Opinion: Who wants to be the mayor anyway?

The mayoralty is a complex and largely thankless role, says Matt Cowley. Photo / File

Most people are quick to be critical of their local mayor.

But many people, including successful business leaders, would never want to be the mayor because it is a complex, and largely thankless, role.

If the council is doing a good job, most people forget that the council exists. This is because the council's role in helping to create a fertile environment for people and businesses to flourish is either buried underground, is indirect, or is considered to be a basic human right.

I encourage voters to carefully consider the nominated candidates against the tough requirements of the mayoral role.

Being an elected member is different from other governance roles.

In addition to the fundamental governance tasks of developing strategy and managing risk, the local elected members are also encouraged to act as the council's customer service desk.

For example, if someone wants to make a complaint or a suggestion for the council, they are encouraged to get in touch with the elected members. You will seldom see directors of private companies taking on this expectation.

Good mayors are able to empathise and identify injustices for individuals while also thinking about the greater good for the city.

Not only do mayors, and councillors for that matter, need to understand their local communities, they also need to navigate the complex rules and processes prescribed by central government. Unsurprisingly, the rules and expectations from different central government agencies often contradict each other.

Nothing is simple in local government.

Every decision sets a precedent and usually requires a policy to be adopted to ensure staff implement the decision fairly and transparently.

The mayor must have great interpersonal skills as democracy can burp up some interesting characters during an election. Elected members are generally a reflection of their communities; they are not a reflection of the city's best and brightest.

The mayor must be able to work with any councillor elected by the community.

If a mayor cannot work with fellow elected councillors, then they are turning their back on those residents who democratically voted for those councillors.

After all, the mayor's vote only carries the same weight as each of the other elected councillors around the table. This is why a strong mayor needs to build the support of the councillors and ensures meetings progress forward.

I am cautious of candidates who campaign on criticising the incumbents but are not courageous or skilled enough to put their own ideas up for public scrutiny.

Once the mayor understands their local communities, can navigate through central government's hoops, and work constructively with their fellow councillors, good mayors also build relationships with neighbouring councils.

Good relationships with neighbouring councils help cities address the big issues. The ability to attract central government investment for large infrastructure projects will depend on the mayor's and councillors' ability to work well with neighbouring councils.

I fear that Tauranga's elected members have recently been too inward facing, failing to see the bigger picture and are reluctant to work with others beyond Tauranga City Council boundaries.

To sum up, I believe the most important skill that a good mayor must have is emotional intelligence. It is their relationships with the community, council staff, fellow elected members, and neighbouring councils that will be the key ingredient to successfully managing Tauranga's growth.

As voters, let's help make the mayor's role a bit easier by also electing a good team of councillors that can work constructively by making decisions that progress the city forward.

- Matt Cowley is the chief executive of the Tauranga Chamber of Commerce