The mayor should explain to Mr Key the Bay's regional priorities and plan. Currently, the Prime Minister hears five different plans and five sets of priorities from five different mayors/chairs.
The mayor should commit to a constant and innovative pursuit of the best value and outcomes for ratepayers' investment.
As well, the mayor should fast-track a regional infrastructure stock-take and begin a process of commitment to 10 years of various water storage/irrigation projects, 10 years of roading investments, 10 years of fibre, 10 years of tourism developments - and 10 years of certainty.
You get the picture. At the moment there is no such investment certainty in the Bay.
The commitment and publication of such plans will create a more certain and attractive environment for job creating businesses to expand/invest into the Bay. There are five sets of rules and therefore five sets of costs that job creators have to try and stay on top of.
Central government will be receptive to the mayor's new focused goals and proposals.
Having one set of priorities for the Bay is so much more advantageous than the five often conflicting priorities that are presented to the Government at the moment. The five different sets of priorities compete or cancel each other out, meaning central government has difficulty engaging in region-wide initiatives.
Businesses looking to invest here will be so much more receptive and interested when they see Hawke's Bay as providing one region-wide plan for the next 10 years. Right now, there are five levels of uncertainty.
The mayor should immediately begin a council rules and regulatory bonfire and publish a schedule indicating when the various parts of the various bylaws throughout the Bay will be upgraded into one set of rules, bylaws and regulations for all.
The starting point for the new rules and bylaws should be trying to "create the best region in New Zealand for job growth balanced with looking after our environment".
At the moment, we have five sets of rules and bylaws that are different and not focused on how they can assist all of the Bay. The mayor should be brutally honest about the Bay's negative social statistics and work with central government to build long-term solutions. Right now it is easier to fudge around the edges and hard for large government programmes to deliver when dealing with five councils.
It is time for a united Hawke's Bay to be heard, acknowledged, respected, envied by the rest of New Zealand. It's your chance to make it happen. Your positive amalgamation choice will make it happen.
A united, amalgamated Hawke's Bay will provide an awesome opportunity to create the best region in New Zealand to operate a business, grow jobs, grow wages and salaries, grow opportunities for our children.
Will this be easy? No, of course not. Will there be an instant change in your rates and ratepayer obligations? No, of course not.
Will Hawke's Bay have a better chance at success? Absolutely.
After a positive amalgamation vote, with the right people leading the way and with your support, the Bay will be unstoppable.
¦Craig Foss is the MP for Tukituki and Small Business Minister.
¦Business and civic leaders, organisers, experts in their field and interest groups can contribute opinions. The views expressed here are the writer's opinion and not the newspaper's. Email: editor@hbtoday.co.nz
¦Viewpoints on the Hawke's Bay amalgamation debate can be submitted for consideration and will be used as long as no council resources, money, time or expertise are used in their preparation. This is a requirement of the Local Government Act 2002.
