We’ve pro­vid­ed a set of ques­tions for the may­oral and coun­cil­lor can­di­dates to answer. First 25 words to an answer get post­ed. Check our 2013 Elec­tion cov­er­age for all respons­es as they come in.

Here’s the response from Mil­ton Hol­lard, can­di­date for Lambton Ward

1. What should the city council’s role  in help­ing  home­less peo­ple and beg­gars?

To sup­port the DCM, etc  iden­ti­fy indi­vid­u­als’ issues and get them referred accord­ing­ly, if they’ll accept help (not quite  a police state yet).

2. What would you do to make Welling­ton more cycle and pedes­tri­an friend­ly?

Sep­a­rate cyclists and pedes­tri­ans  from vehic­u­lar traf­fic wher­ev­er prac­ti­cal. Add to cycle­way net­work on key routes, where suf­fi­cient demand, and topog­ra­phy and cost allow.

3. How do you think  traf­fic flow to the hos­pi­tal and air­port should be improved?

Pri­or­i­ty bus lanes.  Look again at light rail, not  ter­mi­nat­ing in Kil­birnie as the flawed study indi­cat­ed and with­out extra tun­nel posit­ed.

4. What are your views on the sug­ges­tion Welling­ton needs to be “more than just Weta and Gov­ern­ment”—  what do you think are Wellington’s strengths?

Welling­ton needs to diver­si­fy where can. Strengths: its nat­ur­al attrac­tions and learn­ing and cul­tur­al oppor­tu­ni­ties.   A tramway from Kent Ter­race up to Mt Vic­to­ria?

5. What will YOU do to get more invest­ment, busi­ness and busi­ness con­fi­dence in Welling­ton?

Advo­cate keep­ing rates increas­es with­in infla­tion and try to keep them com­pet­i­tive. Don’t sin­gle out busi­ness­es by impos­ing the down­town levy. Approach knowl­edge-inten­sive busi­ness­es.

6. What does Welling­ton need more of, and what does Welling­ton need less of?

A more pos­i­tive atti­tude and less whinge­ing.  More  vis­i­tors to stay, shop and see. Bring back the Cuba Street Car­ni­val.

7. What would  your city coun­cil pro­vide for chil­dren and young peo­ple?

Restore the reduced library ser­vices to chil­dren and extend hours (for every­one). More play­grounds, includ­ing youth play­grounds (roller- blad­ing, etc.). Youth drop-in cen­tres  if demand.

8. What steps would you take to  encour­age civic engage­ment?

Keep the Coun­cil sur­veys “have your say”. Devel­op  per­son­al con­sul­ta­tive arrange­ments with res­i­dents asso­ci­a­tions and com­mu­ni­ty groups, includ­ing youth, in Lambton Ward.

9. Tell us about your per­son­al earth­quake plan/ What’s unusu­al about your earth­quake kit.

Drop,  cov­er (under the stur­dy din­ing room table), hold.  Noth­ing unusu­al, but lots of water and tinned food, plas­tic bags for waste.

10. Why should we vote for you?

Because I’ll try to make the Coun­cil more respon­sive— offi­cers on tap, not on top. And I’ll put in the nec­es­sary  time and effort.

11. Where can we find out more what you stand for?

www.wellington/elections/can­di­dates, then click on my name.