Howick Local Board members Garry Boles, Katrina Bungard and David Collings will stand be standing in the local elections again.
They will stand as Communities and Residents (C&R) candidates for the Pakuranga subdivision at the Auckland local elections in October. The team will continue to advocate for local needs.
Garry Boles is a Howick Local Board member and currently leads the sports and recreation portfolio. He has been an active New Zealand Police Officer for 20 years with particular experience as a Community Constable in Botany. He now holds district wide leadership and advocacy responsibilities. In his roles, Boles has sought solutions to local issues—he says he has worked to deliver the $8m multi-sports centre project and advocated for cleaner beaches and waterways. Boles is a long-time Pakuranga resident.
Katrina Bungard is deputy chair of the Howick Local Board and leads the community development and arts and culture portfolios. She says she is a strong, fiscally conservative community advocate and has delivered the new ferry facility and pathway at Half Moon Bay, worked with central government to ensure the continuation of AMETI projects and advocated for local facility upgrades. Bungard is the chairperson of the Manukau East Council of Social Services and represents the community as an elected member on the Counties Manukau District Health Board. She is a qualified education specialist who holds several degrees including a Masters in Educational Leadership, management and policy.
David Collings brings more than two decades of experience in local government serving Pakuranga. He was elected to the Pakuranga Community Board in 1998, served nine years as a Manukau City Councillor, and for the past nine years served as a Howick Local Board member- the last six as chairman. David also chaired the AMETI transport project and says he was instrumental in achieving the Reeves Road Flyover project, along with improvements to public transport and delivering greater accessibility in the area. He is re-standing with a team and says he will continue to be a strong local voice for the residents of Pakuranga.