Kia ora and greetings to you all,
The past two weeks have shown just how powerful our connections are. As I mentioned in my last newsletter, we have just formally welcomed Craig Hobbs as our new Chief Executive. Craig brings a wealth of experience from his time at South Waikato District Council and Auckland Council. His knowledge of both urban and rural issues makes him a perfect fit for our district. We celebrated his arrival with a heartfelt poowhiri and warm Council welcome with guests from all over Waikato region and from Auckland, highlighting our commitment to partnership and shared goals as we look to the opportunities and challenges that we face as one of the fastest growing districts in the North Island.
I’ll soon share details on when and where you can meet with councillors, Council staff, and me to discuss the key priorities for our Long-Term Plan. We know delivering core services like water and roading is crucial, especially now. Balancing these core services with affordability is always front of mind for us.
This weekend, thousands will gather in Hopuhopu for the Tainui Games, a fantastic celebration of sport and community hosted by Waikato-Tainui. Best of luck to all the marae teams competing, and a warm welcome to everyone visiting our district. Enjoy the river, the scenery, and time with family and friends.
We’re also making progress on safety improvements with NZTA, KiwiRail, and central government. Work starts next week on the SH1B Telephone Road rail crossing, a long-awaited project. Community patience and support have been invaluable as we have worked on this, and I know there will be real relief when the intersection reopens mid-year.
I’m excited to attend the New Zealand Economic Forum at the University of Waikato today and tomorrow. While the discussions focus on large-scale economics, international markets and the challenges of growth, I always think about how these issues affect and impact our district and our residents. Our rural communities feel this economic squeeze more than many realise, and I keep them front of mind as I engage with the insights shared. Supporting our farmers, independent businesses, and services is always top of mind.
Together, we’re making progress—strengthening connections, building partnerships, and ensuring our communities have a voice in shaping the future.
Ngaa mihi kind regards
Mayor Jacqui
