More candidates needed with just 3 days before nominations close
Written by John Grant on August 9, 2022
At 12 noon this Friday nominations close for the 2022 Local Body Elections. As at 2:30pm Tuesday this is the current situation of the number of candidates and positions available.
| Thames Coromandel | ||||||||
| Coromandel/Colville | Mercury Bay | South Eastern | Tairua/ Pauanui | Thames | Total | Shortfall | ||
| Mayor Nominations | 4 | |||||||
| Mayor Positions | 1 | 0 | ||||||
| Council Nominations | 1 | 2 | 2 | n/a | 3 | 8 | ||
| Council Positions | 1 | 3 | 2 | n/a | 4 | 10 | 2 | |
| Community Board Nominations | 1 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 9 | ||
| Community Board Positions | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 20 | 11 | |
| Hauraki | Paeroa Ward | Plains Ward | Waihi Ward | Total | Shortfall | |
| Mayor Nominations | 1 | |||||
| Mayor Positions | 1 | 0 | ||||
| Council Nominations | 3 | 1 | 3 | 7 | ||
| Council Positions | 4 | 4 | 5 | 13 | 6 |
A total of 17 vacancies exists in the Thames Coromandel and Hauraki districts. Thames Coromandel has 2 vacancies for Council being in the Mercury Bay and Thames Wards. While at Community Board level Coromandel/Colville have 3 vacancies, Mercury Bay also needs a further 3, as does Tairua/Pauanui and Thames has had two nominations from 4 places.
It’s a similar situation, in Hauraki where a shortfall for Councillors so far of 1 in Paeroa, 3 in the Plains ward and 2 in Waihi exist.
Mayoral candidates are unified in the view that more should be coming forward. Most recent TCDC Mayoral hopeful, Eric Carter has a message for them, “To anybody that have concerns with the way council governance has been handled on the Coromandel or in your local area this is your time to step up and stand for your council whether it be community board or on council for your area.
With the upcoming changes to the resource management act (RMA), Three Waters, and how local bodies will operate in the future, have your say where you are heard the loudest, stand for your community.
Len Salt also standing for Mayor of TCDC told CFM, “As somebody who has been actively involved in community groups for many years, I can’t stress enough the importance of getting involved in your local council and community boards. The works programmes that the Thames-Coromandel Community Boards undertake each year make key spending decisions on the stuff that affects you, me, our whanau and our communities. Footpaths and roads, boat ramps, parks, traffic, water, arts and recreation, rubbish and recycling and a whole lot more. You can make a difference”.
John Freer was the first to put his hand up for the TCDC Mayoralty and had some strong words as why it was important to be part of it and says he will ensure both councillors and community board members have total involvement in all council business.
To him community empowerment is the way of the future whereby council decision making comes from the ground up. He’s encouraging Coromandel Peninsula residents who want to help reshape and improve council delivery, to get their nominations in for council and community board positions before Friday’s noon deadline.
Nominations must be in the hands of the officials by noon sharp on Friday.
