Kapiti's regional council candidates make voter pitch

MEET AND GREET: Kapiti candidates for the Wellington Regional Council, Peter Bollman, holding microphone, Nigel Wilson and Penny Gaylor, at a meet-the-candidates meeting.

Kapiti candidates for the Wellington Regional Council elections - Peter Bollman, Nigel Wilson and Penny Gaylor - made their voter pitch at a public meeting at the Coast Community Church, Paraparaumu, on Wednesday.

Mr Bollman, who works for the New Zealand Defence Force in the property division, said his career background was "about making sure people work together and actually getting things done".

He recalled sitting on a train recently and saw a sign which asked people if they had considered standing for council.

His first thoughts included who was his regional councillor, which he couldn't name, and then he thought about the recent amalgamation debate, which he felt was a failure of leadership and working together.

"That's when it occurred to me that my background could actually play a big part in repairing some of bridges and building partnerships to take us forward."

The family man who lives on a lifestyle block said was he "driven from a self sustaining point of view" and was "very well grounded."

Mr Wilson, who has been Kapiti's regional councillor representative for nine years, admitted that in his first three years he "didn't really have a clue" because it was a steep learning curve.

"Whatever you've done at the local level counts for very little when it comes to regional stuff because it's an entirely different programme and you have to have that experience.

"Most of the people on regional council are former mayors or MPs and they do bring that breadth of experience, I brought neither of those, but I have had nine years experience as your regional councillor.

"I am in a senior position and I think I have been delivering quite well for Kapiti over the last nine years and would like to deliver more over the next three."

Ms Gaylor, a two term district councillor who has chaired the environment and community development committee, said a lot of people had asked her to stand for the regional council.

"They were saying we needed new leadership and a new voice on regional council on behalf of Kapiti."

She said the role was about "working with people" and wasn't the role of "a critic of our community or our council".

"We are not in competition.

"How is that good for Kapiti?

"We need to be working together, regional council working with Kapiti Coast District Council, working with the community, all lining up.

"It should be about collaboration and cooperation."