Mayoral Announcement 7 April 2010

Media Statement from David Ayers  Mayoral Candidate, Waimakariri District

 7 April 2010 

Long-serving Waimakariri Councillor, David Ayers, has announced that he is standing for the Waimakariri mayoralty in the elections that will be held in September and October this year. 

“The District is ready for positive leadership that acknowledges the District’s strengths and that will get the District back on the path of sustainable development,“  he said. 

“We need leadership that unites the District and doesn’t divide one community from another or urban residents from their rural neighbours.  While acknowledging that local communities have their own proud histories and may have particular interests, we also need to recognise that District facilities available to all will be financed from across the District,” said David Ayers. 

“The significant developments that have started in this current term of the Council, such as new water schemes for Oxford and Rangiora, and the Dudley Park Aquatic centre, were all initiated in the previous term.  The current leadership came into office determined to delay them and was only forced to back-track under pressure of public opinion.  We are sorely in need of forward-looking leadership,” he said. 

“I believe strongly in this District.  Our two largest towns have a long history of integration with the rural community and we now have a great, if challenging, mix of growing towns and townships, large farms and small holdings, beach settlements and rural-residential communities.  We live alongside internationally-significant braided rivers and wonderful beaches and hill country.  Waimakariri is a District of opportunity and this is why so many are coming to live here. 

“We can work together to make this an even better place to live, do business and farm.” 

Cr Ayers is descended from early Woodend settlers. He is the longest serving councillor in the Waimakariri District, having been first elected to the Rangiora Borough Council in 1983.  He stood down under pressure of work in 2001 and then chaired the Rangiora Ward Advisory Board for six years before being re-elected to the Council in 2007. 

He was Deputy Mayor between 1995 and 2001 and chaired Rangiora and Waimakariri District finance and audit committees for twelve years. 

A former Deputy Principal of Rangiora High School, David Ayers is involved in a wide range of community groups including Rotary, Community Watch, the Methodist Church, Ashley Rivercare, North Canterbury Radio Trust and the Waimakariri Arts Council.  He and his wife, Marilyn, also do duty in the local museum and he is an Alternate Civil Defence Controller for the District.  An interest in the District’s history is reflected in his involvement with the restoration group for the Ashley Community Church and with the Rangiora Landmarks group, which puts commemorative plaques on historic buildings. 

For the past three years he has been running an internet blog at davidayers.wordpress.com that many locals have accessed for information. 

“I see my Council involvement and my Mayoral candidacy as an extension of this service to the community,” concluded David Ayers.\

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 Contact Information: 

Phone:             03 313 6262

Mobile:             027 648 5677

Email:              ayersmd@xtra.co.nz

Blog:                https://davidayers.wordpress.com

Address:          279 High Street, Rangiora 7400