Diverse views on community support from council hopefuls

A survey of mayoral and council candidates run by Nelson’s not for profit sector has revealed a wide range of views from candidates in the coming local body elections.

Pat Webster, chair of Community Workers Training and Support (CWTAS) said responses to questions about the role of council in community support, ranged from the view that council should stick to its knitting, through to enthusiasm for events such as the Masked Parade and its role in enhancing community connectedness.

The survey was conducted by Volunteer Nelson, who, with CWTAS, is inviting the candidates to expand their views further at a forum on Thursday. The open forum will be held at the Community and Whanau meeting where representatives from around 60 social agencies and departments meet monthly.

“Nelson has a really strong community sector and we have a keen interest in the social infrastructure of the city,” Mrs Webster said. “Because it is not as easily identifiable as new roads and buildings, we’re concerned that it is not given sufficient regard, which is why we have brought the topic up as en election issue.”

Mrs Webster said community organisations are concerned that last year’s amendment to the Local Government Act has removed the requirement for councils to consider social and environmental well-being.

“This does not mean council is not able to consider it,” she said. “We were reassured at a meeting earlier this year by Mayor Miccio and Community Services portfolio holder Pete Rainey that in Nelson social wellbeing will continue to be a council concern – but with the elections coming up we wanted to hear from all the candidates.”

The survey asked candidates how much they understood community sector issues and what their approach to those issues would be if elected to council. All but one candidate responded. The full survey and responses are available through the Volunteer Nelson website under Training and Support / networking.

The survey will form the basis for discussion at the election forum on 12 September at the Community and Whanau meeting, from 12 noon to 1.30pm, upstairs at the Salvation Army Rooms, Montgomery Square. The forum will be chaired by outgoing Deputy Mayor Ali Boswijk, and there will be time to meet and network with candidates and to put questions to them. The meeting is open to the public and anyone with an interest in the community sector is warmly invited to attend.
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