Meet two of your new councillors
The pen (and notepad) are pretty mighty after all, if this year’s council election in Lower Hutt is anything to go by.
Two long-time valley newspaper bosses will have seats around the table when the new council meets for the first time in November.
Former Hutt News editor Simon Edwards will represent the Central Ward, with Leigh Sutton taking up a Northern Ward seat.
Sutton publishes the Stokes Valley Times, Taita Times, and Vibrant Hutt magazine.
Although they come to the council table with different interests, there’s plenty of common ground, especially when it comes to youth development.
Both want to see an overhaul of how council interacts with young people.
Edwards wants to be involved with Youth Infusion, which he said seemed to have quite a low profile.
‘‘We’ve got this problem of young people not voting,’’ Edwards said.
‘‘If we could build Youth Infusion up to be a genuine kind of youth city council for young people who have got an interest in politics and make it a stepping stone for them, I would love to be part of that.’’
Sutton agreed and wanted to see the organisation have more structured meetings.
‘‘They’re not visible, you don’t see them or what they’re doing.’’
In terms of responsibilities and portfolios, Sutton said she was interested in city development and community development. Being part of the Urban Design Group and Joint Hutt Valley Services committee were also on her wish list.
Edwards said the city should enable more development to make the most of a buoyant property market.
‘‘People are looking for places to live and Wellington is getting far too expensive.
‘‘Let’s jump in there and get some apartments and hopefully catch that wave.’’
Sutton said she thought it was a great idea and she would ‘‘support it entirely’’.
Both agreed that council needed to better involve the com- munity in its decision making.
‘‘People just don’t feel involved,’’ Edwards said. ‘‘That’s what we’ve got to work at.’’
Lower Hutt’s other new councillor, Josh Briggs was unavailable to be interviewed alongside Edwards and Sutton. A separate profile will follow.