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A local government candidates meeting in Wellsford on Friday, August 30 has had a less than enthusiastic response from aspiring Auckland Council representatives.
Landowners & Contractors Protection Association chair Brian Mason says despite issuing an invitation to incumbent Mayor Phil Goff in May, the invite was declined on the basis that “the mayor’s schedule is full”.
“As far as I know, he hasn’t been north of the Dome since he was elected,” Mr Mason says.
Aspiring Mayors Craig Lord and Peter Vaughan are confirmed and John Tamihere is a “probable”. Sitting Ward member Greg Sayers is a definite, as is Wellsford subdivision representative Colin Smith and Tim Holdgate, who is standing as an independent in Warkworth. But Mr Mason says he hasn’t heard “boo” from any of the Rodney First candidates.
“There’s no doubt that people in Wellsford are unhappy with some of the decisions Council and the Local Board have been making. The targeted rate for the bus service, for instance, is ridiculous, as most of the buses are running empty.
“The meeting is an opportunity for candidates to have an interactive forum to discuss some of these issues and for residents to get a few things off our chest.”
The meeting will be held at the Wellsford Community Centre, starting at 7pm. All welcome.
Meanwhile, Facebook erupted with support for sitting Rodney Local Board member Colin Smith this month when fellow Board member Brent Bailey weighed in on a generic post saying, “Wellsford deserves better representation.”
The original post had a photo of Kermit the frog and the comment, ‘Vote Muppet, you’ll get one anyway’. Although Mr Bailey quickly deleted his post, it didn’t stop people from commenting that unlike Mr Bailey, who is on the Rodney First ticket, Mr Smith is an independent who has worked hard to represent Wellsford.
Defending the post, Mr Bailey told Mahurangi Matters that there was a great deal of anti- Council sentiment in the Wellsford subdivision and much of this centred on perceptions of imbalance between rates paid in Wellsford versus budget allocated in that subdivision.
“This subject is hotly debated and, in my own experience, any visit to Wellsford to try to discuss the issue quickly degenerates into abuse of Council staff and elected representatives by angry locals,” he said. “An unpleasant experience that I am unwilling to repeat.
“Wellsford residents should take the opportunity to stand for the Local Board, or at least nominate an articulate and financially literate representative who can advocate and debate these matters for them in a manner that addresses their concerns, champions their interests and improves Wellsford subdivision opportunities service level improvements and capital investment.”
Mr Smith says he is not taking Mr Bailey’s comments personally.
“My heart is all about the Wellsford community and my community knows that,” he says. “But you have to wonder about a Rodney First member making that sort of statement against a fellow Board member who is an independent.”
Nominations for Council closed on August 16.
