Stephen Brent

Q1 Lake Hayes is a wonderful community asset and I highly commend, and am thankful for, the work of the Friends of Lake Hayes and others in bringing the Lake back to life.  Intensification in the Lake Hayes catchment area should be carefully considered and controlled to ensure that this work is not reversed.

Q2a & 2b   It is clear from the increasing waitlist of families on the Housing Trust's register (some 1400 families at last count) that there is a real need for better housing solutions in this District however I am also aware that we have many houses empty and/or underutilised...apparently 39% empty last census night.  I am in favour of a working group being formed to look at options to change this using local levers.  It is also clear to me that the Resource Management Act and Fast Track Legislation can put Councils in extremely tricky positions of having developments forced upon them and their communities, with the Council then having to provide the services for same.  There will always be high demand for this place so our infrastructure planning must be bold and ahead of the curve if possible.  

Q3  I would like to see what could be done about the number of hire cars on our roads and look at ways to incentivise tourists to use other forms of transport.  I am a big fan of commuter cycle trails (as I ride to work in town most days) and believe that they can play a big part going forwards.  I also like the proposed commuter gondola project being developed by Southern Infrastructure.  In terms of our septic disposal issues, the current discharge to river is not good but it does look like Council staff are doing their best to find solutions here...there has to be a better alternative to pumping it into the river.