If you’re unhappy about what the Napier City Council hasn’t achieved in the last three years are you going to vote them back in again?
And if you don’t have much of a choice are you going to vote to change the Mayor to improve our civic leadership?
Hello, I am Nigel Simpson, I am standing for Mayor, I choose to live in Napier, and historically Napier has achieved great things, I’m standing for Mayor because we need to get Napier back on track, and committed to delivering the projects and programmes that our community needs.
I am a first term City Councillor, representing the Taradale ward, but I bring 30 years local government management experience to that role. And will use that experience to lead our City as Mayor.
Previously I served this community and others around New Zealand in Local Government Management, my role then ensured the I had to know what every council department did and what their capability was. I also needed the same level of understanding of Government and community organisations.
I worked through many local and central government reforms and reviews I know and understand change management and I know how to get things done.
Over a thirty-year period, I assembled and lead large integrated organisations combining the resources of many organisations and establishing strategy for them to adopt and implement.
Some single projects involved eighty organisations and 400 personal, achieving the objectives .
With the right strategy and consistent leadership everything is possible.
With thirty years management experience and a Master in Business Administration I firmly believe that I am the most qualified and experienced candidate for Mayor.
I have worked with a lot of people from community volunteers to Ministers of the Crown, I love working with people and witnessing their sense of achievement.
I have worked with some amazing Mayors and Chief executives; I know what good governance looks like and as a result I know what needs to change.
After facilitating governance in Local Government, my recent Masters studies focused on governance, developing and implementing strategy, change management and leadership among other subjects.
I am a member of the institute of directors and annually complete my professional development competency programme.
As Mayor I know Napier will face a number of significant challenges and changes:
- Controlling rates increases,
- Local Government reforms
- A new Chief Executive
In June a council report identified 14 unbudgeted items some with significant price tags, that’s just 12 months after council approved it’s ten year plan, a plan that staff were already struggling to balance.
Napier needs a Mayor who understands that many residents live on fixed incomes and while rates will need to go up, rates need to be affordable and Councillors just cant keep piling the costs on ratepayers. Councillors must take responsibility and if new activities arise they need to reduce services somewhere else
This term Napier City Council will have change forced on it by central government, potentially 3 waters reforms, Resource Management Act changes and Local Government reforms themselves.
These reforms provide opportunity for council to refine what it does and ensure the new council organisation is fit for purpose and focused on core services and getting things done. This is an opportunity to seriously review level of service and cost of rates.
several months into the new term a new Chief Executive will arrive but in the interim senior managers and staff will need reassurance that they have appropriate civic leadership to keep things on track and start setting the new direction.
I am Nigel Simpson, I am standing for Mayor so that I can serve our community and ensure Napier City Council gets things done.
Thank you.
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