Viewpoint – A bright future ahead

The newly-elected Kaipara District Council was officially sworn in at its inaugural meeting on November 12 at the Matakohe War Memorial Hall. Thank you for your support in electing me as your new mayor and for making my role so much easier by electing such a talented group of councillors.

One of the little understood vagaries of local government is that councillors are elected in wards and, once elected, declare that they will act “in the best interests of Kaipara District”.

Building unity across the vast geographic and demographic spread of our district is an important consideration that I raised during the election. I am pleased to confirm that the new Council is committed to working together in a united way for the benefit of the whole district.

As foreshadowed during the election, one of the key moves to help build unity is clearer communication. When it comes to rates and expenditure, people often don’t know where the money is coming from and where it is being spent. This can lead to rumour and speculation. We will be building on work started last term to better define income and expenditure by location, and then clearly communicating this information to the public. In this way the facts will be out in the open and we can better ensure that everyone is getting a fair deal.

Our united approach places us in an excellent position to leverage Kaipara’s strategic competitive advantage. Earlier this year, Council notified its proposed district plan (PDP) which sets the subdivision and land use regulations, developed with a fundamental premise of being simple and enabling. The plan proposes extensive new zoning of commercial and industrial land, and complementary residential and rural lifestyle land in the west of the district.

A more carefully managed approach to growth is proposed for Mangawhai and surrounds where growth pressure is high. The plan is currently progressing through the public submissions and hearings process. In recent weeks, government has also confirmed the much-anticipated preferred route for the Northern Corridor. This will bring a four-lane motorway, initially to Kaipara’s doorstep north of Te Hana, and then providing interchanges near Kaiwaka, Mangawhai and Maungatūroto.

The combined effect of the PDP (if confirmed through the hearing process), the Northern Corridor, more affordable land and the promotion of Kaipara as a customer-friendly place to set up business, is significant. These factors have the potential to grow our local economy, provide a bigger rating base to spread costs, more employment, and more vibrant local communities.

Managing growth and infrastructure are key considerations. The recent comprehensive review of our development contributions policy places us in a good position to ensure that growth pays for growth, and doesn’t burden existing and future ratepayers.

I look forward to serving you over the next three years as we keep moving Kaipara forward together. Kaipara District has a bright future ahead.