I've lived in New Plymouth and Bell Block for over 35 years with my wife, Melanie Sole.
More than 25 years of experience in management and governance, including the past five years as General Manager of the Taranaki Health Foundation. I've worked hard to deliver real outcomes for our region. Over the last three years, I've also had the privilege of serving as Chair of the Puketapu-Bell Block Community Board.
I'm standing for Council because I believe we can do better. We need to make smart, future-focused investment decisions that keep our district vibrant and attractive, without placing unsustainable burden on today's ratepayers or future generations.
That means reprioritising based on what our community can realistically afford, now and in the years ahead. We must be willing to pause, retest, listen, and, where necessary, drop or resize projects. This realignment will be our guiding compass for better, more balanced decisions.
No
Yes
What?
We need to create a place where businesses can succeed (infrastructure, workforce, housing), prove they will succeed (track record, incentives, case studies). Have a Dedicated Investment Unit to go out and tell that story to the right industries.
Yes
Why?
The partnership with YMCA and Taranaki Retreat is the right way to go. We need to support these vulnerable people as they are still part of our society, and this is a pragmatic way of doing so by funding experts who can truly help them
No
Why?
Though I see the benefits of a CCO, like non-competing priorities and faster decisions/implementation. I don't believe we have the scale to do it justice, and other risks like risk of 'profit over people', less transparency and harder to influence.
No
Why?
The current reduction targets we have are the right balance and are perfectly acceptable, considering NZ on a global scale emits about .17% of the world's total climate contribution.
Yes
Why?
Ultimately, it was the right choice, though I didn't support the $110m version. We have many sporting codes that will benefit from it, and alternative uses for such an asset. But we cannot tolerate any changes to the budget!
No
Why?
Not at this stage. I believe we have far more important projects that need funding. So, let's finish what we have and review the economic and social benefits in the future.
Keep
Why?
Our district has a deep history with Māori culture, and our community continues to benefit from acknowledging and fostering that relationship now and into the future. Māori representation on the council can only strengthen that collaboration.
The new Events Reserve that has just been established to add a further $2m to help compete with other regions. Work with Stadium Taranaki to host larger concerts for the promoters that need 30-50k ticket sales to make a concert here worthwhile.
We must live within our means. I’ll push to review every LTP project to make sure it’s still needed or core, still wanted, and still affordable. At the same time, I’ll fight to keep rate rises under control, aiming for no more than 6–7% a year.
