BUSSELTON resident and MATES founder Robert Reekie is running for council at the local government election in October.
Mr Reekie who founded MATES in Busselton 13 years ago said it was time the council had a clean sweep and became more accountable for its actions.
While Mr Reekie had many reasons why he would like to be on council he said the work he has done through MATES has put him in touch with the community.
“I’m always out there in the community doing something,” he said.
“I’m usually the first one to put my hand up and get involved running for council feels like the next step and like so many others feel like it’s time for change.”
His main concerns were accountability and approachability and said he would like to see a council that people could trust and have faith in.
Mr Reekie said while the city was moving forward the council needed people who were forward thinking and had the foresight to prevent knee-jerk reactions.
He said demolishing the skate park four days before the school holidays and hiring a bus to take children to another town was not the answer.
“If they held it off for two weeks our children would have somewhere to go, one of the biggest things in this town was children need places to go,” he said.
“I see a lot of money being wasted and I see a lot of good groups in this town that need a hand to get established.”
An issue Mr Reekie wants addressed was the number of services for people in Busselton being run out of Bunbury, he said the system does not work.
“It’s time the City started looking after its own people,” he said.
Mr Reekie also said the council could do more to deter crime in the City and would like to see the installation of more lights, CCTV and places where people could gather.
“That’s the type of things I want to look at doing,” he said.
“I love this town it’s where I’ve chosen to settle with my family and anything I can do to better the City benefits myself as well.“
