I am married to Janice and we have two sons. I am a company director and have lived in the area for more than 25 years. I am a member of the Papanui RSA, Papanui Club, and a member of Papanui-Redwood Soccer Club. I served in the British Merchant Navy 1975-1983, was on standby for the Falklands War in 1982.

 Living and working in the Shirley-Papanui area and dealing with the council on a day to day basis for clients, I know first hand of some of the frustrations felt by our community over recent council issues.

 I want to bring back the human face of council, and develop policies that the ratepayers of this city deserve.

I believe in capping rates, developing a long term city plan and infrastructure. I believe in an open and honest council debating the true issues with no hidden agendas.

YOUR VOTE, YOUR VOICE.

Top 5 Issues

1. I have called for a 2 year rates freeze on residential rates across the city.
   
   the earthquake will cause a shift in property values and the 2007 rating values are already to high. The new 2010 revaluation being done at present will not take into account the earthquake.
   
   Our rates are between $300 - $500 per property to high, based on these current valuations.
2. CEO Performance - A review into the performance and employment of the Chief Executive Officer. Tony Marryatt seems to have forgotten that he is an employee of the city. It is his relationship with our present Mayor that has led to many of the disasterous decisions made by the present council. I do wonder how a man like this can be worth $450,000 per annum.
3. Credit Cards - Withdrawl of the Council approved Credit Card Scheme. This type of system is wrought with danger for being manipulated and we have seen even in recent days how even the CEO and Mayor have spent ratepayers money on their own needs.
4. Debt Reduction - the bulging debt incurred by the City Ciuncil, especially that incurred with the bail out of Henderson needs to be addressed, together with the increasing expenditure on council buildings it has got out of control.
   
   Independence - There needs to be an independent transparent voice of council, not led by political affiliations, to ensure true open debate on all issues so the council make the right decisions for the city.
5. Rating Valuations and Rates - A review of the rating valuation process and outcomes, and look at either a reduction in rates or the capping of rates across the board. We already have old 2007 rating valuers higher than real market values, and if rating values increase in 2010, we could see people paying rates on values that are at least 20% higher than market values.

Personal Profile

I am married to Janice and we have two sons. I am a company director and have lived in the area for more than 25 years. I am a member of the Papanui RSA, Papanui Club, and a member of Papanui-Redwood Soccer Club. I served in the British Merchant Navy 1975-1983, I was on standby for the Falklands War in 1982.

I believe I am an ordinary man who wants to do an extraordinary job for the people and the city of Christchurch.

When it comes to making decisions I like to see the issue from all angles and then research what are the best scenarios for the issue to hand. I am a thinker, and I like looking outside the square to resolve a problem.

Often we find council staff going down a very narrow pathway, we need to look at the big picture, we are accountable to the ratepayers, and need to have our cards firmly on the table at all times.

I was born in Birmingham England, in 1959, my school days where throughout the West Midlands, I played football, basketball and cricket for the school teams. I left school with good marks in GCSE's and whilst waiting to go to Navy Training College in Kent, worked in a Stainless Steel factory office as a bous clerk.

I went to the National Sea Training College in Gravesend, Kent, where I gained my City & Guilds of London Institutes Certificate in seamanship, fire fighting and catering. Following graduation I was selected by P&0 Cruises to join their fleet, and arrived in Australia to join Arcadia 1976. I served with P&0 on their ships, Arcadia, Canberra, Oriana and Sea Princess, till 1983. I did a shoreline job at the Sydeney Opera House for 4 months in 1978.

I migrated to New Zealand in 1983, and worked in the hotel industry for a while. I was the Restaurant Manager for Cobb & Co Edgeware, and then for a private restaurant in Merivale. I entered real estate in 1985. I have been recognised as one of the top salespeople for a Nationwide Franchise Group.

In 1994 I joined Noel Gillman at Gillman Real Estate as his Corporate Development Manager, where I worked with hime for 7 years. In 2001 I took over as Managing Director of the Gillman Group, and then started my own real estate agency as Premier Realty in 2002.

During my years I have studied: Building and Maintenance, Business Management and Accounting, Business Administration, Resource Management & Town and Country Planning, as well as a number of other courses. I have also served on the Canterbury-Westland District Committee for the Real Estate Institute of New Zealand, and am a current Member of the REINZ and Licensed Real Estate Agent.

In my sporting career, I have been a very good shot, representing the Richmond Working Mens Club Riftle Team for many years, have been a graded champion for the Christchurch Smallbore Rifle Association, a keen footballer, coach and referee of football, as well as a few years coaching cricket at Old Coll's.