Five vying for just four Stratford rural seats
Three Waters, Youth Council, Midhirst and Toko questions
In this year’s local government elections, there are five candidates vying for the four available seats in the Stratford District Council Rural Ward. There is no election this year for the Stratford mayoral seat, the Stratford Ma¯ori ward, or the Stratford Urban Ward, as in each case, the number of candidates matched the total number of seats available, meaning those candidates were elected unopposed.
In alphabetical order, the candidates standing for the Stratford District Council Rural Ward are Steve Beck, Grant Boyde, Amanda Harris, Vaughan Jones, and Nicole McDonald.
Voting packs will be delivered to enrolled voters from Friday, September 16, this year, and voting will close at noon on Saturday, October 8. The Stratford District Council uses the First Past the Post (FPP) electoral system, which means that the four candidates with the most votes will be elected.
The Stratford Press contacted all candidates by email on Wednesday,
August 24, giving them a list of 12 questions to answer by noon on Friday, August 26. They were asked to keep each answer under 100 words.
Their answers to these questions will be run in the Stratford Press over the next few weeks in the lead-up to the election. Their answers will also be available online a few days before they run in the print edition, for our Premium subscribers.
This week, candidates answer questions on Three Waters, Youth Council attendance and Midhirst and Toko.
Stratford’s rural ward includes Midhirst and Toko, what is one thing you think Council could do for the benefit of either or both of these communities? ■ Steve Beck:
Modern welcoming attractive town signs, together with more enhanced roadside plantings and footpaths for both communities would be a great start.
First impressions matter when people drive through small towns. I believe Midhirst especially is the next Egmont Village with its constant growth rate and many lifestylers choosing to make this their home. However, currently these towns look like the ‘poor cousins’ of Stratford.
■ Grant Boyde:
First and foremost we must deliver on core services and infrastructure that these towns need and listen to any concerns or ideas people have. There must also be good representation on council for this to be achieved.
■ Amanda Harris:
Stratford’s rural community is vast and extends further than just Midhirst and Toko. The number one comment I hear from these communities is ‘What do I get for my rates?’ I would like to look at a series of informal sessions in different pockets of the rural community.
■ Vaughan Jones:
Improved footpaths — Toko residents in the Toko village have asked for improved safety for the school children that reside in the village because heavy rain causes flooding and children walk on the road to get to buses as well as flooding a number of properties. I am currently monitoring this situation with council staff to ensure improvements are achieved. ■ Nicole McDonald: I think that all rural communities in our district need the opportunity to grow through good planning allowing development and responsible spending policies, so as not to overburden the ratepayer.
Three Waters — do you support the reforms? ■ Steve Beck:
I do not support Three Waters. The reforms strip ratepayers from ownership of their assets. We will have no say or local control, despite the spin and manipulation from central government to the contrary. I believe this will hollow out our council and I urge all ratepayers to educate themselves about what is really at stake here. Ratepayers must be the ones who decide this issue, not central government. When it’s gone, we will never get it back.
■ Grant Boyde:
I don’t support the reforms, I have been very disappointed with the level and lack of detail throughout the proposal it will have a significant impact on ratepayers and council and I believe it would change our landscape forever, I agree Three Waters needs to be looked at but when most councils and communities don’t support it, you have to be asking the question WHY is the Government still pushing ahead with it?
■ Amanda Harris:
I support a more collaborative approach to the management of Three Waters to deliver the best outcomes for our community but the current model being presented by central government is not transparent and has denied the community the chance to properly engage with it.
■ Vaughan Jones:
No — bigger is not always better. Central government already struggles to run efficient healthcare, roading and education services. Why would putting a regional strategy for running our water infrastructure be any better?
■ Nicole McDonald:
No, I do not support the Three Waters, why — because I do not believe that we as a community should lose a valuable asset and the control over the asset as we have seen this through other centralisation of other assets. I don’t believe we should be paying for Wellington’s water.
Have you ever attended a Youth Council meeting?
■ Steve Beck:
No.
■ Grant Boyde:
Yes have attended quite a few Youth Council meetings as well as education field trips. We have a fantastic and driven Youth Council who take huge pride in representing the youth’s perspective for Stratford.
■ Amanda Harris:
Yes.
■ Vaughan Jones:
Yes.
■ Nicole McDonald:
No, I haven’t.