A year into her first term as Ashburton mayor, Liz McMillan is navigating a political landscape that looks very different from when she was elected.
McMillan's first year as mayor has had twists and turns – largely shaped by Government reforms that could change how local government operates – but with 19 years in local government, she says “not much surprises me”.
“The political landscape has certainly changed, with issues such as Head Start and wider local government reform creating challenges that many of us would not have anticipated, as well as dragging time, money, and focus from other important council business,” McMillan said.
“Regardless of what is happening nationally, my job is to ensure our community's voice is heard and that we continue pushing for the best outcomes for our residents.”
Uncertainty from the ongoing Simplifying Local Government reforms, proposing to abolish regional councils and amalgamate district councils into unitary authorities, comes as Ashburton prepares its next 10-year long-term plan – a blueprint for the district's priorities and spending over the next decade.
“It's probably the most important plan that I have been involved with, and given the government reforms, it could be the final one completed under this council.
“I think it's crucial that the community's priorities for the next 10 years are clearly laid out and communicated to whoever and whatever comes next.”
On top of local government reform, councils are also factoring in an impending rates cap which “will be tough, given that the daily cost of doing core council business continues to rise”.
“We're already asking the hard questions in our budget meetings.
“Roads and pipes are a big focus, and it's likely that we'll be talking to the community about what trade-offs we could make in other areas.”
Also on the horizon next year is completion of the second Ashburton Bridge project that will bring huge benefits for the town, McMillan said.
“Ensuring it’s on time and on budget is one of my big goals.”
McMillan said she had no major regrets from the past 12 months.
“If anything, this year has reinforced the importance of good information and good processes,” she said.
“We're elected to make decisions and while we'll never please everyone, I lead a very capable team that works hard to balance the district's needs and wants.”
McMillan served three terms as councillor, including two as deputy to former Mayor Neil Brown, so had a good understanding of the workload she was facing in the top job but “probably underestimated the amount of time that would be required in the office”.
“I also pride myself on always being approachable, I get people coming up to talk to me at the rugby and the supermarket, and I really value being able to have those one-on-one conversations.”
McMillan took the helm of council with four of the nine councillors being first termers and had been pleased with the way the new council came together.
“It was a priority for me to make sure we had a smooth transition and maintained a sense of continuity from the previous council, and I think we've done that well.”
They are now focussed on delivering the long-term plan, with another potential twist coming – the general election.
With Government reforms having such a major impact in her first year as mayor, she was hoping the election brought “a government that works with councils, not against us, to achieve better outcomes for our communities”.
Top of her wish list was more money for roads in the South Island, especially her district.
“While the Government's investment in the second bridge is very welcome, our relatively small population is burdened with maintaining the fifth largest road network in the country, and I strongly believe we're not receiving a fair share of the available funding.”
