Carterton District Council

Expand shared services with neighbouring councils to lower delivery costs and reduce duplication and wasteful spending.

Prioritise core responsibilities such as water, roads, footpaths, waste management and infrastructure over other spending.

Review council operations to cut inefficiencies and reduce overhead costs to support reduced rates increases.

Ensure continuous reviews of council staffing to keep costs low while meeting service levels and staying flexible to adapt to changes including Local Water Done Well.

Partner with local iwi and hapū, valuing their local knowledge and culture for a productive, mutually beneficial relationship.

Reopen the mayor's office to improve accessibility and strengthen connections between councillors and Carterton residents.

Get the stalled merging with the other councils moving to make savings after nearly eight years of going nearly nowhere.

Review council internal operations to keep them lean and fit for purpose.

Encourage a restructure of local government in Wairarapa to make the valley more cohesive and less parochial.

Ensure Wairarapa councils work more closely together to create economies of scale and reduce the burden on ratepayers.

Make councillors more available to residents through creating regular attendance at public venues for discussion of issues of significance.

Build a people-powered Carterton where council actively promotes and facilitates community voice in all council decisions.

Enhance Māori representation and engagement by building partnerships, respecting tikanga and including iwi in decision-making.

Improve council employee wages and working conditions to attract, retain and support a skilled, motivated workforce.

Strengthen public engagement by making council decisions transparent, accessible and responsive to community input.