Hello voters. My name is John Mclean.
The Albany Upper Harbour Local Board which includes Greenhithe has a unique role to play in Auckland's development and in particular how your rates are applied to an ever expanding city. In fact 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 time and Greenhithe is parked neatly in between these two areas. Expansion and population growth must inevitably affect Greenhithe.
Strong lobbying at Council will be needed as with central government and amidst this background certain skills will come to the fore.
Whilst I don't 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 act presently as the Chairman of the Albany Community Board, a member of Albany CoCo (Community Coordinator), past school trustee to Albany Senior High School, past association with NZ Scouting and local Businessman. I am on record for opposing the commercialization of Whenuapai airport.
