Time to change mindset
Shelly Warwick, an Ō taki Community Board member, is standing for the Ō taki ward seat in the upcoming local body elections.
“As a community board member I, like so many others, was shocked at the attempted abolition of the community boards earlier this year.
“This local, grassroots level of representation has not been well supported by council in the six years that
I have been on the board,” she said.
“As the ward councillor I will be part of trying to change the mindset that seems to exist with councillors, that grassroots democracy is not important¯to communities.
“We in Otaki definitely need a strong and truly representative voice at our council, and that is what I will be,” Warwick said.
“In the same review, it was decided to allocate extra councilors to both Waikanae and Paraparaumu.
“This creates an even bigger imbalance of voting power around the table.
“Ō taki and Paekākāriki ratepayers have missed out and
will need as many elected representatives as possible to advocate on their behalf.”
Warwick said projects like Te Uruhi, and the blow out in cost, needed to be reigned in.
“Times are tough for people right now with the cost of living skyrocketing and the council should be very careful with ratepayer money.
“Of the over $7 million now touted for the project, $3.2 million is on the 235m sq building, a very hefty price tag for what is only a small construction. “There was little will for this project in the first place and the community were not listened to. “Recently costs for Te Uruhi have increase by another $3 million, this comes from the ratepayer purse, it is unacceptable.
“Our ratepayer base in Ō taki have been hit hard with rate hikes in recent years. “We have an elderly population on fixed incomes and statistically lower pay packets than those ratepayers in our southern Kāpiti towns.
“There are many projects that would have been more deserving of this investment and that would benefit a much bigger population than the gateway.”
Warwick said Otaki ¯ needed to be “recognised for all its assets and uniqueness, and, for the post expressway Ō taki to be able to blossom into the destination it deserves to be”. “This will boost jobs and businesses in our town.
“I will represent Otaki ¯ around the council table with all the dedication and passion that I have poured into my community as a volunteer.”