Latest news with #CameronMcIntosh
RNZ News
31-07-2025
- Politics
- RNZ News
Southland mayoral candidate berates CEO, brags about sporting accomplishments at meeting
Wendy Baker is upset at the council over a letter she received — the contents of which remain a secret. Photo: LDR / Supplied A Southland mayoral hopeful has taken shots at a council chief executive during a fiery public speech. On Wednesday, Wendy Baker presented to district councillors about the council's dog control policy and bylaw review. But her presentation began on an unrelated note when she read out a letter she had received from the minister of sports and recreation about her sporting accomplishments. "I wanted to bring that up because it's a positive letter of praise. And unfortunately, just recently, your CEO - who is extremely well-paid - sent me a letter which was very upsetting to me," Baker said. "This letter as you all know has gone to the ombudsman. A leader needs to build people up, and I will not be bullied when I do amazing amounts of volunteer work which your council ignores formally, I feel." Baker would not divulge the contents of the chief executive's letter, but confirmed to Local Democracy Reporting it was not related to the minister's letter. The letter was out of the blue, unnecessary and untimely, she said. "They should be praising the work I do and not sending a letter that upsets me." In response to questions, council chief executive Cameron McIntosh was tight lipped. "We have raised some matters with Baker. They are between council and Baker," he said. "We will leave it with Baker to decide if she wishes to share the contents of the letter with media." Baker's presentation also took aim at the council over a perceived lack of dog control. She said a dog had come onto her property twice in three weeks - once on the eve of Anzac Day attacking a possum and once attacking a back fence at 4am in the morning. "I pay $4099.50 in rates to SDC... and what do I get for it? Stuff all." Baker said she had begun watching a programme called Mastering Leadership: Common Canine Misbehaviours, and planned to donate it to animal control staff or the library. The mayoral hopeful is one of three candidates currently in the running for the top job this October. At the 2022 election, she finished last out of six candidates with 211 votes. - LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
BBC News
09-06-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Retailers call for banking hub in Oxted after last branch shuts
Retailers in a Surrey town that has lost its last bank branch have said it is "vital" that the area gets better once had four banks, but since the last one closed in April, the nearest branch is now 10 miles away in the campaign for a banking hub in Oxted is councillor Cameron McIntosh, from Surrey County Council, who said both businesses and residents are UK, which assesses the need for banking hubs in communities, said it believes people in the area have good access to cash through the Post Office and ATM machines. But Mr McIntosh said: "Oxted was once a town with four of the main large banks, but that has all completely gone, so we are basically a banking desert."Oxted has a population of 11,489, according to the 2021 census, and people from the surrounding areas visit for its hospitality and retail businesses, according to Limpsfield Parish Council. No plans for hub Tom Parrs, owner of Paul James Jewellers, said: "I'm with Barclays so in the fortunate position that I'm able to use the local Post Office to deposit cash, but there are situations that need me to go to an actual branch."I think it's a great idea, having spoken to a lot of my clients and having access to other matters that a banking hub brings would be vital for them really."The last thing we want for the local community is for them to leave the town [to bank], that's not great for retailers, cafes, restaurants."There is a "banking pod" in the town's Morrisons supermarket, which offers cash withdrawals, cash deposits, account balance checks and PIN management 60% of companies surveyed by the town's business improvement district said they were unable to access sufficient cash needed for their the 93.3% of businesses who said they did not have a service to collect their takings and deposit it for them, half said they were unable to safely deposit their earnings UK said it assessed the need for a banking hub in Oxted by found the banking pod deposit machine was more more suitable.A spokesperson said: "We are satisfied that, with the addition of this machine, the community continues have good access to cash through the Post Office and the ATM network."
