Central Hawke's Bay District Council Chief Executive Doug Tate on the pressure being on voters to know the real information, not to sit back and listen to everything that is being promised or said.

Cut your costs. Reduce staff. Focus on the basics. Be more efficient.

As we approach Local Government elections, it may be easy to agree with the catch cries you hear, but I urge both candidates and voters, to lift the lid and see what’s happening at Council.

My pre-election report is one way to do that. It’s independent and lays it out straight, so you know what can and can’t be promised. The report illustrates what we, and councils across New Zealand, are facing: Central Government reform, ever-increasing regulatory standards, significant infrastructure investment requirements and a broken funding system that relies on rates as our sole income source. It’s complex.

As Chief Executive, I’ve refocused the organisation to our‘back to basics’ priorities of land transport, critical three waters investment, and recovery. This meant letting staff go, replacing consultants with internal roles, lifting contract performance and public reporting, and pulling the guts out of our operational costs. Lift the lid and you’ll find we’re ahead of the catch cries, focused on the basics and working hard to deliver value for our community, within the resources we have.

The report highlights three key opportunities for the district:

• Partnering regionally to succeed locally

• Setting the stage for growth

• Preparing for a Local Government of the future

It’s vital we unlock these opportunities as our community and future Council shapes a Tamatea - Central Hawke’s Bay we’re proud to call home.

This year, as we prepare to cast our votes, while it may be easy to think the pressure is on the candidates to deliver on their election promises, the real pressure is on us -the voters to be well informed; ensuring we understand the issues, challenges, and opportunities facing our district.

Ask my team questions, but most importantly, question the candidates: what do they plan to do, and what are the trade-offs. Lift the lid.

The pre-election report is where you can find out what promises can truly be delivered on. If you’re thinking about standing for Council, it’s also a great place to test your thinking about what’s achievable within the limited resources and funding available to us.

Our success as a community relies on all of us voting.

Do us proud, Tamatea- Central Hawke’s Bay.

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