The Central App asked local body candidates for community boards about their community track record.

When have you stood up for our community? What exactly did you do, who did you bring with you, and what changed as a result?

Here’s how they responded:

Cromwell Community Board candidates respond:

There are ten candidates for four vacancies on the Cromwell Community Board.

Mike Casey:

“I have not yet stood up for my local community of Cromwell, but I have been fighting for New Zealanders for a better energy system. We are seeing tangible and quantifiable results from the work we are doing in terms of reducing barriers for customers to electrify, create and store their own electricity and to be paid fairly for their contribution. My electric cherry farm has become a national example of how we can significantly reduce energy costs for farms, businesses, and households and positively impact balance sheets. As a result, I have raised millions in philanthropic funding to help build our charity, Rewiring Aotearoa, and have seen a huge number of local community groups come to my farm to learn more.”

Anna Harrison:

“This is my ninth year as an elected member of the Cromwell Community Board. I believe that I have stood up for the Cromwell Community throughout that time in many ways. I strive to be a strong and steady representative that seeks to represent the Cromwell community and particularly to advocate for [a] Cromwell voice to be included in decision making about our town. I am particularly proud of the work last year alongside the CCB around the change to a district wide funding model for many council functions and subsequently to the delegations of the board. We brought the community along with us and stood up for making sure the board is kept at the forefront of Cromwell decision making. There is still work to do in this space as the impact of these changes come into effect over this next term. One of the major outcomes has been the development of the Cromwell Endowment Land Investment Strategy. This strategy will help guide the use of the proceeds of the sale and development of Endowment land. It will support decision making to ensure that proceeds are used for the benefit of the Cromwell community and that these benefits consider our current and future population.

Wally Sanford:

“Last year was the year for standing up for our community. Core duties as a board member were firstly understanding the districtisation proposal and the effect it was going to have on community boards and informing the public of what was happening throughout the process. Our board at the time worked really well together in forming a response to council through the appropriate channels. Prior to community board experience, I was involved with setting up the Pisa District Community Group as an incorporated society and was involved with Connect Cromwell, which was a DIA funded five-year community initiative. I've assisted with native planting days and lakeside clean ups, both organised and ad hoc, mountainbike track digging and wilding pine removal. I'm currently on the local Automobile Association District Council. In my role with Connect Cromwell I was involved with seed funding many community groups and initiatives including goal posts for Alpha St and Dustin Park, bike stands along the Lake Dunstan Cycle Trail, timing equipment for the BMX club and disc golf to name a few. I also constructed and installed the trig beacon at the highest point of the Lake Dunstan cycling and walking trail over covid and just prior to the trail opening.”

Jane Smith:

“My track record includes working for CODC as the information and records management lead (retiring at the end of July 2025). In this role I not only provided community members information from physical records in archives, administered official information requests, responded to general information requests, ensured personal and private information was collected, used, shared and managed appropriately, but also assisted residents with advice and/or references to other agencies regarding family histories. The records of our community’s history ‘tell our story’, including the early days of Chinese Miners, and ensuring information on Maori is retained as archival material. I worked alongside CODC staff to ensure our community information and records are accurate, preserved, protected, maintained and appropriately available. Promoting all of the above raised awareness of how important it is to document our history and maintain accurate and complete information.”

Rebecca Anderson, Gerald Duncan, Gary Kirk, Haemia Melling, Travis Muir, and Bill Sanders did not respond.

Vincent Community Board candidates respond:

There are seven candidates for four vacancies on the Vincent Community Board.

Roger Browne:

“I have been pleased over the past six years to support Alexandra’s Central Stories museum. This includes ensuring their Vincent Community Board funding was maintained. This means the museum can stay open seven days a week. 

I have promoted collaboration between the council and Haehaeata Trust for planting projects on council reserves such as the Half Mile reserve.” 

Jayden Cromb:

“In November 2024 a late report was presented to the board recommending the divestment of nearly all of council owned halls in the ward. As chair I facilitated a lengthy debate on the issue and the board came up with its own recommendations based on what it believed the community would accept. While all of those halls still ended up on the list for the Long Term Plan consultation, we still ended up with our recommendations being approved in the end. To achieve this I spent a considerable amount of time around the ward. Formal information evenings, a school, small committees, anyone I could find that wanted to be heard I met with them. By bringing the VCB members and community together we saved the Clyde town hall, railway station and museum. As well as the Ophir, Poolburn, and Becks halls. It was about bringing the community along on the journey to get the result they wanted. Another added benefit of proper engagement and public partnership was 46.8 percent of general submissions and 83 percent of youth submissions coming from this ward. It was a win for everyone involved.”

