Hello voters . My name is John Mclean . I come from a rich Scottish background . I am third generation  kiwi.  My values are conservatism, caution and thrift . My friends just describe me as frugal or something like that , but that doesn't worry me .

But what does concern me is our environment and how we spend the public purse. The Albany Upper harbour  and Dairy Flat  Community Boards have a unique role to play in Auckland's development and in particular how your rates are applied to an ever expanding city. Infact one in three NZer's lives in Auckland . Albany is set to see a further 10,000 citizens over the next 10 years , Hobsonville 10,000 new citizens in 10yrs, but this is balanced by more natural and normal growth in the rural catchment of Coatesville / Dairyflat .  

Community Boards play an important role in the connection of ordinary people to local government . In recent years we have seen the creation of Long Term Council Community Plans (LTCCP) documents which set out tactical and long term strategic plans for your community and indeed Auckland . These documents force local communities to talk to one another and not to work in isolation . Moving forward the new paradigm will be collaboration , working together and ensuring the mutual interests of all are upheld . Strong lobbying at Council will be needed as with central government and amidst this background certain skills will come to the fore.  

Whilst i dont profess to have all those skills i do have specific areas of training . I am a Civil Engineer but i also hold other qualifications in business from Auckland University and Massey University . I relate readily to the needs of infrastructure , new Capital Works programmes and maintenance issues in a largely rural setting . There is a compelling case that as expansion progresses northwards, infrastructure must be established, that roads , footpaths , sewerage and water reticulation is 'matched' with population growth. Transparency in Company accounts or Council Financial reporting structures must reflect actual work done and not endless reports or surveys where nothing is achieved . I support a flat local government structure where reward is offered for outcomes and shortened delivery times for end users or ratepayers . Its all about keeping transactional costs low and getting local government working efficiently.

I have worked on three separate Community Boards over the last 9 years and enjoyed a close association with many local figures and politicians and presently the Chairman of the Albany Community Board , a member of Albany CoCo, past school trustee to Albany Senior High School , past association of NZ Scouting and local Businessman . I am on record for opposing the commercialzation of Whenuapai airport .

Top 5 Issues

1. The intergration of so many diverse interest groups and communities into a single voice. Establishing the management and protocol of Local Boards and Wards into a comprehensive single unit addressing the Long Term Council Community Plan ( LTCCP ) and wishes of its people .
   
   Lobbying for Abany / Dairy Flat at a Council level and National level will become 'par 'for the job or role .That citywide 'ticket' voting does not become the dominant force on Auckland's Council.
   
   We have no need for bureaucracy or layers of local government , just a simple flat structure , responsive and efficient and where rates are pegged to CPI . Auckland now has critical mass , an economy of scale and a mandate to reduce its delivery costs . That is our challenge .
2. Albany and parts of Rodney provide the natural expansion course northwards of an ever expanding Auckland . The Dairy Flat Coatesville subdivision is the natural conduit linking Orewa to Auckland . It also provides a wonderful opportunity to 'green-belt' large tracts of rural land for perpetuity , recreation and that the lessons of the past can be measured out in a comprehensive Plan protecting Auckland's northern reaches for the next generation of young people .
   
   Strategic and tactical planning is needed . Infrastructure established to meet the needs of a commuting public , the northern Park n Ride to Orewa and western Ring Highway completed and the historic rail corridors revisited. Roading heirachy revisited together with other essential infrastructure needs of Sewerage and Water reticulation .
3. A second Harbour crossing is a significant strategic project on its own and is of national importance . Its a biggy !
   
   Too much reliance on one main arterial highway (SH1) through Auckand . If this failed it could have devasting affect to business and commerce where a third of NZ's population is resides .
4. Albany through to Dairyflat / Coatesville are inseparately connected . I believe you cannot look at one without the other . They cannot be viewed in isolation .Forward linkage is the key to avoid duplication of services and infrastructure .
   
   70% of the working population Dairyflat / Coatesville works in the City . The statistics are not too disimilair to Albany / West harbour . This catchment provides discretionary income to the social ammenities of Albany , the shopping facilities of Westfield , a new Library and shortly a new Swimming pool / Aquatic centre adjacent to North Harbour stadium . That the residents of Albany ,West harbour , Coatesville and Dairyflat are convientently positioned to capture these advantages .
5. I am a local businessman with friends, family and clients in Albany ,West Harbour and Coatesville . That it remains the pre-eminent city in NZ , that it is safe for our youngsters and elderly alike .
   
   Having said this the way forward is to listen to everyone, to all users and stakeholders , no one should be exempt that we are able to work together to fashion the interests of rural dwellers and coastal inhabitants with metropolitan Auckland . That the 'supercity ' does not loose its identity or 'heart' and that it listens to its citizens.
   
   That existing documents which address the northen urban limit and Rodneys Rural strategy Plan and the ideals and views of its people are not lost by indiscriminate development or policy that is detrimental to our environment .

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