I am delighted that at today’s Napier City Council meeting we will be receiving a report from our Chief Executive, Neil Taylor, on progress he and his officers have made in working collaboratively with Ross McLeod and his officers in Hastings.
Delighted because I have been pushing for greater collaboration and co-operation between the two authorities for the last three years, just as Wayne Bradshaw has done at the Hastings District Council. I have to say that my job has been easier than Wayne’s because there is a consensus amongst Napier City Councillors that we should extract every efficiency possible from the administration of the whole district. It appears Wayne has had to do a lot more pushing and prodding in Hastings but real progress is being made.
Now there is real momentum and we are seeing tangible results on the co-operation front. Long may it continue.
It makes me laugh to see Councillors from around the region, Councillors who have been around for a long time, jumping on populist band wagons in this an election year. And they say things like “this matter needs looking into”, “something needs to be done”, “requires some attention”. What they are really saying is that despite them having been an elected member of one Council or another for years they have done nothing to solve some of these problems we face. They know electors want the problems solved so they make wishy washy statements that lead electors to believe they will deal with the issue. They haven’t so far so what’s going to change?
If you can believe the rumours swirling around the town, some of our most successful businessmen are putting substantial resources behind getting their people elected to the local councils, especially the regional council.
That worries me. I admire success – it takes skill and hard work – the very attributes we want in Councillors. If the rumours are true and there is dissatisfaction with the performance of elected members, why don’t these business people have the guts to stand themselves? Why train puppets?
My advice to experienced business people who feel the job could be done better – put your name in the hat.
I for one would welcome the sort of skills many of these people have, being utilised for the good of the region as a whole.
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