Alexander (Sandy) Milne

I note that some candidates in our local body elections continue to push their views that certain community problems should not be core business for councillors.  I assert that all serious matters should be on their radar, especially healthcare, housing and education, and rates rises etc.  
Some of us vividly remember the Beacon coverage of the sell-off of Whakatāne council houses to an
outfit in Tauranga many years ago; a decision rammed through by councillors who treated tenants like pawns.

There seems to have been no community follow-up to Beacon reporter Brianna Stewart's August 6 full page article covering the Government's cancellation of a plan to build 72 state houses in Whakatane.

I know that our mayor, Victor Luca has been working behind the scenes to get traction on that matter, but he won’t be holding his breath waiting for support from councillors.  Surely our councillors should all be leading the community on such matters, for example, the shocking statistics on school absenteeism and childhood immunisation.