Western Bay residents will be able to vote in the council elections from Tuesday. Photo / NZME
Rates affordability and housing are some of the biggest issues Western Bay of Plenty District Council candidates want to address if elected.
Voting in the council elections begins on Tuesday.
Western Bay voters will elect a mayor and nine councillors from three general wards and the district’s first Māori ward, Waka Kai Uru, as well as community board members.
What Local Democracy Reporting asked the ward candidates:
Some responses have been edited for length, clarity or legal reasons.
John Bowden
Bowden is married with five children and lives in Te Puke. The 69-year-old is an events manager for Athletics New Zealand. His relevant local government experience is a World Mountain Running Association council member and former school board chairperson. Bowden is not a member of a political party.
Māori wards: Yes
Amalgamation: Yes
Issue: I believe the biggest issue for Maketū and Te Puke are the current tough economic times, especially for families, retirees and local businesses. I will ensure that council spends wisely and prudently, making every dollar count for the people of Maketū and Te Puke.
Growth: I will listen, with regular meetings once elected, to my community and focus on the basics that will benefit all of us; safer roads, reliable water, fair rates and well-kept and enhanced public spaces. This will ensure a workable balance between growth and our community’s character.
Grant Dally
Dally lives in Te Puke and is married with two children. He has been a mechanical/production engineer and retailer. The 64-year-old has been a Western Bay councillor for nine years and served two terms on the Te Puke Community Board before that. He is not a member of a political party. Dally is also running for mayor.
Māori wards: Yes
Amalgamation: Yes
Issue: I will prioritise completing the Te Puke Spatial Plan, which should be consulted and approved by mid-2026. It’s a blueprint for future development, informing housing, roading, three waters, recreation, productive and business land needs, project planning and funding sources. It will identify possible traffic congestion remedies.
Growth: Greenfield developments add 1,000 houses over 10 years. Limited impact on built character, but roading development lags. More people alters community ambience but makes retail and service sectors more viable. Heritage buildings add character and deserve preservation. Keeping pace with reserve and recreation options will help.
Laura Rae
Rae, 35, has three children, lives in Te Puke and works in environmental restoration. Rae was elected to the Maketū Community Board in 2019, and became its chairperson after being re-elected in 2022. She was elected to the council in the 2024 by-election, and has no political affiliations.
Māori wards: Yes
Amalgamation: Yes
Issue: The council can’t seem to get basic services right so how could we promise extra. Understanding what’s expected in terms of roading, stormwater, street cleaning. Making sure we get what we are paying for and adjusting where necessary. Addressing inequality between the east and west.
Growth: Community character is at the heart of most rural communities, and needs to be retained. Pushing for: by local, for local. Social procurement is one way to achieve this making sure that those working in our public spaces are local, people who have more pride in what they do because they live there too.
Manvir Singh Mann
Singh Mann is 22 and lives in Pāpāmoa. He is an assistant orchard manager with no local government experience yet. Singh Mann is already elected unopposed in the Eastern Community Board Subdivision of the Te Puke-Eastern Community Board. He is not a member of a political party.
Māori wards: Yes
Amalgamation: Yes
Issue: The biggest issue facing Te Puke/Maketū is traffic congestion, driven by rapid growth. I’ll advocate for urgent investment in safer roads, better public transport, and infrastructure that supports commuters and local industry. I’ll also promote inclusive community planning that respects our area’s cultural diversity and values.
Growth: Balancing growth with community character means smart, sustainable planning. I’ll support development that meets local needs while protecting Te Puke/Maketū’s rural charm, cultural heritage, and environment. Working closely with iwi, residents, and developers, I’ll ensure growth enhances - not replaces - what makes our community unique, vibrant, and proud of its identity.
Shane Beech and Andy Wichers did not respond.
Drew Cowley
Cowley lives in Te Puna and is married with three adult children. Aged in his 50s, Cowley spent more than 20 years in corporate supply chain management and is currently a consultant. Cowley said he has not been an elected official but has worked in community advocacy for several years and dealt with many councils. He is not a member of a political party.
Māori wards: Yes
Amalgamation: Yes
Issue: The pressing challenges of development and housing affordability demand our immediate focus. We need to be proactive in exploring diverse funding options, examining developer levies, central government support, reasonable user fees. By doing so, we can lessen the financial burden on ratepayers and secure a better future for our communities.
