1 THE RIGHT TIME The decision to step down in the October elections has been one of the hardest I have ever had to make. On one hand, I have loved the past 21 years and have felt very proud to represent Southland. On the other hand, this will enable me to spend more time with my children and grandchildren, and hopefully other opportunities will open up to me because of the reduction in my commitments. Mayor Frana Cardno I think I can pass the mantle of the district on to good hands I want to acknowledge the support and I wish all those who contest not only the mayoralty but and love of my late husband, also those standing for Council all the very best. Murray, who died two and a half years ago. Over my time as Mayor, I have seen many changes. Southland District Council has developed from an organisation coming to terms with amalgamation to a coherent and unifi ed Council that makes excellent decisions on behalf of its residents and ratepayers. It is fi nancially one of the strongest Councils in New Zealand, it has excellent infrastructure and sound strategies to see it continue successfully into the future. There have been signifi cant changes in that period including main street upgrades, new and improved water and sewerage schemes, a roading network which is seen as innovative and progressive in its governance and management, a solid waste management system providing the best value for money of any scheme in New Zealand and a joint economic development unit. Venture Southland is seen as the envy of a number of regions in New Zealand, as are other shared services such as Te Ao Marama, the Southern Rural Fire Authority and the Emergency Management Southland group. I may have been Mayor, but Murray I have met and made friends with a diverse range of was my unpaid assistant, answering people from the district, from the region, nationally and the phone whenever I was away, internationally. It is these grassroots people that really made educating people on the issues, the job of being the Mayor of Southland District Council a driving me from appointment to very rewarding and pleasurable experience and I want to appointment at all hours of the day thank the ratepayers and residents in Southland for their and night. He was a sounding board outstanding support. for ideas even though there were I really want to thank my fellow councillors, as the vast times when we were possibly at majority of them now and in the past have been there for the the opposite ends of the spectrum right reasons with the ability to make decisions in the best and most of all to be there when I interest of the district as a whole. returned home exhausted after long days. Council has been fortunate to be supported by a dedicated team of staff, who I have enjoyed working with. A number After 21 years of continuous service of them have been of the highest calibre and have been as mayor, I feel it is time that I hang recognised both locally and nationally. up those chains and move on. I also want to thank my Deputy Mayor for the last 21 years, I still believe I have things to offer Jim Copland, who has been incredibly supportive, has added the community and I will look at an incredible depth of knowledge to any debate, willingly other roles where I can contribute stepped up to any role asked of him and in every case has constructively to make Southland a been an exemplary ambassador of Council. better place for us all. 2 YOUR VOTE COUNTS... Everyone will vote in the up-and-coming elections because we all strongly support democracy. As they say in the Tui ads, “Yeah Right”. In the 2010 local government elections Southland District Council had a turnout of 39 per cent. Our challenge this year is to double this number. Wait, nope, maybe I should say again “Yeah Right”. However, it’s not a dream because in 1989 Southland District Council had a turnout of 70 per cent. Turnouts for local elections, right across New Zealand, have David Adamson CEO steadily been dropping even though a lot of effort has been made to make voting easy. George Bernard Shaw once said “Democracy is a device that local government in the Southland district, boosts ensures we shall be governed no better than we deserve.” There our understanding of local empowerment while is true power here, the power to decide who is going to be in ensuring public services meet the needs of the charge of governing the very streets we live on, the infrastructure community. that supports our economic, social and cultural wellbeing, There are two key opportunities open to each how we will move around the district, the future shape of our and every resident and ratepayer over the next communities and the quality of our environment. The truth is, three months which will only be repeated on a who governs our district can often affect our lives more than three-year cycle. The fi rst is standing for offi ce, who governs our country. whether at community board level or at Council, Southland District Council is responsible for a wide range of and secondly is the opportunity to vote. local services and has extensive discretion in relation to activities I hope that each and every one of you will it undertakes, provided that it has consulted its communities in participate in the latter but I also hope that making the decision. we can show that democracy is alive and well Council has also delegated signifi cantly to its local communities in Southland and that we have strong and via its community boards. As a result there is considerable positive elections. diversity in the range of activities that Council provides, A diverse range of skills, a balance of gender, a refl ecting the different circumstances towns and communities refl ection of the community’s culture mixed with fi nd themselves in. integrity, honesty, independent thinking and a One of the strengths of local government is the opportunity it willingness to learn leads to outstanding boards gives anyone over the age of 18 to be directly involved in the and councils. process of governing their own towns or community. Local Voting is easy. You will receive a postal pack and government, and particularly the very delegated nature of all you need to do is mark the boxes correctly, put it in the envelope supplied and drop it into your local mailbox so that it is received by Council prior to midday on 11 October 2013. Winston Churchill said that “Many forms of Government have been tried, and will be tried in this world of sin and woe. No one pretends that democracy is perfect or all-wise. Indeed, it has been said that democracy is the worst form of Government except for all those other forms that have been tried from time to time.” Abraham Lincoln is quoted as saying “Elections belong to the people. It’s their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fi re and burn their behinds, then they will just have to sit on their blisters.” I think they both have been proven right over the years and it’s our challenge to see if we can top not only the voter turnout tables in the 2013 local authority election statistics but also the statistics covering the number and balance of candidates. 3 FIVE-WARD SYSTEM FOR SOUTHLAND DISTRICT Southland District ratepayers will vote under a new The commission’s decision endorses Council’s representation system in October’s election. proposal for fi ve wards with multiple councillors, eight Southland District Council chief executive David community boards and 19 Community Development Adamson said Council is delighted the commission Area Sub-committees (CDAs). substantially supported Council’s fi nal proposal which Two small changes to the Council proposal were made: was developed after extensive consultation. 1. It was proposed that community boards include at least one but up to three members appointed by Council. The commissioners believed a precise OHAI RAILWAY FUND GRANTS number was needed and it determined that it be one appointed member. The Ohai Railway Fund Committee at its 2. The Stewart Island Community Board should allocation meeting in April approved grants to the include Rakiura in the name. following organisations: Deputy Mayor Jim Copland said he believed the • $4,000 to the Aparima Hall Committee to representation scheme in the fi nal proposal was a true assist with the installation of a new roof, spirited and very genuine attempt by Council to both spouting and water lines. comply with the law and get the best possible scheme for the district. • $8,000 to Hospice Southland Charitable Trust “The plan that has been adopted is bold and to assist with providing specialist palliative courageous and Council is excited about seeing it care services to persons within the Ohai in practice. The feedback I have received since this Railway Fund district. fi nal proposal was announced has been positive, optimistic and future focused.” Mr Adamson said • $4,723 to the Nightcaps Community Council had consulted comprehensively with its Development Area Sub-Committee to assist ratepayers and residents last year on how they wanted with the purchase of additional playground to be represented by councillors, community boards equipment for Dr Woods Memorial Park. and community development area sub-committees. • $3,444 to Nightcaps Squash Club to assist with It puts in place a fi nal proposal to create fi ve wards with the purchase of new furniture for the multiple councillors: Squash Clubrooms.