Viewpoint – Have your say on Rodney’s future

It is now four months since the local body elections and I am still reeling from all there is to learn, people to meet, and organisations to visit.  Portfolio areas given to me are economic development, events, communications and engagement, and recreation services (pools and multisport facilities). All these will keep me busy in 2014.

I am enjoying working with my colleagues in the Warkworth subdivision – Greg Sayers and Steven Garner.  We try to share the duties of attending community meetings so there is nearly always Local Board representation, as they occur most evenings of the week (sometimes multiple meetings on the same night), and on some weekends in the bach communities. I am making a concerted effort to get to all local organisations at least once in the first six months, and on a regular basis thereafter, with some groups being more or less assigned to me such as anything in the Puhoi community, or business-related.

Greg and I are keen to start monthly clinics in Warkworth – an opportunity for members of the public to come along and chat to us about anything concerning them in their area. The first will be on March 20 at the Warkworth Service Centre.
In light of the fact that I campaigned on issues of bureaucracy and inefficiency, I can confirm this is the most dissatisfying aspect of my new role. It is difficult to make a difference. Some internal processes seem comically convoluted for no logical reason.

As part of my communications and engagement portfolio, together with board member Phelan Pirrie, we are seeking to improve communications via a better layout of the website, building social media through more regular Facebook updates, and more transparency in meetings. With transparency comes accountability.

The recent Atlas site workshop was deemed a huge success and we would like to see more of this kind of community participation in shaping Rodney.  My hope is that by cutting out some of the steps (such as presenting the community with a draft plan of a facility and getting feedback, then having to redraft and come back for more consultation), we start as many processes as possible with the residents telling us what they want first and thereby arrive at the final plan in shorter time. That is why it is important for people of all ages to attend one of our upcoming expos on the Local Board Plan.

This is your opportunity to get a better understanding of what your Local Board does for you now, and to tell us what services, amenities and features you would like preserved or developed in your area to make Rodney a great place to live, work and do business.

Published 19 February 2014