Second-term at-large Napier city councillor Michelle Pyke is putting her hat back in the ring for a third term, with "a particular focus on continuing to represent the most vulnerable and disadvantaged" Napier citizens and progress the joint councils' shared services opportunities.
Ms Pyke said her goals for the 2016-19 term were to strengthen council's activities within the Safer Napier strategy, support the implementation of the REDS (Regional Economic Development Strategy) Action Plan and to ensure that Napier's most vulnerable are always considered in the "big picture" balance of fiscal prudence while also adding to Napier's community assets.
"I will continue to speak out on the serious social issues that affect residents, especially when central government abdicates or devolves responsibilities on to the local community," she said.
"The current Local Government Act Amendment No2 Bill is another blatant attempt to severely impede local democracy and to install excessive ministerial powers that could produce an 'amalgamation by decree' among other unwelcome bogies.
"Another example is Napier's current policing reality, felt as a fundamental and critical loss of our community's sense of being safe and protected in our city, the result of a political shifting of the goalposts via the same pathway that the former Napier Hospital went on."
