Creating a better run, community-led Council which is more responsive to the needs of Kāpiti’s communities and responsible with its finances, is at the heart of a new plan announced by Kāpiti Coast mayoral candidate Gwynn Compton.

The first step in Gwynn Compton’s plan is to take the recommendations from the recently approved independent review of Kāpiti Coast District Council to the community, so that the changes that need to be made have the backing of the wider community.

“The independent review of Kāpiti Coast District Council is a rare opportunity to carry out an overdue warrant of fitness check on Council’s operations. There’s plenty of stories out there of people having difficulties dealing with Council on a variety of issues, so it’s important that the results of the review are available to the community,” says Mr Compton.

“What’s more, changes can’t happen at Council unless they have the backing of our community. So I’m committing to take the review’s recommendations to the people of Kāpiti so they can have their say on what needs to be implemented and in what order.”

Another key area of focus in Gwynn Compton’s plan includes maximising the external funding opportunities available for Kāpiti by being a relentless advocate for the district’s needs.

“We all know that Council has limited financial wriggle room. It’s why, when we’re already struggling with the pressures of growth coming from the soon to open Transmission Gully, central government needs to step up and play its part in providing funding to support that growth.

“As Mayor, I’ll be a relentless advocate for Kāpiti. The reality is we’re in competition with other high-growth parts of New Zealand, and we need to be lobbying and fighting to get all the funding assistance we can from central government to meet the challenges of growth. Things like increasing the supply of affordable and social housing, improving our transport connections, and upgrading and expanding our water and wastewater infrastructure, all need central government’s involvement to ensure Kāpiti’s well-being isn’t eroded by runaway and poorly managed growth.”

Other parts of Gwynn Compton’s plan include running a regular programme of community catch-ups, reviewing rubbish and recycling licence conditions, investigating the feasibility of longer-term reinstatement of Council run rubbish, recycling, and green waste collection if it can be done affordably, and making Council more open, transparent, and accountable by holding workshops with the community to identify areas where this can be improved.

Full details are available at www.gwynncompton.co.nz/policies

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