Watch NZH Local Focus: Stratford Mayor says region not dying

Stratford - a small town in the Taranaki region with just under 9000 people according to the last census.

The Maxim Institute just published a report saying its population is likely to stagnate or decline over the next three decades.

Stratford's mayor disagrees.

"I've had an opportunity to have a quick look at the report, and to be honest I don't agree with quite a lot of what I've read to date. If it's all doom and gloom like the report suggests, it certainly doesn't feel like that in reality," says Neil Volzke, Mayor of Stratford.

He says Stratford and the Taranaki region as a whole has got plenty to offer. Including a new honey industry.

"Taranaki as a whole is developing a regional strategy as we speak and later this year we will come up with a regional economic development strategy," says Mr Volzke.

He also says that even though young people move away, they have plenty of reasons to come back.

"What's attracting people back to the region is its affordability and its lifestyle. Our house prices in the last 12 months have gone up quite considerably, something like 13 percent alone last year but housing is still very affordable," says Mr Volzke.

But there is one thing alone he is proud of in the district.

"There are no traffic lights and I'm very proud of that. It will always be the case," says Mr Volzke.

With a new industry under its belt, Stratford may yet surprise the institute predicting its decline.

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