Community board meeting
All but one member of Te Awamutu and Kihikihi Community Board is standing for re-election.
Sally Whitaker
Sally Whitaker, who was elected to the board in 2022 after sharing disillusionment with central government overreach into local government matters, told The News she will not be standing for re-election.
“Having been on a seesaw for a while now, I will not be standing,” she said.
Whitaker’s comments come just months after board chair Ange Holt complained to the council’s Strategic Planning and Policy Committee that the majority of the board’s advocacy had been “dismissed, delayed or just ignored”.
Holt had previously told The News that she was unsure about seeking re-election but has since confirmed she will stand for a fourth term.
Te Awamutu and Kihikihi Community Board 2022-2025, from left: Bruce Thomas, Kane Titchener, Ange Holt, Sally Whitaker, Lou Brown, Jill Taylor, John Wood.
Ange Holt
Holt’s deputy, Kane Titchener, who had previously expressed frustration at the lack of council consultation and announced he was not standing, has changed his mind.
“I believe that there will be a change of leadership within the council which, will hopefully lead to a more consultative approach where the community board will be listened to more,” Titchener told The News.
Asked for examples, Titchener said he was concerned with sports ground leaseholders having control taken away by the council.
“Council staff asked the community board to gather information from the leaseholders which, I did,” he said.
Kane Titchener
“There was a large majority of leaseholders that wanted to maintain control. This appears to have been ignored by council staff with the push to take control still on their agenda.”
He listed the lack of consultation over artwork and design work at both the Te Awamutu Skate Park and Te Awamutu and Districts War Memorial Park which were completed without community board involvement.
“In one instance we were asked for our approval after the metal design work was created for the three bridges in the memorial park,” he said.
The board has also not been consulted on location and type of playground.
Jill Taylor
“We could have made suggestions to improve the outcomes for example, having a fenced playground at Kihikihi.”
The state of Te Awamutu signs is also a regular topic at board meetings but had not gained traction with council staff, Titchener said.
“The community board has requested the signage to be cleaned around the towns, particularly the entrances to the towns. This suggestion has been ignored.”
Titchener said there had been very little support or engagement from the council on the board’s clean-up day and concerns around fluoridation had not been dealt with.
John Wood
Titchener said he was still waiting to see chief executive Steph O’Sullivan about the fluoridation issue.
“The election will deliver new people that will hopefully drive change through the council.”
Fellow board members Jill Taylor and John Wood also plan to stand for re-election.
