In the build up to the October local government elections, Central Otago residents are stepping out to make themselves heard.

A ratepayer group is being formed in the Teviot Valley, and also a new Central Otago residents and ratepayers Facebook forum is aiming to get 10,000 members.

The region’s ratepayers were also invited to a public meeting in Alexandra last Saturday where Challenging Councils NZ representative Mark Quinn spoke.

Posted on the recently-formed Central Otago Residents and Ratepayers Forum on Facebook, Mark covered topics relating to council operations and obligations, and described his platform as about “people not politics.”

Currently based in Roxburgh, Mark said he travelled New Zealand teaching people to challenge councils, and made some big claims about what he believed was “corporate communism’’.

He was one of 78 leaders throughout the country as part of the Challenging Councils NZ, and although based in the Teviot, Mark said he was not part of the new Teviot Valley Residents and Ratepayers group.

When contacted, he said about 50 people attended his meeting on Saturday, but feedback from those attending was mixed.

One person on the residents Facebook forum said the address was vague and lacking in sufficient detail when it came to proposed solutions, while another said some members of the audience displayed a level of disrespect toward Mark by interrupting his presentation and

setting out their view on its value.

Central Otago Residents and Ratepayers group Facebook page founder Bill Sanders said he applauded what Mark was doing “and any attempts to take on councils.”

The online forum had only been formed since February 10 and currently had 233 Facebook members, but group admins were aiming for 10,000, Bill said.

Invercargill Mayor Nobby Clark has been helping the Teviot form a new ratepayer group. FILE SHOT

Meanwhile, founder of the Teviot Valley Residents and Ratepayers Norman Marsh has met with Invercargill Mayor Nobby Clark to get some help with governance.

Norman said he spent an intense 2.5 hours with the southern mayor who had given him some great ideas about how to move things along.

It was agreed the Teviot ratepayer group should either merge or at least work together with the Central Otago forum on Facebook.

Central Otago Mayor Tamah Alley told The Central App she was aware of a number of residents/ratepayer groups forming in our area and thought it was great that people were engaged and interested, “even if some of it is because they are not happy.”

She said those types of groups were not unique to Central Otago or even New Zealand, “and there is a lot bubbling away in the background for democracy right now, regardless of political leanings.”

None of the groups had yet invited her to address members, but she was more than happy to come along, “and I might have a few more insights to what is happening locally than a mayor from another region. I would welcome the opportunity to speak with people directly.”

She said being an election year she was hopeful that many people from a wide variety of backgrounds would consider standing in their community.

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