I bring visibility, experience and forward-thinking to the mayoralty. 

We need leadership that unites the District and doesn’t divide one part of the community from another. The mayor needs to be visible everywhere in the District and be available to the community. 

We also need leadership that knows the community through the deep involvement in a wide range of community groups that I have had. 

As Mayor I would know what I am doing.  I offer 21 years’ experience as a Councillor, including six as Deputy Mayor and twelve chairing finance committees.  This experience will enable me to cope with the challenges of growth and with a changing local government environment.  

Waimakariri is a great place.  I will bring to the mayoralty the forward-thinking that will enable us to work together to make it an even better District in which to live, do business and farm. 

Go to davidayers.wordpress.com

Top 5 Issues

1. Large parts of Kaiapoi, The Pines and Kairaki have taken a real hit from the earthquake. The top priority is to get people back in their homes and to get communities back together again. That means not only getting the water, sewers and roads fixed but also working with Government agencies to make it as easy as possibe for people to start rebuilding. Another challenge will be to get the business centre of Kaiapoi back to full health.
2. The need for a clear vision of where this District is going. Waimakariri has long been one of NZ's fastest-growing districts and needs a stronger sense of direction.
3. A mayoralty that is visible. Community leadership involves being out there where people can find you.
   
   There is also a need for leadership that unites the District and encourages a sense of community. The futures of our rural and urban communities are bound up together. Community facilities must be paid for across the District.
4. An unfair rates structure that penalises some sectors of our community. The whole structure needs to be re-examined and reformed. There also needs to be greater transparency about rates. It is simply not good enough to trumpet a 3.8% "äverage" rise and not warn those with 10% or 11% rises what is coming in their rates bills.
5. A range of local infrastructral and development issues: the Ashley (Cones Road) and old Waimakariri bridges, the centres of Kaiapoi and Rangiora, the future shape of Woodend's town centre, the problems with the Oxford sewerage system, traffic issues in a number of places,catering for the demand for rural living and so on.

Personal Profile

The best place to find out about me is on my blog: http://davidayers.wordpress.com  If you go to there, you can see the way I think.

Past Council Career 

• Deputy Mayor to Mayor Janice Skurr for two terms, 1995-2001
• Elected to Rangiora Borough Council 1983.
• Re-elected to Rangiora District Council 1986.  Chairman of Finance Committee.
• Along with Mayor Trevor Inch, Rangiora representative on Canterbury United Council 1986-89.
• Elected to Waimakariri District Council 1989.
• Re-elected to Waimakariri District Council 1992, 1995, 1998. Chaired Finance Committee 1989-1995 and Audit Committee 1998-2001.
• At various times Council representative on the Matawai Park Advisory Group, Rangiora Airfield Advisory Group, Keep Rangiora Beautiful, Kaiapoi Electricity Committee, Ashley-Rakahuri Rivercare Group.
• Secretary of Rangiora Ward Advisory Group from 1992 to 2001. 

Current Council Involvement

• Member of Audit Committee and Resource Management and Regulation Committee.
• Successfully undergone Resource Consent Hearing training with Ministry for the Environment.
• Chair of Waimakariri Road Safety Coordinating Committee.
• Council representative on Waimakariri Community Arts Council.
• Waimakariri representative on Canterbury Regional Transport Committee.
• Waimakariri representative on the implementation committee of the Greater Christchurch Urban Development Strategy.
• Waimakariri representative on three ECan River Rating District committees.
• Waimakariri / Ashley representative on ECan Gravel Extraction Committee.
• Council representative on Southbrook Community Sports Club Committee.
• Council representative on North Canterbury Museums Group. 

Current Community Involvement

• Rotary Club of Rangiora – president 2009-10.  Formerly treasurer.
• Rangiora Methodist Parish (part of Waimakariri Shared Ministry, which also includes parishes in Kaiapoi and Oxford) – Parish Secretary, formerly chair of WSM Committee.
• Ashley-Rakahuri Rivercare Group – treasurer since inception.
• Rangiora Community Watch – foundation member.
• Waimakariri Art Collection Trust – chairperson.
• Waimakariri Civil Defence – alternate controller.
• North Canterbury Radio Trust (Compass 104.9FM).
• Ashley Community Church restoration committee.
• Rangiora Landmarks group.
• Peer Support Trust of New Zealand – outgoing treasurer.
• Rangiora & Districts Early Records Society – museum attendant.
• North Canterbury Musical Society – patron. 

Education and Teaching Career

• University of Canterbury – double-major BA in Geography and History followed by MA in History.  Post-graduate Diploma of Education.
• Christchurch Teachers’ College Diploma.
• Taught at:    
  • Mairehau High School 1971-83, becoming Head of History.
  • Cashmere High School 1983-1996 – Head of Social Studies and History, then Assistant Principal.
  • Rangiora High School 1996-2005 – Assistant Principal, then Deputy Principal.
  • Christchurch College of Education (which became a College of the University of Canterbury) 2005-2007 – teacher adviser.
  • As a teacher, coached cricket, hockey and debating for many years. 

Personal

• Born in Christchurch 1947.  Moved to Rangiora in 1976.  Ayers family ancestors arrived in Woodend in 1858 – also descendant of the Judson and Gibbs families, likewise early Woodend settlers.
• Married to Marilyn 1969, formerly a teacher at Rangiora High School.
• Two adult sons, Matthew and Daniel, who attended Rangiora Borough and Rangiora High Schools before going on to the University of Canterbury. 

Interests 

• Matters historical – reading, research, building conservation, etc.
• Photography.
• An old car – 1968 Ford Corsair 2000E.
• Anything to do with the Waimakariri District!
• And a story:  one of my teaching colleagues, wondering what to do with a piece of junk-mail, was told by another, “give it to David – he’s interested in everything!”