Mayor's Column
Hello and welcome to another edition of Newsline. One of the Mayor’s roles that I enjoy most is the opportunity to celebrate some of the volunteers and contributors to our district.
Nominations are open for the 2025 Annual Civic Awards, and I would encourage you to think about whether there is someone you know who deserves recognition for the effort they put into our community. Without them, this wouldn’t be such a great place to live! Nomination forms are available on Council’s website.
Another part of the Mayor’s job is to advocate for our district. Last month, I met with management from Intercity Buses to discuss Waimate township being bypassed. The reason given was that, with delays further north, drivers were regularly exceeding their allowed driving hours.
Sadly, they do not have any plans to reinstate the stop, but I am working with the company and Community Link to explore possible alternatives, such as a shuttle vehicle from Waimate to State Highway 1 to meet the bus.
Another cause I am lobbying for is for South Canterbury to keep its Environment Canterbury (ECan) electorate. In ECan’s new representation review proposal, South and Mid Canterbury would be combined. This merger does not take into account how different our districts are and the specific challenges each of us faces. These reviews should consider the land area, not just the population. Otherwise, our environmental matters will be decided by people in Christchurch offices.
The South Canterbury Mayors and I are united in the need to retain a strong voice and effective representation for our districts at a regional level.
For those of you on Facebook, keep an eye out for my fortnightly column News From The Mayor’s Desk on the Council’s Facebook page, where I will update you on my recent appointments and activities.
Until next time, take care.
______________________________________________________________________________________
