Here are my answers to concerns raised by GREY POWER NELSON at their "Meet a selection of Candidates" event from 19th Sept. NCC CANDIDATES FORUM - SCHEDULE OF QUESTIONS. ______________________________________________________ Question 1 The Local Government Act 2013 requires Councils in future to focus on Core services and to be financially prudent – do you agree that Council expenditure should be on what is essential and not desirable and how will you influence that happening. _______________________ Absolutely I agree, and will endeavour to influence that happening by becoming fully aware of what needs doing, where and when, as it relates to maintaining core services. I would also question very carefully the desire to apportion funds to further develop public space and commission artworks. It is essential that we prioritise building infrastructure capacity for growth, and against climate change and natural disasters. Having the appropriate budget, the competent staff, the best plan, materials and equipment possible to get the job done on time and in a financially prudent manner should ensure a reasonable measure of future proofing. ______________________________________________________ Question 2 Council has made decisions to get involved with owning high debt non-core assets i.e. Royal Theatre, School of Music – Explain why this is a good policy or not. ________________________ It is not good policy for local government to take on excess debt from the private sector as the onus then falls primarily on all ratepayers to pay down that debt, regardless of whether they support owning non core assets or not . While I acknowledge the Heritage nature of the institutions mentioned, I am mindful that we have other Council owned Heritage buildings also requiring of continued financial assistance that must take priority. Given that, The School of Music has significant resources from an endowment fund and assets it can realize, I think it should explore those avenues first before going cap in hand to Council for a bailout to upgrade and earthquake strengthen. If it can’t manage to run it’s own affairs profitably and competently, then perhaps it should invest in the personnel who can. The alternative is Council statutory managers. The Theatre Royal may be a different case, as it is a much more viable proposition. It’s debt is based on a loan it thought it could payback with getting bums on seats. It has struggled, but the building itself is sound and requires little upkeep. It has good management structures and personnel. With the ‘right’ productions to get those valuable bums on seats, it could easily trade it’s way out of debt. I’ve often made the analogy that we are struggling at sea, caught in a rip with 5 others yet we can only save 2 of them. A tough decision to make, but one we may have to, given the number of council owned buildings needing earthquake strengthening. We simply can’t save them all and shouldn’t be looking to take on any excess liability with other buildings. ______________________________________________________ Question 3 Explain how you see that future rate increases can be kept to the minimum while at the same time allowing Nelson to grow. ____________________ Nelson has a problem retaining it’s youth. I have 3 older children aged 21, 20 and 18 who graduated at Boys and Girls college and couldn’t wait to leave. Sadly, there isn’t the opportunities here that would have enticed them to stay. So we have to engage and incentivise our youth to become more innovative and entrepreneurial while attracting other young people to the region to also do the same. To invest in smart start-up businesses in the inner city, to settle here, buy property and contribute to the revenue stream by way of rates and spending that will support an increasingly aging population and relieve the burden of sustaining core services solely on our elders. I would look to set up a taskforce involving the regional colleges, NMIT, youth council, concerned parents and others to see how we can address this issue. _______________________________________________________ Question 4 Many of our members are suffering during the winter months because of the unfair regulations concerning the use of approved wood burners under a current regime that is selective as to when and where such wood burners can be used – What will you do to ensure that this selective policy is removed before next winter. ____________________ I will look hard at any studies that show the need to enforce such a rigid ban on the type of wood burners used and when they can be used. Where the cost/benefit doesn’t stack up, I will push for change in those areas, even on a case by case basis for individual homeowners. I am not, nor have ever been a fan of electric based heating as the sole source for staying warm and dry. Pellet burners and heat pumps, while efficient burners, are effectively useless in a power cut. Every home should have a secondary source of heat in that event, and while we can improve efficiency of wood burners, we can’t replace them as the best source of heat in a time of need. To resolve this issue, we would also need to lobby Central Government to change their stance also. ______________________________________________________ Question 5 What do you consider Council should do to better communicate