Three candidates to contest South Taranaki Mayoralty so far

More toilets, incentives for residents to reduce waste and a new industrial site are all on the cards if Clem Coxhead becomes mayor of South Taranaki.

Clem, who is serving in his first term as a Councillor has announced he is contesting the mayoralty in this year's local government elections.

He is the third person to put his name forward, with current deputy mayor Phil Nixon and local businessman Craig Baylis also standing.

Clem, who with his wife Lene, owns and operates Coffee Mania Cafe in Hāwera, says people need to think outside the box to thrive in the modern world.

Born and bred in South Taranaki, Clem says he prides himself on listening to the people he has been elected to represent.

He was the only councillor to attend all the recent small town master plan hearings around the district, he says.

"How can you make good decisions unless you have heard what the people say?"

Clem says he believes upgrading, and increasing the number of toilets in the district is essential.

"We have increasing numbers of baby boomers who need to use the facilities when they are in town. Sudden and urgent calls of nature are a problem when our toilets are built tough and cold to stop vandals. We need bathrooms with handrails installed, and basic services such as liquid soap and high-speed dryers that always work."

Clem would like to see a new industrial site developed in the district.

"We recently spent quite a few million dollars on a new landfill site outside Eltham that is no longer required. That could become an industrial site as it is ready to go, has sewerage and roading established and all the resource consents. I already know of a business that could move into it."

Clem says the current waste system in the district doesn't encourage residents to reduce their rubbish.

"We currently ask ratepayers to cover the cost of waste and recycling with residents not having any skin in the game. I propose ratepayers continue to pay for the waste and recycling services that go past the gate with the residents paying for the rubbish and recycling they create and put out each week."

The rubbish would be weighed at collection he says, with residents receiving either a bill or a rebate depending on how much they produced.