No challengers for local councillors 

 

With the looming local body elections becoming clearly visible with official signs popping up on many street corners, for two campaigning councillors the electoral race is already over. 

Mangawhai and Kaiwaka residents will not need to consider who represents their interests in Kaipara District Council (KDC) as both Peter Wethey and Jonathan Larsen have automatically retained their Mangawhai/Kaiwaka ward seats after going uncontested as nominations came to a close on August 16. 

Wethey says the result came as ‘a bit of a surprise’ especially after the areas large turnout of nominations in the 2016 elections, where eight people vied for three seats in the then Otamatea ward. 

“I’m very pleased that I have another term,” he says. “Jonathan and I do work pretty hard, working with local people to resolve a variety of issues and maybe that’s been reflected in the community. It is pleasing that we have their support.”

Kaipara district’s boundaries were redefined in June this year, changing from a three ward district to four, and the remaining three wards – Otamatea, West Coast/Central and Dargaville – have a number of contestants lined up to challenge the current councillors. 

The mayoral seat also has two challengers with Kaipara film maker Moemoea Mohoawhenua running against current mayor, Dr Jason Smith. 

Jonathan Larsen also thanks the community for their support over the past term and for the locals approval to continue to keep working on their behalf.

“My focus will be to continue to hold council to account, ensuring transparency by pushing for council meetings, workshops and debate to be held in public and to keep the community informed by regularly communicating issues in local newspapers and social media,” he says. “I’ll also continue to support local projects and help local communities get the maximum benefit from council funds, insisting on fair processes when you deal with council… basically getting good value for your rates.”

Through his first term Wethey says council were not able to achieve everything they hoped to, due to a variety of ongoing circumstances and disruptions such as resigning mayors, elections for new mayors and assignment of three CEO’s. 

“Our first year was also spent addressing a number of issues the departing commissioners had left on the table, believing they should be addressed by a democratic council, which also slowed down what we wanted to achieve,” he says. “However we’ve done a lot of good, long-term planning such as the Mangawhai Community Plan, so this term I’m setting my sights on getting as much as I can achieve in particularly for the Kaiwaka and Mangawhai ward and the district as a whole… this is where we should be able to really make things happen.”

Peter Wethey and Jonathan Larsen had to pack up their election signs only ten days after staking them out, their council seats remaining firm after Mangawhai/Kaiwaka councillor positions went unchallenged.     PHOTOS/JULIA WADE