I commend all the candidates who have put their names forward. It’s easy to take shots from the sidelines, on social media or at public meetings, but it’s quite another to have the courage to stand up and be part of the solution.
The end of this triennium sees four councillors and our mayor stepping down. To Bruce, Alison, Brent and John — thanks for your service. I’ve found them all to be considered and diligent councillors who genuinely care about Clutha and the communities they serve.
Being mayor is another level again. The mayor leads the district, needs to pull together a team, to be able to articulate a clear vision, to be highly engaged with the community, and to represent the interests of the district at a regional and national level.
No easy task.
Bryan Cadogan has been that person for us for five terms, off the back of a few terms as a councillor; a prodigious contribution of leadership to Clutha.
No long-serving mayor or councillor gets out entirely unscathed. The cumulative impact of decisions, good and bad, take a few chips off the paintwork over time, that much is inevitable.
Clutha has undoubtedly gone forward under Bryan’s leadership with major projects delivered and the population now growing. From personal involvement I know that Telford would have closed in 2019 without his dogmatic refusal to accept that outcome. There has also been a cost.
The relationship between mayors and Members of Parliament (MPs) is a critical one. They are an important conduit for us as MPs to understand what’s happening in the community and, in turn, we are their direct conduit to Wellington.
Bryan has always worked with MPs across the political spectrum with a straight bat and the highest of integrity.
We haven’t been on the same side of every argument, but Bryan always played the ball, not the person. He’s been a passionate advocate for Clutha and always conducted himself, on your behalf, with great political skill and decorum.
It’s been a tough period for local government as we seek to drive efficiencies into the model to limit the impact of rates rises. That work has only just begun.
Significant resource management reforms, rates capping legislation and restructuring of the very nature of local government are all on the table as we build towards the general election next year. It’s obvious that the status quo model is under extraordinary pressure to deliver services at an affordable level.
It will not be a term for the faint-hearted. There will be debates that will have a profound impact on the future direction of local governance.
It’s essential that we as voters deliver a council that has the skills to navigate such a tumultuous policy environment.
The new mayor and council will discover that Bryan’s role has been a challenging one and his shoes not easy to fill.
