Horizons Regional Council nominations open for local body elections

Horizons Regional Council office in Marton will be one of many getting prepared for the up and coming council elections. Photo / Bevan Conley.

Horizons Regional Council is calling for a diverse range of candidate nominees to rise up as local government candidate nominations open today.

Electoral Officer Craig Grant said local body elections give communities the opportunity to vote for their preferred representative on the Horizons Regional Council, district health boards and city and district councils.

"Our communities are hugely varying in their opinions and needs. Having a diverse council will help to ensure the needs are being represented come decision-making time," said Grant.

Grant said the Horizons Region is vast and well spread with Ruapehu in the north, Tararua in the east, Horowhenua in the south and Whanganui in the west.

"Successful elected candidates can come from all walks of life and are likely to be effective decision-makers and communicators who are able to relate to a wide range of people, good at building relationships and networking, and have good time flexibility and management," said Grant.

Horizons Regional Council role is to manage the regions land, air and water resources on behalf of the community.

This is achieved through the rules and policies outlined in their regulatory document, the One Plan and through non-regulatory programs such as the Sustainable Land Use Initiative.

The council also undertakes biosecurity control, biodiversity enhancement, contracts passengers transport services, undertakes science, data and monitoring, plans regional transport, plays a role in road safety information, works to mitigate the risk of flooding and leads the planning and response to natural disasters.

Candidates who are elected will make decisions for their community and set Horizons rates which support these programs.

Nominations close 12 pm August 16 and all nominees must be a New Zealand citizen and be on the parliamentary electoral roll.