Rob has just completed his second term as city councillor, additional to normal council duties his rolls are; Chairman of Licensing & Permits Hearings Committee, just past Chairman of Safer Napier, representative on Napier Youth Council and member of the RMA Hearings Committee of which he has national accreditation to the level of Chairman for RMA hearings.

He is chair of Safe Communities Napier Working Committee which is made up of representatives from a number of central govt and non govt agencies involved in safety and injury prevention, which has just gained "international safe community status" through the World Health Organisation accreditation process.

Rob is 48, married to Maureen and with 3 teenage boys, current manager of a community trust, past retail business owner for 10 years in Napier.

He is keen to see stormwater upgrades in Greenmeadows and Taradale a priority for council.  

Rob is a passionate Napierite currently volunteering for organisation's such as; Deputy Chairman BOT Taradale High School, Trustee Napier Neighbourhood Support, Past President Ahuriri Sunrise Rotary and Trustee of Heart Children NZ. He also works as a voluntarily business mentor for Business Mentors New Zealand in Hawkes Bay.

He takes a diligent approach to rates spending and believes Taradale as the fastest growing area of Napier requires a well managed, sustainable attitude to development.  Rob is looking forward to working hard for the Taradale ward in the next council term.

Top 5 Issues

1. Stormwater.
   
   We have just had one of the wettest July’s on record in Hawkes Bay; it highlights areas of Napier that are prone to flooding. November last year the $14.5 m cross country drain was opened, it increases security for Napier's stormwater system by connecting with other linear drains - the County, Plantation and Purimu systems. It reduces the flooding risk in existing areas such as Pirimai and other parts of Napier and provides future capacity for urban growth within the city's boundaries.
   Now there is a need to improve the capacity of the Taradale and Greenmeadows main drainage pipes that on flows into the drain. These areas are prone to surface flooding such as the clock tower roundabout, Greenmeadows shops etc. We need to look at this over the next three years and give it priority.
2. Solid waste treatment plant.
   
   Solid waste treatment plant upgrade needs to get underway in the next three years.
3. Marineland.
   
   This situation needs to be sorted out within the next year, NCC have looked at what we can do with Marineland over many years. Whatever we do it will not be same as the bygone years in the 70’s where we saw hundreds of thousands of people through the gates every year.
   
   Council is committed to some sort of use for the site, but as to “wow” factor this maybe a hard ask.
   
   Whatever happens I will be concerned with start-up costs and whether the operation will work profitably on an ongoing basis.
   
4. Maintaining low rate increases.
   
   Napier this year had one of the lowest rate increases in New Zealand. We have been fiscally prudent over the last 6 years and we need to maintain this level over the coming years.
   
5. Sustainable managed urban growth in Napier.
   
   Taradale ward is the fastest growing area in Napier with Te Awa and Parklands urban estates growing, we need to manage such growth.
   

Personal Profile

We truly live in a great city, my family and I moved up to Napier from Wellington in 1996 purchasing a retail business in Emerson St. The primary reason for the shift was for our children to have a full outdoor lifestyle with great weather and just minutes from the countryside we settled in Taradale, vineyards nearby, great schools, wonderful shopping centre and very friendly people, it was an easy move.

I first became a Napier City Councillor at large in 2004 elections, it is an honour and privilege to represent Taradale at council in my second term. 

The first question people have been asking me this year is are you standing again, the simple answer is yes , I really enjoy the role and believe I am making a difference for our citizens.