Whanganui District Council

Ensure council has a good debt repayment plan to drive down current debt, enabling capacity for future investment.

Sensible annual and long term plan budgeting with a focus on identifying and eliminating waste and alternative funding sources.

Lobby central government to change the rating system which I believe is broken and needs completely overhauling.

Reform of local local government must be paired with reform of the rates system especially regarding ability to pay.

Prudent, good financial management doesn't mean overly risk adverse decisions (ref Luke 19:11–27). Understanding risk and opportunity is key.

Keep rates rises justified. Our 2022 3.5% average rise is one of the lowest in NZ. I worry about to value for money more than sticker price.

Overview the council debt plan regularly – we need to ensure we are paying off debt the best and fastest way possible.

Review fees/charges to ensure this is not counter productive to growth in our region. Ensure consultation with stakeholders in this.

Rates need to be achievable for everyone and for meeting council outcomes. Will be championing business to ensure rate increases are minimum.

Always keep an eye on expenditure so as not to burden future generations with debt.

Maintain existing assets so they do not deteriorate and cost more to repair.

Take advantage of infrastructure and economic development projects that get government funding to make rates dollars go further.

Prioritise council spending into key projects that provide best value for ratepayers money. We can't do it all, and can prioritise better.

Lobby for more government funding for local initiatives. Rates can't pay for everything needed and tax and GST should be spent locally.

Implement rates to wages metric. Rates should only increase through wages or house value.

Implementation of an objective prioritisation matrix for capital projects. Showing voters cost, benefits, risks and scenarios with upvotes.

Remove profit from parking in Whanganui.

Continue to advocate for and support the chief executive to look for efficiencies to ensure ratepayer value for money.

Do the homework to analyse council project business cases to ensure there is evidence to deliver good community outcomes.

Investigate expanding the rates rebate so that targeted rates relief can be available to those on fixed incomes.

Remove interest from those who are behind on their rates due to Covid-19.

Strategically place a rates freeze into the long term plan so our community know that rates won't rise in a few years time.

Invest well for the future to build the economic resilience of Whanganui.

Cut rate increases to less or certainly no more than the inflationary figure.

Divest council of all business activities out side core activities of roading, footpaths, water, waste, cultural, sports and recreational.

Maintain rates at the same rate for 2022-2023.

Maintain rates at the same rate for 2023-2024.

Reduce rates by 1% for 2024-2025.

Lobby central government to acknowledge the unfairness of the rating system, and to provide councils with more appropriate funding tools.

Ensure that annual budgets keep up with inflationary pressures and that new services (like kerbside recycling) can be introduced.

Amend rates remission policy to ensure that no applicant is advantaged by being able to lobby council directly for a rates remission.

All spending needs to be measured on what it returns. I will know more when I am on Council and able to better analyse and compare.

Council charges should be a fair calculation on the user pays principle and no one department benefiting from another's overcharging.

Council debt is at this stage manageable and in my term it will stay that way.

Ensure that the rate setting process is transparent and equitable and that consultation is meaningful.

Use my experience to identify excessive increases and advocate for rate restraint.

Ensure that council investments are properly governed and of benefit to the community.