Brian Anderson The Western Front www.sunlive.co.nz

Congratulations to Peter McKay, our only newly elected Western Bay of Plenty District councillor from the Northern Harbour area. I missed out on a seat on this council, but Peter will be a good man for the new Katikati-Waihi Beach ward.

The change most of us were hoping for happened in Tauranga, but barely touched Western Bay. Expecting change, I put most of my effort into reaching the 75 per cent of our population which doesn't vote and are accused of being apathetic. I visited more than two-thirds of houses and spoke with more than half of the residents in Katikati and Waihi Beach.

This approach wasn't just to look for votes but a genuine attempt to connect with people and listen to their stories. These are the people I've been writing to in my column. I found very few were apathetic. A strong message was most would not be voting because of their belief the Western Bay council would not change, that the local body would continue its borrowing; and rates would continue to rise. They've been proved correct on the first count. Many of these people were hurting and see no solutions for their problems. Compared with Tauranga, the Western Bay is a closed shop with no opportunities for public debate or forums – and there is no evidence whatsoever of any planning for the area. Many of my house visits were more than 30 minute long; and I had to apologise and refuse many invitations for tea or coffee.

I found no evidence of any other candidates calling these people; and the conversations I had, particularly with the elderly, were very sobering. Many are financially stranded in their houses and want to leave. I checked and found there are currently 300 houses advertised for sale between Three Mile Creek and the Waihi Beach Surf Lifesaving Club. The main reason for wanting to leave is rates and the feeling they've been abandoned by the council. The Katikati's Town Centre Project Control Group has formed with no public input or discussion planned. Discussion may happen in the future, but the same group has been silent for the last four years; and they're aiming at controlling a $13 million project, which will basically be funded out of ratepayer funds.

Many asked me into their homes to sit down and explain their rates bill. The targeted rates and the interest recovery charge were common topics. I'm pleased to discover the idea, put forward by Selwyn Hill, of a causeway across to Bowentown from Athenree is still alive; and people want to talk about development in Waihi Beach. The most common topic in Katikati is the number of strange new footpaths and walkways. I was asked a number of times for confirmation the Kauri Point ramp project is dead. I had to disappoint them. Council must realise the whole Northern Harbour is littered with incomprehensible half-finished council projects, which have only served to emphasise a total lack of planning and a waste of money in the area.

I recently met a retired councillor, from another part of the country, who had many pertinent questions relating to Western Bay council's planning and debt. I asked him for his objective and informed opinion of our council in one sentence. He thought for a second, pointed to the clouds, and said: 'They are up there”.