WDC is part of the new national 23-council Communities 4 Democracy campaign fighting mandated council participation in Three Waters restructuring. It is also one of three New Zealand councils that have asked the High Court to rule on what ownership of Three Waters assets means.
Couper said other crucial considerations included local people having governance in the helming and shape of any new Three Waters structure the Government might eventually set up.
On other major Government changes, he said local government restructuring and changes to the Resource Management Act were still in the early stages, so time was needed to look at how that might play out for WDC.
Couper, a single-term councillor, was elected to represent WDC's Bream Bay ward in 2019.
On November 26 he voted against WDC abandoning its proposal for ratepayers to next year pay an extra 7 per cent in rates towards the controversial $136 million Oruku Landing conference and event centre. More than 80 per cent of the unprecedented 5000-plus submitters on the proposal were against the council doing so.
Meanwhile, Couper recently took the unusual step of putting a notice of motion to WDC's December 9 meeting called for greater council transparency for ratepayers around the cost of WDC's new civic centre, which has increased from $48 million to $55 million.
His mayoralty tilt continues a long family leadership tradition. Couper's father, Peter, was a Whangārei County Councillor before becoming a Northland Dairy Company director and then chairman. His great-grandfather, John Garland, was a councillor on Whangārei County Council's Waipū riding.
Couper is the fourth generation of his family to farm the Waipu property where he runs 700 cows with a 50/50 sharemilker. The farm supplies Waipu's Fresha Valley dairy company.
His Bream Bay ward is one of Northland's fastest-growing areas.
Couper said Whangārei district was experiencing rapid growth, with strong leadership needed to ensure the unique qualities that made it an attractive place to live were not lost.
"There is a large gap in our community between those who have and those who don't.
"Where once we had an egalitarian society, I am now starting to see differences of all kinds dividing our community. We need to make sure this doesn't become entrenched and an enabling council can play a large role in this," Couper said.
WDC last week appointed Couper to the council's new housing strategy council co-governance subcommittee, set up after a request from the council's Te Kārearea strategic partnership committee.
He said housing affordability was a key area of importance for the council.
"The council needs to facilitate stakeholders in the housing arena to work towards resolving the issue," Couper said.
Strong relationships were needed with the private sector, government organisations working within the community and local hapū to help achieve this.
Couper, a Justice of the Peace, is standing as an independent.
The local government elections will be held on October 8 next year.
