Local Focus: Candidate spurred to stand after rates hikes wants to move people who aren't shopping out of the CBD

Plumbing World sales rep Linda Rowbotham says she has the financial planning and management background to manage Rotorua Lakes District Council and would reduce debt.

Rowbotham decided to stand for council after continued rate increases. She is the most recent candidate to be endorsed by the Rotorua District Residents and Ratepayers group.

Rowbotham says rates rises should be minimised to ensure families can remain in their own homes while debt and spending needs to be better controlled by Rotorua's elected representatives.

"A lot of people are saying they can't afford to stay in their own homes just because of the fact that the rates have become unaffordable. I'd like to see the spending brought down so that you're actually minimising the amount of interest the council are paying on debt."

She also took aim at people using the council's beanbags around the city and Te Manawa area, who she feels should not be there.

"When you drive through there you'll often see on a nice day that there's people lounging
around on the beanbags and some of those people should probably not be there."

Rowbotham went on to explain in her Local Focus video interview that it's not just homeless people who should be moved on but also people not working or shopping.

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