Close-run fight tipped for Shore mayoralty

By BERNARD ORSMAN

One man stands in the way of North Shore Mayor George Wood breaking the one-term jinx which has dogged previous mayors of the city.

Joel Cayford, an energetic first-term councillor and environmental activist, takes on Mr Wood, who managed the city's police from 1995 to 1998 and has kept the peace on a council that could easily have erupted into parochial wars.

A desire to lead the battle against the city's environmental and growth problems drives the mayoral bid of Dr Cayford, a former Green Party coordinator who raised public alarm about the Waikato River pipeline.

Although good things have been achieved in the last three years, he says, the qualities of the seaside city will deteriorate unless old ways are changed.

New urban sprawl is still heavily subsidised by ratepayers, traditional sewerage systems are still built and still leak and the motorway busway project is still seen as the solution to coaxing people onto buses.

Dr Cayford says he brings fresh thinking and innovation with his background in science and new technology.

He says the city needs better sewage technology and monitoring.

The Government must be lobbied to make developers liable for contributions towards expansion of services.

Dr Cayford also believes the $150 million motorway busway project under consideration by Infrastructure Auckland must wait until patronage levels are built up.

During rush hour, only 8 per cent of residents use buses.

That is because the city offers a poor local service - 70 per cent of bus stops have no shelters and only Onewa Rd has a bus priority lane.

Observers of the current council term believe it will be a close-run election between the two men and that their approach to handling growth problems is the key.

Mr Wood, an independent, has the support of the A Team, a new Harbour ward ticket led by Jenny Kirk, a former Labour MP, who chairs the council's strategy and finance committee.

While not always agreeing with Mr Wood, she says he deserves to continue as he has brought a sympathetic and practical approach to people's problems.

Mr Wood says he offers the city continuity of leadership and the chance to build on positive steps achieved by the present council.

"My top priority has been to protect and enhance North Shore's environment and put strategies in place to address the issues of beach water quality and the quality of our bush areas, valleys and parks."

Mr Wood says the council has tried to get the best results quickly but big ticket items have to be done incrementally and spending spread over the years.

But costs weigh heavily on ratepayers. The council spends more than 30c in every rates dollar on wastewater.

Rates are expected to rise 6 per cent next year on top of this year's 4.95 per cent and 10.2 per cent last year.

Amid charges that Albany is a dumping ground for the region's growth, the council has rushed out a blueprint for the city's development and is looking at a long-overdue district plan.

Feature: Local body elections 2001

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