What I will do when you elect me Your Mayor

Voting Nigel Simpson for Mayor is voting for change and better community outcomes.

Change is necessary and I propose change in:

1. Competence at Governance level, all professional governors constructively and deliberately improve their skills.  Do your current City Councillors?

2. Strategic management of rates increases.  Capping is simply good budgeting.

3. Efficient (economical) and Effective delivery of services.

More detail will be provided in future blogs, so come back to be informed:

What I will do:

• I will propose changing the Councillor pay pool into steps which recognise competence and continuous professional development.

• I will make Councillor portfolios more meaningful and connected to what we do.

• I will propose halving the number of Standing Committees (4 to 2).

• I will propose retention of double debate; all decisions go to committee first.

• I will propose halving the six-week Council meeting cycle (6 to 3 weeks), to gain more efficient decision making for those waiting for decisions.

• I will expect Councillor workshops to be meaningful and time efficient.

• I will manage/budget the amount of time Councillors spend in meetings and workshops, to ensure Councillors who are active professionally in business can manage their time. This will also free up their time to work with you to advocate and contribute in your community.

• I will propose a radical change and complete overhaul of the long-term plan.

• I will also ensure that Council controlled grant schemes are contestable and evolve to meet community social and economic need.

• After the Long-term plan is rewritten, new budgets can be drafted, and then rates can be capped.  

• I will listen to you; there are a lot of you with different views, so you may not always get what you were specifically wanting, but you will be heard.

I will work with the CEO to:

• Actively unite the Council governance/management/operations purpose.

• Introduce a continuous improvement regime.

• Ensure agenda reports to include information that properly informs governance

• encourage the bureaucracy to increase efficiency by reducing unnecessary meetings.

• To reduce the bureaucracy and encourage organisation/community partnerships.

I will ensure elected members and staff are there for you, first and foremost.

I have the skills and knowledge to implement change and make a difference; you have the vote that can make a difference. 

If you care, you’ll vote to change the Mayor

This Message is Authorised by Nigel Simpson, Home | Simpson For Napier (simpson-for-napier.co)

Released 0900 06 August 2025