Growth: Staying focused on our community and actively listening to its needs is crucial with growth. I am passionate about cultivating dynamic and constructive relationships that drive significant change, paving the way for a brighter future for our communities. Together, we can maintain our unique character along with growth.
Tracey Coxhead
Coxhead is married with four adult children. She lives in Te Puna and is a financial adviser. Coxhead is serving her first term as Western Bay councillor and is a member of New Zealand First. She said party politics have no place in local government.
Māori wards: No
Amalgamation: Yes
Issue: Ratepayers expect critical infrastructure to be delivered on time at a high standard and within budget. Our new chief executive will need to have a laser focus on cost savings, operational cost savings and unnecessary or wasteful spending. Our ratepayers do not want unaffordable rate rises.
Growth: We need to plan carefully, and with Government-dictated standards, we have a risk that cheaper builds could dominate local communities. We need to ensure there are still incentives for quality builds, in keeping with our beautiful beach, and lush green location. This is the sunshine capital of New Zealand.
Chris Dever
Dever, 70, lives in Ōmokoroa and is married with two adult sons. He held executive positions in government and the private sector during his career. He chairs the Ōmokoroa Community Board and has never been a member of a political party. He is running for the Ōmokoroa–Kaimai Community Board.
Māori wards: Yes
Amalgamation: Yes
Issue: Over the past few years, Western Bay ratepayers have been subject to rate rises that significantly exceed inflation. The biggest challenge is to make sure rates are spent wisely. Council must focus on the basics, water, roads, rubbish and reserves. These need to be managed in an affordable way in the short term and sustainable in the long term.
Growth: High-growth communities have not had time to develop infrastructure more established communities have. Council needs to ensure these growth communities are supported with great transport, and facilities to ensure they thrive and live up to promises made at concept planning.
Graeme Elvin
Elvin is married with four adult children and lives in Te Puna. He was a former partner at Mackenzie Elvin Law, and is a consultant and professional trustee. His local government experience includes regular engagement in local government processes from a legal perspective and as a former board chair of Bay Venues. He is not a political party member and said he had not had party affiliations for years.
Māori wards: Yes
Amalgamation: Yes
Issue: We, the ward and wider region, need a strong, co-ordinated council staff and organisational culture starting with appointing the right chief executive. Then rebuilding community trust with robust discussion and good communication. We do not need another ContainerCo. It is also about managing needs and costs with a fresh perspective.
Growth: Farming, horticulture, cultural sites and explosive housing growth in tension is difficult. Provide accurate information, stimulating genuine conversation. People won’t always get what they want, but they need to feel and be heard. Trust the community. Make bold, informed decisions, provide certainty and defend decisions. Be honest, humble, and transparent.
Margaret Murray-Benge
Murray-Benge, 83, lives in Bethlehem with her partner. She has three adult children. The majority of her career has been in local government. She was elected to the Waimari District Council in 1977 and has also been elected to the Canterbury United Council and Christchurch City Council. She was first elected to the Western Bay of Plenty District Council in 2004. Murray-Benge is a National Party member and is also standing for mayor.
Māori wards: No
Amalgamation: Yes
Issue: The biggest issue facing the ward is the same as the biggest issue facing the whole district, namely rates that are increasing very much more quickly than incomes. That’s the reason I’m also standing for mayor; I want to drastically cut council bureaucracy and wasteful spending.
Growth: The Kaimai ward, and indeed Western Bay as a whole, will be primarily a fruit-growing and agricultural area for as long as anyone alive today lives. But we must not unduly restrict the land available for houses if housing is going to be affordable to all our ratepayers.
Don Thwaites
Thwaites lives in Te Puna and is married with three adult children. The 63-year-old is a contractor, orchardist, director and is serving his sixth term as a Western Bay councillor. He has no political affiliations and is also running for mayor.
Māori wards: Yes
Amalgamation: No
Issue: Managing growth and future land use. The Kaimai ward surrounding Tauranga is facing change. Subdivision opportunities are part of a spatial planning exploration. There is pressure for urban / lifestyle expansion in the Ohauiti, Oropi, Pyes Pā, Tauriko, Te Puna and Whakamārama areas. Council needs to listen to the residents’ views in all areas.
