Mayor on the mend | Canterbury News | Local News in Canterbury

Selwyn mayor Michael McEvedy is recovering well, and itching to get back to normal duties next year.

McEvedy spent three-and-a-half weeks in hospital in October recovering from a bout of the 100-day flu, and pneumonia. He also spent a week in intensive care.

"It was touch and go for a while. I thought I was bullet proof, and forgot to look after my health,'' he said.

McEvedy said he was over the pneumonia, but still had some way to go before he beat the other virus. "I've got the sparkle in my eyes, but not in the limbs," McEvedy said.

McEvedy will resume full duties in January. While the council had some tough tasks ahead, McEvedy said he was looking forward to the challenge.

"Selwyn is a wonderful area to be mayor of," McEvedy said. "There is a uniqueness about each of the 23 townships within the district, and the people are proud of their towns, which makes it easy to be mayor."

McEvedy said issues like drinking water, irrigation and areas of growth in the district near Christchurch were areas of concern the council needed to address, and they were high on the priority list.

Areas like West Melton, Kirwee and Sandy Knolls did not have a sufficient supply of clean drinking water, and McEvedy said It was getting harder and harder to provide good drinking water.

McEvedy said the Canterbury Plains Water project was another important issue.

He said with water becoming harder and harder to extract from the ground, and it was important to find a way of storing water for the future.

McEvedy said it was an important investment, and farmers would have the rights to so many units of water, which would ensure their future.

"We have to use water more wisely. There is too much of it being used lavishly," McEvedy said.

Other issues the council need to address, according to McEvedy, were the number of younger people dying on Selwyn roads, being prepared for emergencies, and recognising the new people moving into the district.

He said there were a number of people in the townships who did not know who their local councillor was and this needed to be addressed. "We've got some big challenges ahead of us. I'm going to enjoy the next three years," he said.