Simpson for Napier

  July 27, 2022 - Media release        Napier City Council resignations a sign of trouble A run of resignations by senior managers from Napier City Council confirms the council has a serious culture and leadership issue, says councillor Nigel Simpson. In the last six months, three out of six Executive Leadership Team members have resigned and a third moved sideways, later resigning. That leaves just two experienced executive managers from a team of six. Councillor Simpson is standing for the Napier mayoralty in the upcoming Council elections, citing a lack of leadership and effective decision-making. “It is appalling that the mayor is continually agreeing to tens of millions of dollars of unbudgeted items and activities – 14 added to the to-do list just 12 months out from the adoption of the Long Term Plan - while flip-flopping on projects that were supposed to proceed. It makes the job of the chief executive and senior managers almost impossible. ...

Do external consultants provide greater experience and insight than employed staff? In some specific subject matter areas they (external consultants) do provide expertise that isn't present within an organisations staffing.  It is not possible for every organisation, without incredible overhead costs, to retain all the skill, competency and capability that the organisation need to deliver unless the organisation has a very narrow and very specific purpose and income stream.. External consultants can provide, in some cases, greater observational experience and an external eye over internal processes.  So why do staff in certain employment environments rely so heavily on external consultants to review or report on reasonably simple or core business activities when an organisation retains suitably qualified staff?  Trust!  Staff (even senior managers) that work in low trust environments will use consultants to explain the obvious to protect themselves or their views fro...

  Change in Napier City Councils modus operandi has swung significantly both ways over the last decade, from purposeful, to courageous and now timid and indecisive.  A new style of Civic Leader has emerged, what are they trying to achieve and who are they looking after? So on that note why aren’t the War Memorial, Central Library, Civic Building or Aquatic Centre well progressed or complete by now?  Some will roll out COVID as an excuse, but many other Cities have managed to get projects completed with central government money (look at the near completed pool at Mitre 10 Park), so why hasn't Napier?  Perhaps we don't have skilled strategic decision makers being elected to council.   How many Business people were on Council in 2010, how many are on Council now?  Business people on council ensured this city was debt free up until 2019. Business people are trained decision makers.  So am I, I spent 30 years learning how to manage adaptive decisi...

  Democracy , we all crave it, some use their democratic right to vote, some just complain, others abuse it. You elect twelve City Councillors with the expectation that each will have an equal say at the Council table, each will be informed equally, and each will put Napier first. You’d expect all Councillors would be informed about significant issues quickly?  Remember the adage ‘information is power’. Democracy is great when it works as designed, with well-meaning people elected to roles with their intention of serving the best interests of their community.   The masses love democracy, it provides opportunity for them to delegate responsibilities to others while retaining the ability to complain when it suits them.   The Achilles heel of democracy is apathy and public disinterest.    Bearing in mind that Councils are regularly one of the largest employers and contract out a considerable component of work and cashflow into the local economy.   If ...

  Surprise, there will be an election in October!   Media Release #2 Napier Mayoral candidate, Nigel Simpson, encourages nominations for ward seats.  Democracy is all about representation and the best way to have your opinion and your suburbs needs met is to actually have a seat at the table.  ‘It’s time to put apathy aside and take action’ he said, going on to add ‘don’t leave it up to people that don’t live in your area to talk on your behalf’.  Look at the success in Flaxmere with Henare O'Keefe and Peleti Oli working for their community, this could be replicated in Napier. The Electoral Commission’s distribution of enrolment forms may have been the first indication for some residents that there is an election this year.  In October Local Government elections take place with residents having the opportunity to elect a Mayor and Council.  With the election fast approaching and some hoardings already up it’s not too late. ...

 MEDIA RELEASE –  22/06/2022 Nigel Simpson is standing for Mayor of Napier City.  Current City Councillor with local government management experience, stretching beyond thirty years, says enough is enough, it’s time for change in our city’s elected leadership and culture. Napier [City] has a proud and prominent history, a significant number of opportunities have been missed by the current Council, it’s time to get Napier back on track.  I care deeply about Napier and I believe most residents care too. ‘Significant change will be forced on Local Government in the next few years and Napier needs a leader who has 'managed through previous change’ and ‘is capable of leading a significant reset in our organisation and establishing an agile responsive new organisation’, Simpson says. Nigel was a manager in local government when significant reform occurred in the eighties, nineties and early 2000’s.  His previous roles have provided good insight and understanding of ev...

I and the Napier City Council have opposed the style and nature of the proposed/imposed 3waters reform from the outset. Hawke's Bay took a collective proactive stand from the very beginning, consultants Morrison Low evaluated the state and opportunity in each of the four districts.  Identifying the cost of levels of service and sustainable future management of assets and improvements to networks in Hawke's Bay. In the following Long Term Plan 2021-2031 development: - each local authority increased their annual budget commitment into the future - local authorities now understand the cost of delivering 3waters in their districts These reforms will not just impact on urban water networks, large private and rural schemes may become part of the new centralised entities.  Regardless every water supplier will be incorporated and need to meet new water supply regulations, this will involve reporting and compliance.   This new regulatory environment will grow into a new burea...