Mayor of Southland

The mayor is the leader of the council. Their job is to promote a vision for the district and lead the development of the council’s plans, policies and budget. The mayor appoints the deputy mayor, establishes committees for particular topics, and appoints chairs for those committees. This is a first past the post (FPP) election, so you vote by ticking the name of your preferred candidate on your ballot paper. Compare the candidates and their policies to decide who to vote for in the Southland District Council mayoral election.

Housing and planning

Local councils are responsible for land use planning under the Resource Management Act, which affects where and how new houses are constructed, as well as the design of cities and towns. In some areas, councils also provide housing to those who need it most.

Housing and planning

Local councils are responsible for land use planning under the Resource Management Act, which affects where and how new houses are constructed, as well as the design of cities and towns. In some areas, councils also provide housing to those who need it most.

  • Encourage a conversation about human waste. Incinerator and compost toilets versus septic tanks.

    Consider ways to reduce massive levels of waste water flows. Expensive to pump and process. Current levels are unnecessary.

    Encourage small housing and tiny homes. Encourage self-sufficiency regarding services, including human waste.

  • Commit to building consents being implemented as per council rules. Fairness. Buildings need to have legal sewage and water connections.

  • Continue to monitor housing through the work of Great South and the Southland Housing Action Forum.

    Address the gaps once that work is complete. Without that research being gained and understood, then assumptions are the only option.

  • Investigate public-private partnership models as options for lower cost housing provision, eg the Murchison Villas retirement project.

    Find workable solutions for large buildings that fail earthquake standards so our towns are not littered with decaying, unsafe buildings.

    Establish an approachable, adaptive, top-down culture that improves the customer/user experience, especially around compliance issues.

  • Establish where the pressure points are on housing in the district and mitigate any circumstances where council is found to be a barrier.

    Investigate ways to involve the local communities more in the administration of community housing to make it more effective and efficient.

    Find out if any empty council owned land can be better purposed, especially if it is currently costing ratepayers to maintain.

  • Encourage a conversation about human waste. Incinerator and compost toilets versus septic tanks.

    Consider ways to reduce massive levels of waste water flows. Expensive to pump and process. Current levels are unnecessary.

    Encourage small housing and tiny homes. Encourage self-sufficiency regarding services, including human waste.

  • Commit to building consents being implemented as per council rules. Fairness. Buildings need to have legal sewage and water connections.

  • Continue to monitor housing through the work of Great South and the Southland Housing Action Forum.

    Address the gaps once that work is complete. Without that research being gained and understood, then assumptions are the only option.

  • Investigate public-private partnership models as options for lower cost housing provision, eg the Murchison Villas retirement project.

    Find workable solutions for large buildings that fail earthquake standards so our towns are not littered with decaying, unsafe buildings.

    Establish an approachable, adaptive, top-down culture that improves the customer/user experience, especially around compliance issues.

  • Establish where the pressure points are on housing in the district and mitigate any circumstances where council is found to be a barrier.

    Investigate ways to involve the local communities more in the administration of community housing to make it more effective and efficient.

    Find out if any empty council owned land can be better purposed, especially if it is currently costing ratepayers to maintain.