- What do you consider to be the biggest opportunities and threats facing Kapiti over the next five to ten years?
“Growth is the biggest opportunity for this district and the biggest threat. There are going to be some serious opportunities for some major grown in the next couple of years. We need a council that can deal with these opportunities and understand what they mean. The biggest threat is an anti-growth council who can understand the opportunities that wait the bold and the insightful.
- Economic growth has benefits for everyone living in the district. Kapiti needs a sound economic development strategy. How would you go about ensuring the strategy is developed and implemented and who should be involved?
“By making an inclusive process. The current issues seem to revolve around who is in charge rather then how to maximise the effort. Ive seen rather too much name calling and too little understanding of the realities so far. Council has the money and the staff to make this work. There is some vision and now a chance to put that together, rather than wasting time trying to reinvent a governance structure.”
- Will Kapiti have the infrastructure needed to support projected population growth? If not, what are the key priorities for infrastructure development?
“Yes and so long as we follow the current LTP we should get there”
- Council has a goal of being “Open for Business”. What does this term mean to you and what can Council do to ensure it achieves this goal?
“The problem is open for business means different things to different people. It does not mean that regulatory requirement have to take a back seat and if they don’t council is not open for business.
We should ditch the phrase as it jaded and discredited. What is needed is an approach that say we encourage dialogue and will work towards getting development and innovation across the line.”
- Does Council have a role to encourage businesses to relocate or establish here? If so, what kind of support should Council offer?
“yes of course it should encourage business to relocate to Kapiti. What it should not do is offer unsustainable incentives at the expense of other sectors of the community and the businesses that are established.
- How Important is it to tell the “Kapiti Story” and how would you go about supporting a project to do this?
“Vital”
- The future of the well-patronised Kapiti Community Centre is in doubt due to the discovery of leaks and mould in the building. Do you believe Kapiti needs a Community Centre? If so, what needs to happen to ensure we have one?
“The current community centre is a “dog”. It was never fit for purpose and now will forever be handicapped by the inadequacies of the building design itself. We need to ascertain what it is the community expects from vital and well-functioning community centre. We should then get into a consultative design process with the community. Get as much agreement as we can and then get rid of the mould infested building before its closure is enforced. The simple fact is the building was poorly designed and badly constructed! We should stop trying to clean is upas once the mound is in the place there is realistically no long term future for it. ‘
- There has been much debate over the proposed Kapiti Gateway project. There are varying views on the need for a Gateway, the proposed cost and the proposed location. How would you work towards a solution that is acceptable to the various stakeholders, including Council, the community, retailers, visitors and affected parties?
- The Raumati Swimming Pool complex has been lying idle for some time. It has been proposed that the complex be used to develop a Marine Discovery Centre, which would have both local and national significance. Do you support the development of such a Centre? How should it be funded? Who should lead this project?
“I think this is a great project and would fit hand in glove with the marine reserve. It needs a partnership with iwi and central government for funding. There is a good vision here, but shouting at KCDC gets the proponents nowhere.”
- What are your views on the protection of our coastlines and key coastal infrastructure?
“The proposed collaborative structure and regional approach are the only sensible ways to assess and meet this issue. KCDC cannot do it alone – we do not have the capabilities or the resources and need to engage our community in any solutions.
There are some areas where hard protection will be needed. The discussions are hard as the realities of affordability are vital to the rest of the district.
Central government needs to play its part as KCDC can’t advance this alone.”
