Hello my name is Craig Rowley. I am a 50 year old businessman. I own and operate Loot Jewellers.

I have lived in Waimate for the past twenty plus years and served with the New Zealand police for 17 years before returning to my trade as a qualified jeweller.

I am standing for council because I have a passion for the Waimate district and I consider it one of the best areas in New Zealand to live and bring up a family.

I believe Waimate is on the verge of an economic boom with several projects due to start in the near future.

As a council we need to be prepared to take advantage of the opportunities that may come our way.

But we also need to look after our ratepayers and their families with prudent and affordable leadership.

I am a firm supporter of accountability and sensible decision making.

Top 5 Issues

1. Promotion: council need to ensure that there is effect and targeted promotion of the district. We need to ensure that there is signage and information that enhances our area and avaliable attractions. We need to make sure that people are aware of where we are and what we have to offer. I would like to see Waimate become a destiantion for travellers.
2. Sewerage and services: Council needs to be forward thinking with services, planning for future development. Funds need to be set aside to allow extention of sevices to attract building and development of the area.
3. Youth: We need to provide activities and facilities to the youth of town to reduce or eliminate anti social behaviour. These young people are the future of the district and as such need our support. I support the idea of a skatepark in Waimate and beleive that giving the youth ownership of these types of projects is the key to there sucess,
4. Rates: We need to do everything in our power to reduce rate increases. Waimate has a very high population of elderly and fixed income residents. They can not afford the across the board rate increases that have been forced on them in previous years. We need to make sure that rate funds are spend efficently and wasteage is eliminated.
5. Transparent governace: I want to see that decisions made by council are transparent and that ratepayer have all the infomation avaliable to them. That proper consultation is under taken and that ratepayer feed back is listened to and acted upon. That your opinion is valued and taken into account for relevant decisions that council make.

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