Growth: Managing the balance of the above pressures versus current use requires the opportunity for all views to be scoped, detailed and any future decisions made based on evidence. Lifestyle of current residents and protection of the environment are paramount considerations.
Danielle Borell-Faa’soo, Murray Grainger and Destiny Leaf did not respond.
John Clements
Clements lives in Katikati and is married with two children. The 74-year-old is a leadership and operational consultant. He is the chairman of the Katikati Community Board and is serving his second term. He said no political party is endorsing his campaign. Clements is also running for a Katikati Community Board seat.
Māori wards: This is a referendum issue
Amalgamation: Yes
Issue: The cost of living for ratepayers is a significant challenge. The ratepayer experienced a 33% increase in rates in the last three years and ratepayers face more unaffordable increases to come. Local Water Done Well is adding to the cost burden. We need to focus on the essentials, zero-based budgeting, and financial discipline.
Growth: Council is a capital-intensive organisation with $1b in assets and a $143m budget. We need appropriate governance skills. I have worked in capital-intensive industries, served on boards, and consulted on organisational efficiency locally and internationally, including turnarounds. It is balancing asset management, growth and rates.
Andy Earl
Earl, 58, lives in Katikati and has a teenage daughter. He works in insurance and trained as a mortgage adviser. He is on the Katikati community board and has also been on the Open-Air Arts and Katikati Rugby Club committees. He has no political party affiliations.
Māori wards: No
Amalgamation: Yes
Issue: We have a large population of fixed-income residents, i.e. retired. Rates are becoming unsustainable. More work needs to be done to keep any increase in line with consumer price index, or close to. A 15-20% increase every year would not bode well for the future.
Growth: Numerous things… but local roading is high on my list. Katikati currently has 400 trucks and trailers going through town every day. With the Te Puna container storage looking like it may proceed, that’s up to another 700 more going through town. That makes it very hard for the town area to grow.
Rodney Joyce
Joyce lives in Katikati with his partner and young son. The 59-year-old also has two adult children. He is a company director and has been a local government and financial journalist. He is serving his first term as a Western Bay councillor. Joyce said he was a member of the National Party years ago, but it was short-lived. He is also running for mayor.
Māori wards: Yes
Amalgamation: Yes
Issue: The biggest issue is high rates. We need to greatly increase the focus and efficiency of the council to cut costs and help ease the cost-of-living crisis. Housing costs are too high, and council costs are contributing too much to this.
Growth: We need more houses so it will mean a mixture of intensification and green fields development. Strengthening the town centres and ensuring access to parks and reserves will help preserve amenities for residents.
Allan Sole
Sole lives in Athenree and is married with one adult child. He has been a business owner and manager for more than 50 years. He did two terms as the chairman of the Waihī Beach Community Board and has been a councillor for four years. Sole said he does not represent any political party and sees no place for political parties in councils.
Māori wards: No
Amalgamation: No
Issue: Affordability, housing, infrastructure, safer communities, and residential home care. I would like to encourage smoother, less expensive processes to build housing and infrastructure. The rapid growth of those needing residential home care is not planned for and needs to be in our spatial plans.
Growth: Manage and balance are the key words. I would encourage higher-density housing on the outer edges of the current urban areas and not destroy the old 60s feel that people come to Waihī Beach for. You would never change the French Quarter of New Orleans, why make Waihī Beach like Mount Maunganui?
Wayne Stevenson
Stevenson lives in Waihī Beach and is a former police officer. He is currently on the Waihī Beach Community Board. Stevenson is not a member of a political party. He is also running for a seat on the Waihī Beach Community Board.
Māori wards: Yes
Amalgamation: Yes
Issue: It’s the same issue for the entire Western Bay, controlling our rates. We start by selecting the right chief executive to best run the business of our council. Only then can we focus on managing our basic levels of service on what needs to be a tight budget.
Growth: Whether we are consciously aware of it or not, our community’s character is dependent on the strength of our economic growth. Therefore, I believe we should keep supporting initiatives from Katikati’s horticultural and agricultural industries and Waihī Beach’s tourism development.
Candice Thomas did not respond.
Candidates Suaree Borell, Carlton Bidois and Darlene Dinsdale did not respond to the questionnaire.
- LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.