Sarah Spillane - independent candidate in February byelection

Sarah Spillane is running in the February council byelection and has solutions to how the community can better engage.

Palmerston North's Sarah Spillane says she has solutions for old and young to be better engaged with the city council.

Spillane is standing as an independent candidate for the council in the February byelection.

"My experience in governance has shown me the value of building consensus to understand and then deliver what people want.

"I believe strongly that Palmerston North is a great city to live in and it needs to meet the needs of people of all ages.

"It's been a difficult year for a lot of people and it's a good time to reassess what our city and the people in our communities need, what their new priorities are and how Palmerston North City Council can deliver those.

"The Covid lockdown showed what strong, resilient communities we have and what can be achieved for our city when we work together.

"When I speak to people they tell me they want better communication from council and to be better informed about the decisions made on their behalf.

"They want someone with ideas and drive, but who'll also listen."

She says the council is doing 'fabulous things' but there are sectors in the community who do not know how to access what is available.

Community engagement is a priority for Spillane.

"It is more about making people aware of what can be done and for them to be digitally connected."

She says there is a lot of scope for council to connect with the volunteer groups.

Spillane points to youth and would like them to be more connected at a local level of civil engagement, not just through the education units that targets national government.

Spillane is the finance manager at Lavender Blue, a support service for the elderly and disabled.

She has 12 years school board governance experience, nine years as a board chair of Milson School, and is currently the board chairwoman of Freyberg High School.

She is also on the governance group of Parentline Manawatū.

Spillane is Palmy through and through and was raised in Milson.

Following study at Victoria University, Spillane set off on her OE to the UK and returned to Palmy to raise a family.

She and husband Rodger have Jacob, 20, who is at Victoria University; Hannah, 16, at Freyberg High and Ben, 13, in Year 9 at Freyberg.