Two challengers so far to mayor Little

THE CONTENDERS: Wairoa mayor Craig Little will face at least two challengers at this year’s local body elections — three-term councillor Benita Cairns and retired maths teacher Roland Matley. File pictures

WAIROA mayor Craig Little faces two declared challengers for his job in this year’s local body elections. Three-term councillor Benita Cairns and retired teacher Roland Matley announced their candidacy this week.

Mr Little was elected in 2013 after defeating incumbent mayor Les Probert, who had served four terms. Ms Cairns told The Wairoa Star that members of the public had approached her about standing.

“My three terms as a councillor means I have acquired the skills and level of knowledge needed," she said.

"It's important people have confidence in and can trust their council. That can only be achieved by the council being open, honest and transparent about the business dealings and projects it intends to undertake on behalf of its constituents.”

Ms Cairns said that if elected mayor she would “restore public confidence in Wairoa District Council and ensure the council prioritise core businesses while staying focused on being cost-effective and affordable”.

She was one of four councillors in 2014 — including Chris Joblin, who has since resigned — who voted at an extraordinary meeting to halt more than $1 million of spending on several council projects, initiatives and staff appointments.

The spending cuts, including removing funding for a just-appointed Maori relationship manager, were later partially reversed.

Mr Matley, an 85-year-old former maths teacher at Wairoa College, said the council had good ideas but they were appropriate for a much larger population.

Belt-tightening and accepting reducing services was required, he said.

“We are living beyond our means. That is the crux of it. If elected, my first task would be to go to the chief financial officer and ask, if there were a war, what items would you list, which, in your view, are inessential?’’

Mr Little won the mayoralty from former mayor Derek Fox three years ago by about 750 votes.

Mr Probert, who had served on council either as mayor or as a councillor since 1985, was a further 500 votes back in third. Mr Probert made a late decision to seek re-election. He later told The Herald his defeat was not unexpected.