Clayton Mitchell New Zealand First MP

What an amazing summer we have had so far.

The weather has seen many locals and holidaymakers at the beach, enjoying the sun and the sea.

During the holidays I took the opportunity to spend some much-needed time with family and friends, but I am now back to work like everybody else and 2019 promises to be a busy year.

This year we will have the opportunity to participate in local body council elections.

Tauranga is a rapidly growing city. Although it is beautiful and is a sought-after destination for both residents and tourists, it has many issues as a result of its unprecedented rapid growth.

Our elected members and the Mayor are here to work with our community, plan for the future and ensure that our infrastructure is robust enough to support and enhance our region's growth and needs.

When the time comes, we need to make sure we engage with the prospective candidates, question them about their plans for our city and see how they propose to follow through on the promises they make during the election period.

Our voices count, and we need to make sure we elect those candidates who will work with us and our community and work on ensuring Tauranga continues to be a great place to live.

Matters such as public transport, opening up roading around Totara Street and 15th Avenue, light rail options, the use of methyl bromide in port, and encouraging land development to cope with housing demand are prevailing issues in our region, and should be on everyone's list of needs to be addressed as urgently as possible.