Martin McPherson:

“My work as a commissioner under the RMA with Plan change 19 decision making process. Future proofing growth in the wider region. Engaged with residents, property owners and developers. I continue to support our heritage sector and lobby for our museums and cultural vitality. Heritage sector and museum staff. Helped secure ongoing funding. Wilding Pines - the Half Mile. I wanted to see better engagement with the local residents and supported a staged approach to the development of this area. I failed but tried to engage with my fellow elected members to work alongside the residents. Not everything you do is successful but you try.”

Karla Sanders

“Since co-founding Sticks ‘n Stones in Central Otago in 2013, I’ve consistently advocated for young people to be genuinely involved in research, evaluation, and bullying prevention. That has meant working alongside them as co-researchers and presenters at national and international events, and advocating directly with government to ensure their voices were heard in shaping policy and practice. Through this work, I’ve also ensured that our community has received funding for programmes including mentoring, leadership, and opportunities for young people to develop and connect.

Beyond this, I’ve contributed to a range of local committees and community groups here in Central Otago. Standing up for our community, for me, has always been about bringing people together, making sure those who are often overlooked are included, and pushing for decisions that reflect the real needs of our district.”

Tony Hammington, Dai Johns, and Jim Moffitt did not respond.

Maniototo Community Board candidates:

There are seven candidates for four vacancies on the Maniototo Community Board, none of whom responded.

Teviot Valley Community Board candidates respond:

There are seven candidates for four vacancies on the Teviot Valley Community Board.

Gill Booth:

“I have a bit of history when it comes to standing up for the “underdog” and for standing up and speaking out against what is wrong. Before becoming a community board member I was involved, with others, in organising the two Groundswell protests in Alexandra. Result. No results.

Myself and a friend organised a Central Otago District rural petition against 3 Waters. A verbal submission was presented to the CODC. Result. No Results. The 600 plus signatories were ignored and dismissed by council. The template submissions were classified as one submission.

I was part of the organisation team for the Groundswell/TPU Southern ‘Stop 3 Waters’ campaign and was part of the team that collected two petitions, one requiring a full public meeting about 3 Waters, and the other to defund LGNZ. These were delivered to the mayor of the time. Result. No results. Hundreds of people were ignored and dismissed. Council wouldn’t hold a ratepayer/residents meeting and dismissed defunding LGNZ.

After being elected for community board, I put out a series of information fliers into nearly every letter box in Teviot Valley. Two results. 1). I was publicly called out by the mayor and two other elected officials for spreading misinformation. Result. 2). Many people learned about the theft of 3 Waters, and the workings of LGNZ and LGFA. Good result. Solicited submissions about the proposed rates increase. Result. Submissions ignored, rates increased by up to 33 percent in Roxburgh and withdrawal of berm mowing. Was called “appalling” by the mayor of the time and censured by my board chairman. Standing up for the ratepayers of Roxburgh was not to be condoned.

Solicited submissions against Districtisation which would be detrimental to our area. Result. Despite Teviot and Cromwell being overwhelmingly against Districtisation it went ahead anyway. Two communities were completely ignored. Presented a verbal submission to council about the LTP, which is detrimental to our area. Suggested 3 Waters be a referendum issue in this year’s local body elections, and spoke against the debt burden. Result. Nothing. When not one councillor stood up in outrage at the “get a reverse mortgage” suggestion by mayor [Tim] Cadogan, and the same deafening silence followed the interim mayor's statement about not being able to afford your rates in two years’ time, I realised that no-one is fighting for the residents and ratepayers of our area of Central Otago, so now is the time to make a stand against the tsunami of debt that is headed our way under the current regime at the head table.”

Curtis Pannett:

“I was fortunate to be appointed to the Teviot Valley Community Board in December 2024 to fill a vacancy. At my very first meeting, we were presented with a list of buildings the council was considering for divestment—one of which was the Millers Flat Hall.

Having grown up in Millers Flat, I, along with many others in the community, was perplexed to see this hall on the list. It's a well-used facility—hosting events two to three times a week—and is widely recognised as a well-maintained and valued community asset. Its inclusion in the potential divestment list raised serious concerns. In response, I worked alongside my fellow community board members and the local hall committee to help prepare the strongest possible submission to council. Our goal was clear: to ensure the Millers Flat Hall continues to be recognised and maintained as a core community asset. As a result the hall was retained.”

Becky Slade, Hayden Smith, Richard Tamblyn, Sue Cain, and Mark Jessop did not respond.