New Plymouth Mayor Neil Holdom. Photo: RNZ / Robin Martin
Under fire for a series of rates-setting bungles, New Plymouth Mayor Neil Holdom has announced he will not seek a fourth term - but says he is stepping down because he has largely achieved what he set out to.
The 53-year-old took personal responsibility for a GST "typo" that could've cost council millions in lost revenue, and a glitch that saw residential rates hiked 12.8 percent rather than the 9.9 percent indicated.
But Holdom said that was not behind his decision to step aside.
"When Melissa (his wife) and I reflected on the goals that brought me into council back in 2016 and what the team has achieved since, particularly the investments in infrastructure and securing government investments into Taranaki, I've largely achieved those goals - and we'll leave council knowing the organisation is well-placed to meet the needs of our people over the long-term."
Holdom, who had three teenage children, said working on council was a "team effort" and he was most proud of rebuilding its asset management capability and budgeting more than $580 million for water infrastructure renewals and a $358m for roading over his nine years in the job.
For him that eclipsed, for example, the $33m award-winning New Plymouth Airport terminal built on his watch.
"I just drive past and smile when I think about, you know, like the new pipe at Smart Rd. We take that way to school and we've just seen the new pipe, you know, buried under the road there.
"No one else will even notice once the cones disappear, but it's there and I drive past new water reservoirs on the way to work that we built, and they'll be there In 100 years."
New Plymouth Airport terminal. Photo: RNZ / Robin Martin
After an unsuccessful bid to enter council via a by-election, Holdom landed the top job at the first attempt in 2016 by a mere 40-odd votes and - never short of a catchphrase - immediately branded himself the "accidental mayor".
Soon he would exchange that moniker for the "infrastructure mayor" and later begin championing New Plymouth as New Zealand's "sustainable lifestyle capital".
Holdom admitted there had been missteps, such the recent rates debacle and as his quickly-abandoned plan to sell half of New Plymouth's only public golf course to establish a council-owned property development company.
A 2017 petition against the idea attracted 4000 signatures and following a public mea culpa it was quietly shelved.
New Plymouth's infrastructure woes were brought into sharp focus by ex-cyclone Gita in 2018 when a tree fell on a single pipe, knocking out 25 percent of the district's drinking water supply.
Holdom had consistently pushed for infrastructure renewals ever since.
"When I started at New Plymouth District Council, our infrastructure, our asset management would probably have rated at about a one-out-of-five. I think we're now at about a two-out-of-five. So I mean, there's still a journey to go on, but the foundations have been laid."
Often criticised for the amount of time spent in Wellington, Holdom said those trips paid dividends.
"We secured government investments in new hospital buildings, the Mt Messenger bypass, national park upgrades, Manganui Gorge bridge, Pouakai hut, Mangorei Rd carpark, Te Atiawa's North Egmont project and Yarrow Stadium.
"We sourced funding to upgrade and seal SH43 between Whangamomona and Taumarunui, secured $85m in SH3 safety upgrades between Bell Block and Waitara, and got a new SH3 roundabout at Mangorei Road."
Neil Holdom. Photo: RNZ / Robin Martin
Rebuilding trust with iwi
Holdom's predecessor Andrew Judd quit the mayoralty after being targeted over his support for a Māori ward in New Plymouth.
A former journalist and communications executive, Holdom said one of his team's most significant achievements had been rebuilding trust between Māori and council.
"We've built strong relationships with hāpu, iwi... and these partnerships have improved our decision quality and design while helping unlock government funding form Wellington.
"We signed the Parihaka Deed of Reconciliation and secured government investments to rebuild the village's infrastructure.
"We passed the Waitara Lands Bill, unlocking $90m from freeholding leases into three intergenerational funds for hapū development, river restoration, and community initiatives.
Holdom was also New Plymouth's "Covid mayor", which he described "as a surreal experience".
"We learned how to work in a different way. I will say, I'll be pleased not ever to have to hold another seven or eight hour meeting on Zoom. Those things can tend to suck out your will to live."
In more recent months, Holdom had to deal with a backlash over a New Zealand Transport Agency funded cycleway on a main route through New Plymouth and the rates setting blunders.
'Knocked all those goals for six'
But he reiterated these had not influenced his decision to retire from all politics.
"We've done some amazing work together, really enjoyed being part of the team and really knocked all those goals for six. So now it's time to move on and do something different."
Holdom said he was looking forward to spending more time with his family and pursuing his consulting business.
"I want to acknowledge my amazing wife, Melissa, and the kids because these are challenging roles, and having their support has been incredible.
"And also the thing I'm proudest of in the role is the work that the councillors and the team have done collectively in terms of responding to the needs of their community, and that to me is the highlight."
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