Councillors Reveal Hopes And Plans For 2025

Tuesday, 7 January 2025, 8:59 pm
Article: Diane McCarthy - Local Democracy Reporter

One Kawerau and two Whakatāne district councillors have confirmed they will be standing for re-election in 2025.

With local elections taking place in October, local democracy reporting asked elected members from each district council in the Eastern Bay what their plans were come election time.

Whakatāne district’s Te Urewera general ward councillor Andrew Iles and Whakatāne-Ōhope general ward councillor Julie Jukes both answered in the positive when local democracy reporting put the question to elected members.

The only elected member to answer in the negative has been Whakatāne-Ōhope general ward councillor John Pullar.

This is Mr Pullar’s third (non-consecutive) term on the council. He said he would be retiring at the end of this term though he still had firm goals for the remainder of his time on council.

“As chair of the Three Water Reconsenting Project Steering Group, I will be putting all my efforts into achieving the right outcome for our district as well as fulfilling my other role as chair of the Infrastructure and Planning Committee between now and October 10,” Mr Pullar said.

“[There are] challenging times ahead but we in council have the courage to make the right decisions for the betterment of our district.”

Meanwhile, in Kawerau district, councillor Carolyn Ion, who chairs the regulatory and services committee, also made her intention to stand clear.

She said she was motivated to continue to improve on what Kawerau had.

It takes a lot of hard work, but she holds a deep sense of responsibility and resilience for the Kawerau community and for whatever lies ahead in 2025.

"It's important that we are resilient, that we keep our autonomy, and it takes a full team around the table to achieve this.

“Resilience builds a very connected community, and we need to build on this year-on- year.

“While opportunities may exist elsewhere, it's vital we continue to enable opportunities here in Kawerau to shape our future.”

Ms Jukes said the best moment of 2024 was the adoption of the Council’s Long-term Plan.

“The council has faced many challenges this last year, so to get it across the line within the statutory timeframe was a big achievement for staff and councillors.

“It was disappointing that our rates rise was as high as it was. We all worked hard to keep the rates increase as low as possible while still having a district that people want to live in and come here to live. It was difficult, as we had rising costs and had to fund a deficit. We also had to account for future demand on our infrastructure and be resilient to climate change.”

Looking forward to the new year, she said she enjoyed representing her community.

“Local Government as a sector is going through huge changes in how we deliver our services, particularly in the Three Waters area (water, wastewater and stormwater). We now have Local Water Done Well requirements from central government, which will see changes in how our water services are provided and potentially funded. I want to continue to represent my community in making these decisions.

“One of the year’s big challenges would be to have decided upon which option the council would take for the delivery of water services.

“Whether we go in with other councils, set up a council-controlled organisation, or a different option altogether? It is a major decision to make for our communities.”

Mr Iles said his best moments of 2024 were contributing to impactful community initiatives, including organising and participating in the garden competition, hosting the fruit tree pruning demonstration and engaging in Long-Term Plan (LTP) consultations.

“As a trustee for the Disability Resource Centre and chairing Waka Eastern Bay Community Transport, I’ve been able to influence and help improve community services. These efforts, driven by my focus on community service, have been incredibly rewarding, reinforcing my dedication to making a positive difference.”

He noted his biggest disappointment over the past year as being the unsustainable rate increases.

“Despite my ongoing efforts to advocate to be more balanced and fairer, these increases have placed a significant strain on many households and businesses. It has been disheartening to see the burden grow, especially when I am striving to improve community services and focusing on core infrastructure while ensuring affordability for everyone. I remain committed to seeking solutions that better align with the needs and financial well-being of our residents.”

Mr Iles said his job on council was far from complete.

“I remain deeply committed to ensuring our district and ratepayers have a fair and equitable system that allows us to thrive.

“I firmly believe that infrastructure must take priority over the ‘nice-to-haves’. Ensuring our essential services – roads, water supply, waste management, and public facilities – are well-maintained and sustainable is critical to the long-term success of our community. By focusing on these foundational elements, we can create a strong, resilient district that can support future growth and prosperity.”

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