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• Published date: 26 January 2023
• Publication title: Central Otago News

With voting opening today, The News put questions to them to help readers gain insights in to those who are hoping to represent them

The questions were:

1. Why are you standing for the Cromwell Community Board?

2. Why stand now, and not in the local election in October?

3. What do you see as the key challenges and opportunities Cromwell faces?

Wally Sanford

Surveyor

1. I offer a great set of skills and would make smart decisions on current and future matters that pass across the community board’s table. I wouldn’t arrive with any agenda or representing any particular group so would decide on matters on their merits. My background in community work and knowledge of community board functions, and participation in district planning matters would ensure I’m not underwhelmed or overwhelmed in the role. Cromwell needs what I’ve got!

2. My thoughts at the time were that I’d rather run for council than community board but my personal and work life couldn’t cope with the councillor workload. I can handle the community board workload. Watching some solid campaigns come up short in the past is hardly inspiring to invest financially in a campaign but the by-election transpiring took me from teetering to committing. Defending democracy is a big part of it.

3. Housing affordability is our single biggest challenge and getting district planning matters right and gaining some control around our lake are the key opportunities we need to make gains on in my opinion. For this term obviously the hall (bulldozer) and mall (new buildings, then bulldozer) are at the forefront and I would encourage people to engage with my campaign material on Facebook or email for my thoughts on those and many other topics.

Tony Haycock

Retired medical practitioner. Company director.

1. I am standing because I believe my governance and commercial development skills are a good match for the future projects that the community board has on its Cromwell Masterplan to-do list. I have the enthusiasm and the time available to make a meaningful contribution to this role.

2. I am standing now because I sense there is a degree of urgency around the need to capitalise on the burgeoning cycleway and wine tourism.

3. Cromwell’s population growth could exceed expectations and so the key challenge will be ensuring that this growth is sustainable. In other words, the towns infrastructure needs to be able to accommodate this growth while still retaining its special character.

There is an opportunity for Cromwell...