Suzanne Williams

I would like to weigh in on the debate on mayoral powers, kicked off by the mayor’s opinion piece in the Beacon on November 8.

For some, that would have been a surprise, in that most of us would have expected mayoral powers to have been like those of the managing director of a business.  

This is clearly not the case; in fact, the democratic votes of constituents appear not to count in this case, as numbers of votes do not relate to power in any meaningful way.  

This strange situation applies throughout New Zealand, except in Auckland, the super-city, where the mayor is able to get things done more easily according to his own views.

A supreme example of this here was the recent appalling situation in which our mayor voted against the adoption of a long-term plan developed and presented over several months by his own council. Unbelievable.

I thought Dr Luca’s example of governance in a German city (with the mayoral office combined with that of the chief executive) made much more sense than our own system, with the chief executive, with more information and very little accountability, seeming to have more power than the mayor.

Last Friday’s opinion piece from Whakatāne Action Group on the same subject was positive, thoughtful, systematic and sensible.  

Also from WAG, there was an erudite, well-supported and proven presentation to the council last Thursday, which was well received.  

This was, broadly, on the terrible financial situation the present council has allowed us to get into with no sign of improvement, more frivolous spending on the menu, and no way to handle necessary infrastructure work without recourse to more borrowing debt and burgeoning rate rises.

We all need to think very carefully about the 2025 local body elections, who we want to represent us, who of our acquaintances we can think of who would be a good person to take part in local government and would be willing and able to work, sometimes thanklessly, on more sensible and sensitive governance of our beautiful area.