The new Mayor and councillors have signed up for the next three years, and time now time to roll sleeves up leading into Christmas.
For those who live in the greater New Brighton area and don’t know, there are two city councillors the re-elected Celeste DONOVAN (Coastal) and newbie Kelly BARBER (Burwood).
The local Community Board has been extended to include Linwood east bringing longest serving city Councillor Yani JOHANSON into our mix and adding weight to Council decisions in favour of this side of town.
There are new faces on the expanded Community Board and these include Alex HEWISON (studying law and international relations at University) at the time of his election at 18 years old, the youngest in the country in such a role. He represents the Coastal area along with community activist Jo ZERVOS
Burwood has a fresh voice in Greg MITCHELL (NZ Wheelblacks coach) and sees the return of the colourful Tim BAKER (New Brighton Museum board chair and real estate agent etc).
From Linwood come the newly elected chair of the combined Linwood, Burwood, Coastal community board in Paul McMAHON (public health worker) and vice chair Jackie SIMONS (Pharmacy Technician/Naturopath).
Their challenges will be to find ways to engage with a greater range of residents from those not on Facebook or the internet to the TikTok generation.
All will provide their best contact details and trying hard to be visible in the community.
The message to ‘keyboard warriors’ is to engage with one of these representatives with your views as they represent the first port of call for council decisions.
Or better still get along to a community board meeting to air your opinion, otherwise watch the streamed meetings (council and community board) on YouTube at your convenience.
In respect to the very important role ECAN play in our daily lives (manage the use and quality of our natural resources, including water, land and air also flood protection, public transport, Civil Defence, and more), mention should be made of our representatives the long-life battery driven David EAST and newcomer and web designer Joe DAVIES.
Catch up with one of these people, they are there to do their best for you.
It is an exciting time in the Coastal ward and the Christchurch east in general, there are many things happening and quite a few more projects will be starting or coming to fruition next 12 months.
2023 is the year…