COUNCILLORS Ken Douglas, Liz Kelly and Henry Smith will be fighting off four challengers for the Porirua City Council Western Ward seats they hold.
Standing against them in the 2010 local body elections are Graeme Ebbett, Victoria Jakobs, Toni Tana and Ana Coffey.
Mr Douglas, Mrs Kelly and Mr Smith, who have been described in Kapi Mana News as “the three musketeers” of the Western Ward, have been prominent in their roles as councillors.
Liz Kelly
Mrs Kelly is standing for both the ward and the mayoralty.
She also stood for the mayoralty in 2007 and has been a councillor since 2004.
Mrs Kelly is born and raised in Porirua and is a mother and grandmother and is of local Ngati Toa descent.
She is the executive officer for Porirua Healthlinks and her family run a business called Kelly Hygiene.
She believes council plans for the future need to be affordable. As 93% of income is derived from rates and council fees she would like to promote shared services across the region.
Ken Douglas
Mr Douglas is the longest serving member of the three incumbents. He has held a western ward seat since 1999.
He is is probably the most nationally well known candidate due to his position as president of the Council of Trade Unions until 1999. A biography titled ‘Man For All Seasons: The life and times of Ken Douglas’ has been released earlier this month.
Mr Douglas’s focus is on economic and roading developments.
“The challenge for Porirua is going forward, how do we maintain the momentum we currently have to ensure we don’t slide into some transcenic train stop in Wellington,” Mr Douglas was quoted in Porirua News.
Mr Douglas says he is also focused on the council’s city centre revitalisation plan.
In a Kapi Mana News panel review of councillors’ performance published last month, Mr Douglas was described as one of the most polarising councillors, who was not afraid to put his views forward, whether they be popular or not, and was criticised for arrogance and serving his own agenda.
Although valued for his experience and strategic skills, some felt it was time for new blood.
Henry Smith
Henry Smith was elected to council in 2007. He has acknowledged the support that Mrs Kelly and Mr Douglas have given him since first being appointed to the role.
“It wasn’t what I was expecting at all, I thought you just get into council and go to meetings but it’s not like that. There’s a lot to learn and understand.”(Kapi Mana News 6.7.10)
Mr Smith’s focus is on youth development and he wants to see more resources being utilised on youth. Mr Smith was rated average for work on the Kapi Mana News panel. Though highly rated by a couple of people on the panel, he was deemed a slow mover.
Mr Ebbett, who ran for council in 2007, has been chairman of the Titahi Bay Residents’ Association since 1995. He established Ebbett Automation Company in Petone which specialises in industrial electronics.
Mr Ebbett is standing for council again as he believes the village plan initiated in 2005 is not being progressed.
“The village plan (2005) needs budgets,” says Mr Ebbett, who believes that no-one in the present council is pushing for the plan.
“There is no money set aside in the long term community plan and to commit to this would cost hundreds and thousands of dollars”.
One of Mr Ebbett’s main reasons for standing for council again is to be in a position to advocate, rather than react to council decisions.
Ms Jakobs acknowledges that she is against strong competition in the ward, particularly with the three incumbents.
Ms Jakobs believes her experience of campaigning against the cell towers in 2007 will help her ability to work in council if elected to that role.
Another reason for standing is that Ms Jakobs realises the importance of being involved in the planning stages of any development. She is the owner/director of The Fundraising Foundation.
Like Mr Ebbett, she is a member of the Titahi Bay Residents’ Association and she has been involved in fundraising ventures with local schools and kindergartens.
Toni Tana has lived in Titahi Bay for eight years and has a veterinary background and is is married with four children.
She was an active opponent to the View Road development and the proposed Telecom cellphone mast in Jillett Street.
Ms Tana is a member of the Titahi Bay Residents’ Association, has been part of the working group for the Titahi Bay village plan.
“I really enjoy working for the community, I want to make it a safe and healthy environment to live in,” Ms Tana was quoted in Kapi Mana News.
Ms Coffey’s slogan on her flier has been progress, common sense, energy and is advocating a strong economic base for Porirua to attract more jobs to the area.
Sewerage leaking into the city’s waterways through cracked pipes is a concern for Ms Coffey, who also wants to see a plan to ease congestion on the Mungavin Bridge into the city centre.
She is married with four children and has strong community links with schools, church and her dance teaching. Ms Coffey runs a family business with her husband.
CREATIVE ADS: Billboards-Toni Tana has used a creative approach to attract attention to her billboard. Photo: Jennifer Gilchrist