Each candidate has provided their information which is posted without alteration - as is.
AKSEL BECH
Statement of Intent:
For rates sake, vote to empower communities with voice, choice and control over things that matter.
Vote to end three years of the current Mayor’s debt blowout from $178.7m to projected $347m and near doubling numbers of senior staff with $150K+ salaries.
Time for real change and leadership, not more photo-ops.
As WDC councillor (2016-2022) and your previous Deputy Mayor, my proven council and extensive business experience in dairy-related manufacturing and exporting will lead us to a better, more affordable future.
Lowering costs to ratepayers through shared services must start now and we can get on with that ahead of government driven amalgamation reforms.
I will introduce citizens’ assemblies so your voice, from towns and heartland rural communities, is heard alongside strong community boards and committees as decisions are shaped rather than deadline driven rubberstamp consultation too late for real changes.
Vote Aksel Bech For Rates Sake www.akselbech.nz
Curriculum Vitae – Aksel Bech
Synopsis: The common theme that runs through four decades of working life is achieving outcomes through forming strong relationships with people based on trust and a collaborative approach, individually or in teams or whole communities. I started my career as an HR Manager dealing with the full range of HR matters including training, recruitment, union negotiations, employment relationship problems and supporting employees in their personal and professional growth and development.
Governance through three school board of trustees led to community focussed service as a member of a local community committee and then becoming an elected member of local government at Waikato District Council, with three years as Deputy Mayor through the COVID years that proved challenging yet rewarding in the way Council was able to support its communities. This has been alongside governance roles in the start-up, educational and private sectors.
I was recognised at professional membership level of HRNZ (Human Resource NZ) in 1994, completed a Bachelors of Science and a Masters in Industrial and Organisational Psychology, and more latterly in 2024 a Graduate Diploma in Dispute Resolution and AMINZ professional credentialing at the Associate level.
Qualifications.
AMINZ -Associate level credentialled
Graduate Diploma in Dispute Resolution -University of Waikato
AMINZ Mediation Skills Intensive
B. Sc. (Microbiology & Psychology) –Massey University
M.Soc.Sci. (Industrial & Organisational Psychology) –University of Waikato
Governance:
2024 – current Chair, New Zealand Lacrosse
2016 - current Foundation Board, St. Peters of Cambridge (Chair 2020-)
2016 – 2022 Councillor & Deputy Mayor (2019-22), Waikato District Council.
2017 - 2022 Trust Board member, St. Peter’s School of Cambridge
Chair -Owl Farm demonstration farm (JV between St. Peters & Lincoln Uni.)
Employment & Consultancy:
2007 – current Frost Solutions Ltd (including from 2024 mediation, facilitation and dispute resolution through www.18thcamel.nz)
2022 – 2023 CEO, Waikato Housing Initiative
1996 – 2007 GM HR and GM Equipment Sales Division, NDA Engineering Ltd (owner-manager from 1998 to 2007)
1994 – 1996 GM HR, Cedenco Foods Ltd
1990 – 1994 Personnel Manager, Natural Gas Corporation
Manifesto
The primary focus is on two key priorities: rates affordability and empowering communities.
a) Lowering costs through an amalgamation of services - engaging in a wider range of shared services- with neighbouring councils who perform the same functions with duplication of resources along with a careful review of the blowout in senior staff and associated costs.
b) Empowering communities is best supported by increased Voice, Choice and Control as reflected in the conclusions of the UK future of local government review -and examples of participatory and deliberate democracy can already be found in New Zealand. This will lower costs too - a motivated and focused community committee with local mandate can complete projects for $500 or $1000 that council simply can't achieve.
Supporting this will include the following in no particular order:
c) Strategic review of council's activities, respecting that through the above two lenses of increasing affordability and empowering communities, to ensure a focus on core activities in line with new direction from government (and existing legislative requirements also imposed by government)
d) Greater engagement with our communities through increased transparency and accountability) leadership of elected members for a more aligned and cohesive approach in the council chamber and with community boards and committees to ensure WDC returns to being a high performing and effective councilf) using my business and commercial background to once more support the economic development and business opportunities that others can bring to the district so that our residents and ratepayers can thrive and prosper after what has been a prolonged challenging economic period
Email: mailto:info@akselbech.nz
