Former Mayor enters race early with an anti-water meter policy
By Alan Tristram
Former Hutt Mayor David Ogden says he will be taking a strong anti-water meter line when he campaigns for the Kāpiti Coast mayoralty next year.
Mr Ogden, a chartered accountant who has homes in Waikanae and the Hutt Valley, says he will also be aiming to cut the steep rate rises which have prevailed on the Coast in recent years.
And he says he will be aiming to reduce the district’s debt levels as he was successful in doing with the Hutt City Council.
Water meters not necessary
On the water meter issue, Mr Ogden says they are ‘not necessary.’
“There is plenty of water in the region,”he says.
“When they put in Transmission Gully they should run a pipeline to the Kāpiti area.” He adds: “There probably needs to be a dam in the area too.”
Not personal
Mr Ogden, who was defeated in a bitter fight in the last Hutt election, stresses that he will not be attacking Kāpiti Mayor Jenny Rowan next year.
“I would honour what she has done,” he says. “It would be more along the line of: It might be time for a change.'”
Strong financial background
Mr Ogden also stresses the Hutt Council’s success under him in keeping rate rises down to just above the rate of inflation — and at the same time reducing debt levels.
This is something he sees as vital on the Coast, with its very high level of elderly people on fixed incomes.
And he says he would take a very close look at the efficiency of the Council and its staff.
23 years local body experience
With 23 years local body experiencebehind him, David Ogden is clearly proud of what he managed to achieve in the Hutt.
And he says he’s ready to go into action on the same lines here.
Former Hutt mayor David Ogden wants to be Kapiti’s next mayor.
Last week the two-term mayor, defeated in 2010, confirmed he is eyeing a run in next year’s election.
Mr Ogden said there is a possibility that a super-city would be in place by the time elections are held in October.
“If not, there will be one more term in my view and I’d like to be involved in politics around the region in those three years.”
Mr Ogden was dumped by Hutt voters when he stood for a third term, losing to Ray Wallace by 5000 votes in a bitter campaign.
Last week Mr Ogden took a low-key approach to sparking his run for Kapiti, saying he would not be attacking anybody.
“If I stand then it won’t be as an attack on mayor Jenny Rowan, who I’ve sat alongside for three years when our times overlapped. It would be more along the line of ‘it might be time for a change’.”
The chartered accountant accepted he would be tagged as a carpetbagger in Kapiti, where he owns a home in Waikanae and has business and sporting links.
“I am what I am. I’m an experienced, achieving local politician. Everybody that comes new into a scene is a carpetbagger. You’ve got to start somewhere.”
He said defeated mayors can get “bitter and twisted” after losing but he has been a “perfe
Surprised to read that David Ogden is already starting in the race for the Mayoralty….we need a live-in Mayor.
Will you live in Waikanae for the next 18 months to find out all our issues, David? You need to be seen in the community and at Council meetings so people can get to know you.
However, for next year’s election we may be part of an amalgamated district and require a leader for a Community Board/Council without any teeth, but who knows?
Just to remind you, David, that Glen Evans’ Council started the reduction of the debt level. I was part of the small committee that achieved this turnaround. Got newspaper cuttings to back up this claim.
However, 2013 is going to be interesting…we may be surprised at who else will get into the race.
KIN is great for keeping us informed on what’s going on in Kapiti. Well done Ian.
Welcome news indeed. If Mr Ogden can achieve what he is proposing we will at last have, honesty, frugality and an end to the nice to have projects that have placed an unsustainablr burden on Kapiti ratepayers. And to boot perhaps a freeze on the CEO’s extravagant and unearned salary. Well done Mr Ogden.
Welcome and twice Welcome. Am very, very happy to have you aboard for the upcoming election.
Trusting, upon Election, that you can bring about the neccessary expertise required for the Kapiti Local Government.
May your entry in to the Mayoral Race be successful, and bear the required fruits for the Kapiti community at large.