I’m standing for election as the Mayor or District Councillor of the New Plymouth Ward.  I’m a Ratepayer of the New Plymouth District who’s very unimpressed with the increase in Rates.  I have the ability to chair the Council meetings and lead the development of the District, without over burdening Ratepayers.  As a New Plymouth District Councillor 1998 – 2001, I was a member of the Monitoring Committee, Policy Committee and Chairwoman of the Social Services Grant Sub-Committee.  I was elected after successfully mobilising community protest action to prevent the proposed radical cuts to Taranaki Base Hospital services.  I hold a post graduate Diploma in Social Policy and Social Work.  I’ll relocate to New Plymouth when elected as I reside in the Wellington Region near my extended family.  I offer you the wisdom of experience and the ability to get a fair deal for everyone.

Top 5 Issues

1. Keep Rates increases within the rate of inflation, so that they will only go up 2 - 3% and be sustainable. This year they increased by over 6%. They are projected to increase by over 6% again next year, over 8% the following year and over 7% the year after that. Such increases are clearly unsustainable and unreasonable.
2. Equalise the Rates. There are groups of low income earners who pay 5 - 6 % of their income in Rates, while others pay only 2 - 3 %. Not everyone is eligible to recieve a Rates Remission because they pay rent, which has the Rates factored into it. Some of these low waged people can't even afford heating even when they recieve all their Income Support entitlements. This situation has to be rectified.
3. Lead the introduction of a local system of Rates Rebates to people who use public transport and non-vehicular modes of transport. I aim to reduce expenditure on roading by encouraging less use of the roading network in urban areas. I aim to provide rural residents with the roads they need to maintain their wellbeing as they do not use many other facilities and serivces of the Council. I aim to find the cheapest and fastest solution to the congestion at the Waiwhakaiho Bridge.
4. Introduce social and economic interventions to reduce the cost of negative social outcomes on the Ratepayers. For example I may reduce expenditure on the cost of restoration work to repair damage caused by vandalism ($500,000.00) by intervening to help the people who commit this offence to change their thinking and their behaviour. I can help attract more events to boost the economy. I was instrumental in assisting the organisers of WOMAD to gain the Council's support to stage WOMAD here. It brings millions of dollars into this District. If I hadn't been there it wouldn't have happened.
5. Give the image of this District a make-over. It needs a fresh face, someone central government wants to talk to, someone who can unblock the corridors of access, keep Rates down and give everyone a fair deal. As your Mayoral Candidate I offer you my full time commitment, the wisdom of experience and my proven ability to help make this District prosper, to lead and to represent your best interests. I'm your opportunity to break this District free from the shackles of tradition. I hope I have your support. Please vote Chantel Hewitt for Mayor and for Council in 2010.

Personal Profile

I'm a daughter of the New Plymouth District, some of my ancesters landed on Pukeariki in the 1800s.  I was born near the Mangaotuku Stream not far form Kawaroa in 1958 and I have lived in New Plymouth on and off for half of my life.  I come from a family characterised by many hard working high achieving people who have a variety of significant disabilities.

My childhood was characterised by the interruptions of numerous relocations around the central north island, as my Father obtained work, how ever we returned and I attended Westend School, Devon Intermediate and Spotswood College. 

My political career began at the age of thirteen in the Open Assemblies of Spotswood College, as my peers asked me to speak on their behalf about our collective dissatisfaction with our uniforms.  At the age of eighteen I was elected PSA Delegate at Kimberley Hospital.  After returning from Palmerston North Teacher's College and Massey University with my daughter, I was elected to the Executive of the Taranaki Branch of the National Council of Trade Unions and elected Chairwoman of it's Taranaki Branch Women's Committee.  Later I was eleceted President of the Waitara Branch of the New Zealand Education Institute.  In 1998 I initiated and lead a programme of community protest action that resulted in the retention of funding and services to Taranaki Base Hospital.  In October that year I was elected to the New Plymouth District Council.  I competently established positive professional rapport with numerous key people and networks.  I won the support of the New Plymouth District Council and established the first Disabilities Issues Sub-Committee and was elected Chairwoman of that committee and the Social Services Grants Sub-committee.  In 2003 I was a member of the Human Rights Commission Reference Group reviewing Tu Tikanga Rights Now for People with Disabilities.

I left the District late in 2003  to take up work in the social services sector, where I have had some funding responsibilities, recruited, trained and supervised staff and volunteers.  I have communicated with top Government officials, mediated and resolved conflicts.  I have competently navigated my way around systemic and attitudinal barriers to access resources for individuals and communities.  I have assisted all the teams I have worked with to achieve top performance results.  I hold an undergraduate Diploma in Teaching, a Bachelor of Education and a post graduate Diploma in Social Sciences endorsed Social Policy and Social Work.

As your Mayoral and Council Candidate I returned to live in the New Plymouth District in August 2010.  I offer you my full time committment, the wisdom of experience and my proven ability to help make this District prosper, to lead and to represent you. The image of this District needs a fresh face, someone central government wants to talk to, someone who can unblock the corridors of access, keep Rates down and give everyone a fair deal.  I'm your opportunity to break this District free of the shackles of tradition.  When I'm elected Mayor I'll be the first person to have been a pupil of Spotswood College to become Mayor of the New Plymouth District.  I'll also be the first solo mother, solo grandmother to become Mayor of the New Plymouth District.  I think I'll be the first mother to have breastfeed her baby for four and a quarter years to become Mayor of the New Plymouth District.  I think you will agree that's exceptional.  I hope I have your support.  Please vote Chantel Hewitt Mayor or Councillor in 2010.