In just under three weeks until polls close in local government elections Mike Tweed asks voters and community leaders from different walks of life what they want from the next Whanganui District Council.
Homelessness, climate change, water infrastructure and community facilities are recurring areas of concern when talking to Whanganui voters ahead of next month's election.
Rana Aston and Vincent Jordan of mental health charitable trust Balance Whanganui say homelessness is something that needed to be addressed urgently.
"It's been an ongoing issue and the council came to help out with it but kind of disappeared again," Aston said.
She said there was a need for fresh perspectives on the council, but also for more diversity.
Jordan said he would like to see investment in a safe place for people that were without housing.
"Somewhere where they can have their basic needs met - showers, toilets, and a lockup for the possessions," he said.
"I know we can't put everyone in housing and some people don't want to be in housing, but they still deserve the right to be safe."
Age Concern manager Michelle Malcolm said the council's focus needed to be on the Whanganui community, regardless of who was "sitting around the table".
"There is always a focus on business, and yes, we need to have revenue coming in, but we also need to make sure people don't fall through the cracks," she said.
Community House manager Shelley Loader echoed that sentiment.
Tackling homelessness, housing, and facilities for all age groups were at the top of her wishlist.
"Whoever comes in or stays in needs to listen to the people," Loader said.
"There are always going to be issues with increased prices and rates but that will happen under any council that is trying to move forward and make change.
"Everything costs, doesn't it?"
The current council had done pretty well from an environmental perspective, Sustainable Whanganui chair John Milnes said.
"It's difficult for any political group, council or otherwise, to do something about climate change because people are more interested in how fat their wallet is and vote in that area instead.
"To me, all future councils really have to consider climate change as the first port of call whenever they're making decisions."
Loader said it was great to see the elections team at the council were engaging with the public in the lead-up to October 8.
"They are encouraging people from all sectors of the community to vote and downstairs in our foyer there are people available to answer questions.
"They (council) are trying to get a representative vote, which I think is really cool."
Whanganui iwi leader Ken Mair said any future council needed to have a clear understanding of the values of iwi, hapu, and the community as a whole.
"In particular, a central focus around Te Awa Tupua and its health and wellbeing.
"When it comes to social challenges, we need to make sure we have a whanau-centric approach.
"There are some real challenges around housing which we need to deal with."
Whanganui Chamber of Commerce chief executive Helen Garner said the council should be looking at doing more to attract workers and accelerate the supply of affordable housing to accommodate them.
"Invest locally and lobby nationally for transport and infrastructure to facilitate the movement of people from home to their places of work and play, and to move goods efficiently and cost-effectively in and out of the region.
"We would like to see transparency and accountability in all things as a high priority from the get-go and we would like our elected representatives to be actively engaged with us – not just at election times."
Iwi Ngā Wairiki Ngāti Apa had developed more of a relationship with the Whanganui District Council in recent months, chair Pahia Turia said.
Only the northwestern part of its tribal area sits within the council's boundary.
"Now that we are starting to ramp up some initiatives in the council area the need for engagement has increased," Turia said.
"I think the council themselves will acknowledge there's still a lot of work to be done in that space and whether it's a new council or the existing one, there's always an opportunity to do better."
Incumbent mayor Hamish McDouall is being challenged for the mayoralty by Andrew Tripe and DC Harding.
And there are 27 council candidates for 12 councillor spots.
"He (McDouall) went through unopposed last time so I think resetting that mandate and that support from the community is important," Turia said.
"It keeps people honest when others put their hand up."
Meanwhile, Gardner said there were over 4300 employing, rate-paying, and/or GST registered businesses in the Whanganui region.
"From an economic perspective, we would like to see the new council focus on Whanganui as a great place to live and do business."
There was never a wrong time for new blood and new ideas.
"It doesn't mean you have to replace everybody and start again though," Garner said.
"When we vote, it could be on age, or look, or the suburb we live in, but this should be a vote on values where we vote for people who believe what we believe and who support our vision for Whanganui."
Whanganui High School year 13 students Sjoerd Molijn, Nat Kirk and Laura Mackintosh all said they would consider voting in local body elections, although Molijn was concerned not enough effort was put into connecting with potential younger voters.
"It's a really important thing for a community in any town, but I don't think voting is presented well to teenagers.
"I know there was a youth centre proposed but it hasn't been very well advertised. I would definitely push for a more centralised hub for students and younger people."
Kirk said he had began to think more about the possibility of voting, and one issue he was concerned about was the rising cost of hiring venues.
"Places (to play) around Whanganui have ridiculously increased their prices over the past couple of years and it feels more and more like a business."
For Mackintosh, voting was a privilege and one that should be used.
She said she would like to see the return of the Vibe. Music Festival to Whanganui.
"I really enjoyed that, and it was great way to mingle with people from different schools."
Mair said water would be another huge focus for the council.
"We need to challenge the commercialisation of water, but more importantly, we need to sit down and work through the future health and wellbeing of water in general," he said.
Cath Watson at A Gallery said from an arts perspective the council needed to attract artists to Whanganui who were just starting their careers.
"We need to find a way to pull in that young blood, the people who are in their twenties and thirties.
"That's the way Whanganui is going to grow."
Meanwhile, Aston said opportunities for alcohol-free recreation and socialisation, along with "drawing a hard line" on the number of alcohol stores in Whanganui were two things she would like to see pushed.
"That's really important for people because not everyone wants to go to the pub."
Cricket Whanganui general manager Peter Bowman said he had enjoyed really positive interactions with the council over the last six months.
"I'm focusing on growing that relationship so we can improve the facilities up here. We want to build things like our women and girls programme, and that will need work.
"We will fast run out of resources and not be able to do it on our own.
"That means we need that positive relationship to bring us back to those glory days, back to the time when the MCC (Marylebone Cricket Club) played here and when Central Districts teams wanted to come here."
He wanted to continue building that connection, and it didn't matter who was in charge at the council, Bowman said.
"There's the potential for football to get to that next level and rugby will always be a major presence.
"We are all competing for that same dollar, but again, if we are building strong relationships, I think we'll get more positive outcomes on the field."
Garner said people were interested in the upcoming elections.
"We care about our community and think it is the best place to live and do business.
"We are looking for elected representatives that believe the same thing and will champion this cause."
There would inevitably be new councillors after October's election, Mair said.
"I would expect those that make up the council to support the needs and aspirations of the environment, the awa, and us as a community.
"The council is one part of the picture, but from my point of view, they are not the central or main part."
Whanganui District Council's local elections are on Saturday, October 8.
The last day to enrol to vote is October 7.
