Augusta Margaret River Shire council candidates:
CHALLENGING the budget process and drilling down into rate rises is the battle plan for retired Australian Army colonel Frank Edwards if elected this October.
While it will be his first time standing as a politician, Mr Edwards is no stranger to council chambers, having served as the chief executive of the City of Perth and the town of Kwinana after leaving the military.
"People are not getting pay rises in the area so we have to find ways to help people achieve rate costs," he said.
"I have got the financial management background, through 10 and a half years as chief executive for the City of Perth and four years in Kwinana, and that experience gives me a good understanding to the costs council incurs and give them some help as to how to reduce rates."
Mr Edwards said ensuring rate increases are kept to a minimum was important as it was not too long before rate rises start to snowball.
"Because rates compound when you have a four per cent every year. It is an increase on an increase," he said.
"It really does begin to rocket up costs."
With the Augusta Margaret River region going through growth and change Mr Edwards said development needs to occur but not at the cost of the natural environment.
"We have the biggest rural primary school in the state which shows how the area is growing," he said.
"There are a lot of young families moving in and we need to be able to cater for them.
"Development is important but it cannot come at a cost to the environment.
"I'm not against development but it must not spoil what we value and care about, and what makes Margaret River so special."
Mr Edwards is standing in the North ward in the October election with voting forms are set to be posted out early next week.
