In the interests of offering extra information to residents we will publish Soapbox posts – in the order they are received Matangilink will publish articles submitted to us from candidates for election to Waikato District Council.

2022 Waikato District Council Elections – picking up the baton for Tamahere-Woodlands
By Crystal Beavis – Council candidate for Tamahere-Woodlands

Voting papers are now being delivered to your letterboxes for the 2022 Local Elections. This is your chance to choose two Councillors for the new Tamahere-Woodlands Ward – yes, two – who will listen to what matters to you, who will work hard for our community, and who can bring the experience and energy needed to do the job.

With more than 30 years’ experience as a business communications and engagement professional who has worked for the Waikato District Council, I have a good insight and understanding of Council’s business and processes. I’m keen to “pick up the baton” to use my experience and advocacy skills to provide you with strong, effective representation.

Matangi is now part of a ward that stretches all the way from Tamahere to Gordonton – and so I’ve been meeting with people across the ward, and attending district and community committee meetings and local events, to hear more about the issues that matter to us all most.

Common themes include road safety and maintenance, footpaths/cycleways, road crossings and community connectivity, negotiating the best outcome we can get when control of SH1B is handed back to the Council, and well-maintained outdoor and indoor spaces we can use to gather together in our communities. Another common theme is how district planning affects what we can do on our property.

How and when the Council can act on our aspirations is what’s important. Matangi along with Tamahere, and now also Gordonton, have local “blueprints” that will help guide the Council in these respects, but vigorous and sustained advocacy is still needed to ensure the next Long Term Plan reflects local aspirations.

There are national issues like Three Waters that also affect us and need a strong focus over the next two years. How we maintain local oversight is the crucial issue here. Waikato District has a relatively small number of ratepayers (about 50,000) so it has long sought partnerships with neighbouring councils to provide economies of scale to ease the pressure on rates, but if we are forced by legislation into a much larger entity we will need to work strenuously to ensure local needs are properly prioritised.

Along with my business experience (running my own business as well as advising others), I have governance experience to draw on when considering how to work on the Council, and to work as a team, to help find the right way forward. That experience includes six years on the Waikato District Health Board working to improve health services for our rural communities.

I’ve lived in Tamahere-Woodlands for 21 years, raised a family here, and I’ve immersed myself in community matters. I currently serve on the Matangi Community Committee and on the vestry at St Stephen’s Tamahere – home of the Tamahere Country Market. You can find out more by going to my website at http://www.crystalbeavis.com. My contact details are listed there and I welcome any questions you might have.

If elected I’m keen to continue to meet as many of you as possible to hear what you think Council should be doing to implement its vision of liveable, thriving and connected communities, and to act on making that vision a reality.

Crystal Beavis