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Roderick J. Young — Hamilton West
Simple plans. Clear costs. Do the basics well.

Why I’m running

Hamilton is paying more and getting less. Rates keep rising while core services fall behind. We can fix this with straight answers, clear budgets, and steady work.

My focus is basics first: water, roads, safety, and fair council costs. Big plans are fine, but only after we get the basics right.

What it means for you

  • Fair rates: Slow the growth of rates by cutting waste and phasing projects.
  • Safer streets: More street lighting, smart policing support, and fast fixes for hotspots.
  • More homes: Open up sensible land, speed up consents, and cut red tape that adds cost.
  • Plain English council: Short reports, clear costs, and open books you can read in minutes.
  • Local money stays local: A Hamilton community bank to keep interest here working for us.

Priorities

1) Fair rates and real value

  • Publish a simple budget dashboard: what we spend, what we cut, and why.
  • Review every project. Pause low-value work. Fund only what helps most people.
  • Expand hardship help so people are not forced out of their homes.

2) Safer streets

  • Fix dark spots first. Replace broken lights and trim overgrowth on key routes.
  • Target high-risk areas with police support and smart cameras that protect privacy.
  • Design streets that slow cars where people live, walk, and bike.

3) More homes people can afford

  • Speed up consents with clear checklists and time limits.
  • Unlock small, well-planned subdivisions near services and jobs.
  • Post clear, low-cost standard plans to cut design time and fees.

4) Open LIMs and faster answers

  • Make LIMs easy to read and cheaper to get.
  • Publish basic site info online for free: flood, pipes, heritage, and consents.
  • Give people a single point of contact to avoid run-around.

Hamilton Bank (Community-Owned)

This is a simple, local bank model. It keeps more interest payments in Hamilton and uses profits to lower rates and fund basics.

How it works

  1. Local deposits: People and groups can save with the bank.
  2. Local lending: Offer plain home loans and safe council-backed projects.
  3. Low overheads: Digital first, small team, strong risk rules.
  4. Profits stay here: Profits reduce council debt and support core services.

Safeguards

  • Independent board and strict lending rules.
  • Transparent reports in plain English every quarter.
  • Step-by-step build: start small, prove the model, then grow.

Bottom line: Keep local money working for local people. Lower risk. Clear books. No tricks.

How to vote (STV, postal)

  • Rank candidates 1, 2, 3… in the order you like them.
  • Do not repeat or skip numbers. If you make a mistake, fix it with a single line and write the correct number.
  • Post or drop your vote in on time. Check council dates for your area.
Check voting info

Contact

Email: roderickjyoung.nz@gmail.com

Website: Campaign site

Last updated: 15 September 2025