Selwyn Times: January 23, 2019

4 Wednesday January 23 2019
Latest Christchurch news at www.star.kiwi
SELWYN TIMES
News
Who will run for mayor in October’s
Mayor Sam Broughton
will stand for
re-election, but who
will face the incumbent
in October? Reporter
Anan Zaki looks into
who might lead the
district after next local
body election
BY HIS own admission, it hasn’t
been all smooth sailing for Mayor
Sam Broughton in his first term.
The former youth worker
stormed in to the local
government scene as one of the
country’s youngest
mayors in 2016 in
a closely fought
election.
“Certainly some
of the challenges
have been around
changing the
way we fund our
Bill Woods
pools and reserves – which I
think has been a good move,” Mr
Broughton said.
“But obviously with any change
there are things that will take
time to iron out.”
He said he was “looking
forward” to serve district again
by standing for re-election.
“I still think there are
improvements to be made in
the way we manage our roading
network and maintenance on
gravel roads in particular.”
Community engagement was a
positive during his first term, Mr
Broughton said.
“Some of the ways we have
done our engagement with our
community around long-term
planning, moving to meeting
people where they’re at like
community events, engaging
with our schools,” he said.
“And not expecting every
voice to have to come through
official line at a town meeting or
something like that.”
RACE: Sam
Broughton
will seek his
second term
as mayor in
October’s
local body
elections.
But not everyone is happy with
Mr Broughton’s first term as
mayor.
Former mayor Bill Woods
unsuccessfully ran against Mr
Broughton last election and
slammed the incumbent’s first
term.
He labelled Mr Broughton as
“useless.”
“I’m yet to find somebody who
thinks he’s doing a good job.”
Mr Woods said he is unhappy
at rates rises during Mr
Broughton’s term.
Mr Broughton responded to
Mr Woods by saying the former
mayor was entitled to his own
opinion.
Mr Woods said if he stood
for mayoralty again, he would
campaign on splitting the district
in two.
“That means the major
populous area would be one and
the rural area would be another,”
he said.
The populous areas that should
be split are Lincoln, Prebbleton
and Rolleston, Mr Woods said.
Mr Broughton won the 2016
mayoral race with 4892 votes,
while district councillor Pat
McEvedy was second with 4172
and Sarah Walters received 4144.
Cr McEvedy said it was too
early for him to decide on
whether he would stand for
mayoralty once again.
He also declined to
comment about the upcoming
elections how Mr Broughton’s
performance
Mrs Walters did not rule out
standing again.
But she also said it was too
early for her to commit.
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