

In that column titled ‘Local body reboot needed’ he makes many good points.

He suggests adopting best practice in governance, delegating more decision making to community boards and tapping into other groups and people in the district with knowledge of specialised areas.

He also advocates for councillors who demonstrate curiosity, are better informed about the changing world and realise that proper testing and challenging of official advice means going beyond personal opinion or reliance on officers.

Thirdly, there is a call for more youth engagement but don’t fall back on old methods like a youth council.

What young person wants to sit around in a meeting?

Ask them how they want to get involved, and don’t rely on the same diligent school leaders who always put their hands up – get alongside the silent ones who will have something to say if you give them space and time.

Use new forms of technology, but don’t forget the value of face-to-face engagement.

Finally, to borrow from the close of Len’s column: ‘‘Maybe when everybody has a chance to be relevant and heard, then we won’t have to berate ourselves for our lack of political engagement because it will have been designed into the region’s DNA.’’

Sarah Foy was a candidate in the New Plymouth District Council elections in 2019. She was unsuccessful.

Voter turnout seems higher when people feel they know their candidates.