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This Week’s Issue

Local Government

“I love this work. I love it to bits”

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Written by

Pauline Stewart

Published on

July 1, 2025

Adrian Catran is at present Chair of The Thames Community Board, and he is standing again for the Thames Community Board at the local elections in October.

Adrian Catran, Chairman of the Thames Community Board, stands on the land where he believes the Totara Valley development will become a reality.

Adrian Catran, manager of Twentyman Funerals is not offering these words about his life’s work and the fact that Twentymans Funerals has served Thames and the greater Coromandel and Hauraki since 1867 of which Adrian has spent the past 33 years in ownership and in that time the company has handled over 10,000 deaths.

No, these are Adrian’s words when he refers to local government politics. Adrian is at present Chair of The Thames Community Board, and he is standing again for the Thames Community Board at the local elections in October.

We asked Adrian why local politics is so important to him

“Firstly, Community Boards are extremely important to me. You have a hands-on approach to the community you live in, which you cannot get being a councillor. We have to feel and breathe community if we want to achieve the very best. One has to believe in the process and keep on pushing. My family has been here since 1868. They came out as Cornish tin miners to go gold mining. They were short people and good for working in tunnels which was the type of gold mining that was dominant in this area. All six brothers came out to be employed in the gold industry. They came from a small town called Ludgvan near Penzance in Cornwall.

“Remarkably, all six brothers came here to Thames. It’s unbelievable really. They mostly lived in Campbell Street or Upper Albert Street and later they had shops in Grahamstown.

Secondly, to live in Thames and to call it my home are the most natural things in the world for me.”

Back to local politics: “I was first elected to the Community Council in 1979. When it changed from a Borough to a District Council in 1985 – that was part of a major restructuring of local government in New Zealand – my uncle, Uma McDonald , sat outside the then Public Trust office trying to get enough signatures on a petition to turn around the decision. He was a strong local government man. Cr. Uma MacDonald and I would verbally argue to get the opportunity for Boards to attend a district council meetings. My memories of talking about local politics around the extended family table are vivid.

“I was first elected on to the District Council in 1992. Alasdair Thompson was the Mayor. He was a good mayor, qualified accountant and a Social Credit man. From 2004 to 2010, I was Deputy Mayor under Mayor Barriball [the Councils first female Mayor and the youngest Mayor in NZ]. I thoroughly enjoyed that Council role and in representing TCDC at Environment Waikato [Regional] Council with roles in roading and Civil Defence. As a Council we did some mighty heavy lifting in that period including wastewater plants on the eastern seaboard and agitating for the new Kopu Bridge.

“I have served three terms as a district councillor. That means you are also on the Community Board of that ward. I have stood for Local Government in various elections but not always elected [missing out twice], but that’s part of politics. If you believe you can make a difference, you don’t give up.

“I have grown up in politics. I could spend my entire day, every day, on local politics.”

Adrian talked about his constant thinking as to what is needed now; what needs to be done to be more ready for the fast-changing future. “By 2030, 41% of the Thames and Peninsula’s population will be over the age of 65. That is just five years away. We have to take into account the needs of all people in our ward with particular attention to those over 65, across all services, including housing, social services and medical needs. Housing is right at the top of the list to ensure we have enough accommodation for those involved in the health sector, education and industry. We need housing / accommodation for those serving the organizations who take care of the elderly and to ensure people with families are able to move to Thames which means that schools, businesses, trades people all benefit from more people in town.

The district is very diverse with over half of our ratepayers being absentee ratepayers, which brings a whole different set of challenges to those elected; things such as water supplies, rubbish collection, wastewater and roading to name but a few.

For the Boards, I want to see the delegations that Community Boards had as per Local Government Act. 2002. We did not get a Terms of Reference following the elections in 2022. Presently, all five Boards on the Coromandel Peninsula do not have a current term of reference [working off the 2019 model].

As Boards, we need to get those delegated responsibilities in parks and reserves, swimming pools, sports fields, libraries, civic halls, airfields, all the things we raise a local rate for. In previous years, an Area Manager, Board engineer and Board Secretary would keep us up to date with the delegations, such as costing, were contractors meeting KPI’s, urgent works to be done on essential services, like roads, footpaths, pool upgrades to name but a few.

“My request is, ‘Give us back our delegated authority.’”

“Going forward, one of my priorities will be the Totara Valley Development. In fact, a key reason I am standing is to ensure that it does happen! This proposed development has been a possibility and a probability for far too long [since 1977]. Thames needs more sections, good housing, and it needs it quickly.

“Our current Community Board in Thames has four elected members and then there are three ward councillors appointed. Sometimes, and this is a general statement, the councillors do not always support their Boards around the Council table. Basically, the Council has no direct control over a Community Board. We don’t hire staff, own or dispose of land, set rules or own our own bank account. As per the Act, our main role is to represent, and act as an advocate for our particular wards and Council can refer matters to the Board for discussion.

“I want to say to The Informer that Thames Community Board is the best board. We put heart and soul into it. We have experience and knowledge of history on our side. I enjoy every small victory such as the water fountains which also cater for pets – [that was a three-year battle], there are the TPAT sculptures, the flags back in Pollen Street, the establishment of Explore Thames project following the 26A closure, Porritt Park playground rebuilt, increased ground maintenance at Rhodes Park and I guess at the top of the list [for me!] the removal of The Vibe from between Queen and Pollen Streets.

The replacement of the Thames Centennial Pool has been a somewhat debilitating task for the Board, taking up much staff/advisors/Board time and finally we have collated all the information, reports, engineering etc and asked the District Council to take over the task of replacing the pool.

“Experience and leadership are critical to the roles of the Community Board members and to councillors. We need leaders who have had at least one previous term as elected members [Community Boards are the springboard for Council]. Having time to do the work is also a critical aspect. This is a public service that we do. As Chair of the Community Board, I would spend more than 20 hours a week talking, planning, phoning.

“With four Council Wards on the Peninsula and small communities near all of them, of course tensions arise. There is tension between Thames and the eastern seaboard block for example. My personal view is we could solve it with a name change – not Thames Coromandel District Council but Coromandel Peninsula District Council – one word less, (CPDC) and my hope, much less tension around the Council table.