Independent views By Brendan Horan

My thanks to all candidates who stood for their community at the recent local body elections. Your time and efforts are truly appreciated. Sadly, the same cannot be said for all residents. Such a small voter turnout is disrespectful to the efforts and lengths candidates go to for democracy and their community, but also our ancestors who died in the name of democracy. About 65 per cent of local residents did not vote and should now hand in their complaint cards and not think of complaining for the next three years.

To those councillors who missed out, our thanks and appreciation for your dedication and hard work. You have served your community to the best of your abilities and now have an opportunity to move your energies in a new direction.

To the newly elected, congratulations. I look forward to meeting with you all and sharing my views in respect to moving Tauranga forward to a progressive and vibrant city. My vision of a future Tauranga is on a wall in my office; everyone is welcome to visit and feel free to plagiarise.

I'd also like a conversation in respect to making swimming more affordable within our city. We are surrounded by water; and learning to swim proficiently is a critical life skill. But how can we garner civic pride when many residences cannot afford the fee to enter our council swimming pools, like Baywave and Mount Hot Pools? I have coached water polo for many years. You'll find me 6.30am most Monday mornings coaching a dozen seven to 12 year olds at Baywave. Two of my children participate; and when I enter in the water to teach I don't get any change from $15 for all three of us. An acquaintance recently reported to me he'd taken his three children to the pools during the weekend, and after the water slide charge it cost him about $30. It breaks my heart to see children, in the adjacent skate park, unable to afford entry to swim. If Auckland can allow children to swim for free surely we can offer it for a gold coin donation?

With summer almost upon us, I've created a petition for a gold coin entry fee to pools for children. If you agree, and can help with this, please come and see me and my staff in the office, corner of Rata and Totara streets at Mount Maunganui.