Media release

EMBARGOED until 6am Monday May 21

Ian Balme challenging for EW Central Waikato seat

Environment Waikato councillor Ian Balme will stand against council chair Jenni Vernon in this year’s local body elections.

The challenge is intended to seek an unequivocal vote from ratepayers on whether Environment Waikato’s council is doing the job they want it to do, he says.

“I am giving Waikato people the opportunity to choose the status quo or vote for change,” the straight-talking councillor said. “I don’t want there to be any doubt in the minds of the next council what the region expects of them.”

Ian Balme said the council’s outdated approach to governance was holding back the excellent organisation from achieving its potential for the region.

“Environment Waikato could be using its outstanding knowledge base and resources to generate massively better results for the region than it does. We should be seen as the region’s most vital partner in its success.”

If re-elected, Ian Balme said he would push for an improvement in the poor current relationships between Environment Waikato and the region’s district councils and Hamilton City Council, as well as with Waikato people as a whole.

Another critical issue would be to meet growing ratepayer demands for greater transparency, which would require EW to improve its focus on measurement and accountability.

“I have spent a lot of time listening to Waikato people in the past three years, and these are the areas where we can make most improvement,” he said. “Waikato people want the region’s natural resources to be well managed and they are prepared to invest in that, but like any shareholder they need to see that their investment is performing. Our bottom lines must be environmental and economic performance.

“This is the direction all local government organisations need to move in if they want to take ratepayers with them.”

He said organisations such as Federated Farmers and the Citizens and Ratepayers Association had done a good job in expressing public concern about unreasonable rates hikes by Environment Waikato and the need for change.

“It’s also blindingly obvious to me that, to be most effective, our council needs to have a diversity of opinion around the table,” he said. “I want to hear rigorous, intelligent debate from a range of independent perspectives.

“The one thing I’m hoping we will all have in common is a 100% commitment to the Waikato region.”

ends

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