New chair of Whitianga Residents and Ratepayers

Richard Shelford -Woodcock is the newly elected Chairman of Whitianga Residents and Ratepayers (WRRA).

“It gives me pleasure to introduce myself and to say I am honoured to take up this role. Each of the Coromandel towns has a Residents and Ratepayers Association.” Richard has strong roots in the area having been associated with it since childhood and having been involved in many local organisations over the years. His son attends Whenuakite School; his networks are very grassroots, and his focus is to be community minded. “While I believe in Whitianga’s future, much work needs to be done in making our town more accessible, keeping it vibrant, and ensuring the infrastructure meets the needs and growth of our town,” says Richard. “WRRA has a vital part to play in this. The overall purpose of WRRA is to empower and represent residents and property owners, enabling them to achieve a sense of ownership and involvement in our community.” Richard has a newly elected committee which is developing a vision and mission statement so that WRRA’s purpose is known to all. “We welcome our members’ input to this process. We are looking to re-engage with members to ensure your needs are reflected and enable you to have confidence that WRRA is a representative voice for our community. The committee aims to work proactively with Council and hold them to account when and where needed. Other goals include communicating with the Community Board and working collaboratively for the improvement and wellbeing of Whitianga and surrounds. A sense of unity, inclusiveness and collaboration underpins our collective aims.” “We are happy to meet face-to-face with residents, listen to your concerns, and encourage your input,” says Richard. He is clear that building positive relationships is the way forward for WRRA.

“We encourage you to renew your membership and invite new residents and ratepayers to join our association. Contact me: email: kaitaki2020@gmail.com or Ph: 027 3053657. Whitianga Residents and Ratepayers meets once a month on the first Thursday of every month except January. If you have issues or concerns, please contact me.