Councillor communications

How long have you been a councillor and which ward do you live in?

This is my first term and I live in Featherston.

What inspired you to stand as an elected member for South Wairarapa District Council?

A strong desire to demystify local government. I campaigned to be approachable, accessible  and inclusive because I felt that local government sometimes makes people feel they need a degree in it to engage because of the language and the size of documents.

I really want to make local government feel like something the average person can  meaningfully engage in.

What achievement are you most satisfied with as an elected member?

The transition in how we engage with the community, such as with the Featherston Masterplan and the Enhanced Annual Plan. We recently hosted the community Walk and Talk Event, visited coastal communities and hosted events for youth. We had workshops to foster and encourage conversation rather than push information at people. I feel proud of that transition because it speaks to those approachable, accessible and inclusive goals of mine.  

The other satisfying thing was being part of recruiting our new chief executive, Janice Smith. The skills and experience she brings are already having outstanding results.

What’s surprised you most about being part of council?

The complexity of the issues we deal with. It often seems that there must be a straightforward answer but we have to look for the unintended consequences. I’ve been pleasantly surprised by how passionate and willing community members are to be involved.

Where were you born and bred and where do you consider home?

I was born and raised in Upper Hutt and lived there all my life until four years ago. Today the South Wairarapa is very much home. It’s my happy place.

There’s a corner you turn on the Remutaka Hill Road and this incredible view opens up. It feels like coming home.

What do you most love about the South Wairarapa?

The people. I thought it would take a long time to make close connections but it only took  two weeks before even my children were saying ‘Mum, people here are so friendly.’ The small town vibe has been incredibly warm. People are willing to pitch in, fundraise and step in when they see people or the town in need.

The lovely weather and beautiful scenery are also close to my heart.

Where is your favourite place in the South Wairarapa and why?

Lake Ferry. The scenery is so changeable and beautiful. The ocean can be quiet and serene or churning and breath taking.

What do you think is the best thing about living in the South Wairarapa?

I was blown away by how many community and sports groups existed when I moved to Featherston. For a small community, it has a lot of variety.

If you could live anywhere else in the world, where would it be?

Somewhere warm by the ocean.

What is your ideal meal and where would it be?

Anything cooked by somebody else and eaten in the company of family and close friends with good conversation and lots of laughter.

Who is your hero in real life?

My mum. She had incredibly good humour and advocated for the people she really cared about. She was diagnosed with lung cancer the day I was sworn into council. She navigated that time with such good humour, courage and grace.

Which writer do you most enjoy?

I love Agatha Christie. I am amazed and intrigued by how her mind created not only so many stories with so many twists and turns but also the wicked characters. She seemed to have been a lovely person and yet she created characters who were definitely not.

How do you unwind and relax?

With family and friends, generally over delicious food and lots of laughter.

How long have you been a councillor and which ward do you live in? 

This is my first term and I live in Greytown.  

What inspired you to stand as an elected member for South Wairarapa District Council? 

I had a bad accident at home and it sparked my community involvement because of the incredible generosity of people in the community. People I had never met before brought food and drink around and one guy even came round to mow my lawns. The whole experience and generosity was incredibly humbling. I don’t think it was because of me being Martin Bosley, the chef. It is how communities are in the South Wairarapa. I’ve always been interested in politics but never had any pretensions of being in politics or local government until I experienced that generosity. So I stood and got voted in, which surprised me.  

What achievement are you most satisfied with as an elected member? 

I’ve worked hard for the memorial building in Stella Bull Park in Greytown to be kept for community. It’s a great space for the community as an art gallery and good to know it will stay that way. I’m also a big fan of the heritage vision in Greytown where residential and commercial properties can exist side by side. That’s something I feel quite passionate about. 

What change would you like to see? 

I would like us to think more in terms of being a district when we make decisions. We’ve got to stop thinking in terms of these three silos of Greytown, Featherston and Martinborough. They are part of the same district and we have got to think about them all as part of the same place.  

What has surprised you most about being part of council?  

The sheer number of things the council looks after from libraries and swimming pools to infrastructure. I’ve also learnt that there’s a process to bringing change and it requires patience.  

Where were you born and bred and where do you consider home?  

I was born in the United Kingdom, raised on the Kapiti Coast from the age of seven and moved to the Wairarapa six years ago. This is home now and I love it.  

Where is your favourite place in the South Wairarapa and why? 

The countryside. I go fly fishing in the river with my dog and within 10 minutes of leaving my front door, I’m there in the Waiohine River. There are very few places on earth where you can do that.  

If you could live anywhere else in the world, where would it be? 

The Dordogne in the south of France. I love it. If you’re into food and wine, it’s the place to be. Gascony is its heart and soul and is home to all the things I like about food. Duck confit, truffles and all incredibly simple. Some of the best meals of my life have been there.  

What is your ideal meal and where would it be? 

Roast chicken with very buttery mashed potatoes and squeaky green beans with lots of butter. And lemon tart for dessert.  

Who is your hero in real life?  

My daughter. She embodies courage, resilience and love. Through her actions, she inspires me to be my best self, every day. She demonstrates strength and kindness beyond her years. Her unwavering support and belief in me ignites a fire within, motivating me to pursue my dreams and face life’s obstacles with determination. She reminds me of the beauty in simplicity and the power of unconditional love. In her presence, I find solace, hope and the true meaning of heroism.  

Which writer do you most enjoy?  

Marcus Aurelius, revered stoic philosopher and Roman Emperor. His profound insights on life, virtue and resilience resonate across centuries. 

How do you unwind and relax?  

Walking the dog by the river.  

The South Wairarapa district covers over 2300 square kilometres. We have an extensive roading network that comprises of;

• 63km of urban roads
• 340km sealed roads
• 261km of gravel Rural roads
• 10x timber bridges
• 68x concrete bridges
• 30km of culverts
• 643km of rural water tables.

Our roading budgets is planned on a three yearly basis so our current roading budget has remained untouched for three years now. In this time, we’ve faced an unprecedented amount of rain along with severe weather events. This has put strain on our roading network as we’ve struggled to keep up with the repair and maintenance of these effects.  

We are fortunate that Cape Palliser Road is a Special Purpose Roads (SPR) and receives 100% assistance rates from NZTA Waka Kotahi (NZTA). Cape Palliser Road has been an SPR since September 1997 and is the only SPR in the Wairarapa. Councils also receive a 51% subsidy from NZTA for routine maintenance and renewals.

In October 2023, Council officers prepared a new three-year transport budget which was submitted to NZTA. This plan considered the feedback that Council had received over previous years from our communities, as well as Community Boards and Councillor’s that the level of investment in our roading networks needed to increase. 

Council spent $5.99m on roading in 2023-24. The proposed three-year transport plan expects to see the 2024-25 financial year receive $10.41m. This is a significant and necessary increase.

We know that roading is important to our communities, so Council did not include this in the Enhanced Annual Plan consultation. The increased roading budget was factored into the proposed total rates increase that was consulted on.

We won’t find out know if the transport plan will be approved by NZTA until September this year however if Council is successful in receiving the increased funding, there will be an increase in work over the coming years across our roading network. This includes additional;

• pothole reduction and sealed pavement maintenance and renewals
• grading and pavement maintenance and renewals
• culvert inspection was water table cleaning
• bridge and retaining wall maintenance
• signage and lighting also for increased vandalism.