with its ratepayers before major decisions are made? _________________ I feel Council, with it’s website, Live Nelson publication and availability at the libraries of material regarding meetings agendas and minutes, does very well in it’s communications as is. Perhaps a stall at the Saturday markets may also add value to the current strategy. In addition, for me, it’s both a case of being informed by using social media in allowing myself to be open and engaged, and by having grass roots connections to the community through regular interactions as a volunteer, in my case, acting in a governance capacity on the executive of the Nelson Tasman Pasifika Community Trust. I would encourage all concerned ratepayers to utilize social media as a form of engagement with, not just me, but most things of interest. I do not agree with the current policy of creating a bottleneck of communication through which all media releases must pass. stuff.co.nz/nelson-mail/news/8915241/New-spin-on-how-council-communicates As councillors, there is a requirement to be transparent in our dealings and assure the ratepayers that who we are on line, or in person, is who we really are. Councillors need to be approachable and free to speak our mind where it doesn’t conflict with privacy issues. The idea of Councillors representing regions of Nelson and being a known point of contact to raise concerns in that community is something I am in agreement with It is by our actions that we shall be known but our word should be our bond. _____________________________________________________ Question 6 In 2001 the NZ Positive Ageing Strategy was introduced by the Government and it proposed a collaboration between central and local government intended to develop local action plans to improve the wellbeing of older persons – what are your observations about how effective this strategy has been in our region? _________ To be entirely honest. This is the first I’ve heard of it. I have just scanned through the documents online… msd.govt.nz/about-msd-and-our-work/publications-resources/planning-strategy/positive-ageing/ …and am in complete agreement with the stated goals and actions. In trawling through the Nelson City council site. I have only come up with this nelsoncitycouncil.co.nz/library/research/library-in-focus/population-ageing-and-nelson-s-workforce/ From my perspective it looks like the Council is overdue to implement a stocktake and review of policies and outcomes measured against the Positive Ageing strategy. As a candidate of mixed ethnic origin, my mother was Samoan and my Father was of Irish NZ origin dating back many generations, I have both strong Christian traditional Pasifika values and kiwi values which place a huge respect on our elders, their contribution to society and the need to ensure we have the services facilities, time, energy and finances to commit to their continued well being. If elected I will push for a review of the strategy with the results to be sent out to the Grey Power database as they come to hand. ______________________________________________________ Question 7 - COMPULSORY QUESTION What are your views about one of the following Issues: ____________ Sorry, but I figured while I was on a roll, I’d give them all a crack… _______________________________________________________ The Southern Arterial Link The southern arterial link must be built. If we want a world class waterfront boulevard, we must act now to secure the funding from central government and start dialoguing with the Victory community to make the necessary concessions to achieve that goal. In partnership with Council they have a unique opportunity to negotiate and implement their long term positive vision, put safe pedestrian and traffic management strategies in place to protect their youth and commit to revitalising the heart of their community with a new Victory village shopping facility. ______________________________________________________ The Purchase and Sale of Council Land and Assets Council must follow due process and engage in an open transparent community consultation forum, where everybody has the right to be heard and their opinion given weight before any decision is made. Following this process would have avoided bringing the council into disrepute by announcing the Wakatu Square sale prematurely and without the backing of the community. ______________________________________________________ The Revitalisation of Stoke and Tahunanui It needs to happen in due course but it’s the CBD that should take priority. ______________________________________________________ The Public Transport System I would look at commissioning a study to show the effectiveness of current policies and include the feasibility of things like, express routes that by pass the central bus station, orbit routes that loop around Tahunanui and Bishopdale and park and rides from certain areas. ______________________________________________________ Parking for Older Persons in the Nelson City CBD I would always give up my claim to a carpark for an elder, if we were both trawling the CBD looking for that elusive berth and I got there first. It’s the same thing i was brought up to do, in giving up my seat on the bus for them :)
Posted on: Sun, 22 Sep 2013 23:57:45 +0000
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