Alex Beijen

WE CAN DO BETTER

I am standing for Mayor of South Wairarapa to bring back common sense and transparency to our fantastic community.

I’ve lived in the Wairarapa for 20 years, with my wife of 26 years and 3 children, and live on a farm in the South Wairarapa. My relevant work experience includes as an engineering general manager for the past 5 years and 2 years as a Senior Advisor to the Wellington City Council. Furthermore, I worked for the i-site in Martinborough for many years gaining valuable insight into the South Wairarapa community. 

Waste water treatment methodology, drinking water quality and processes and waste recycling are the main areas of concern as what is done today will impact what will be in the future for many generations to come. Actions such as monitoring and reviewing both waste water and drinking water will allow for appropriate exploration of alternatives so we can get it done once and done right. Additionally, exploring the potential for a community-run waste management program could reduce landfill tonnage to 30% of delivered waste and actually take responsibility for our waste, rather than send it to another region.

Transparency and openness are essential for this Council. Gone are the days when the public are ok with decisions made behind closed doors. Except in cases of private financial matters or staff reviews, all decisions made by Council should be done openly, with clear explanations as to why and how the decisions were made, and made accessible on the Council website. In order for the public to be assured the Council is operating correctly, we will opt into CouncilMark, an independent review of Council activities with ratings compared to other Councils around NZ.

The Council also needs to be proactive on areas that increase GDP, efficiency of the Council, and allow for more profitability that will limit rates inflation. I will attempt to limit rates increases to 2%, and continuing to manage the income cash flows of the council to see where more income can be generated from existing streams. Where possible, proactive investment in income generating initiatives that make a better community and economy will be considered.

Decisions made by Council will not satisfy everyone, and often will satisfy no one. What I promise is that the decisions made will be logical, open, and made for the good of the South Wairarapa