The proper role of the Stratford District Council is to work with local resources and encourage them.

The population of the Stratford District has slowly shrunk over the years. The population of the Stratford District has stabilised since the turn of the century at just less than 9,000 residents. However, a drift has occurred from the rural area into the township of Stratford. The District population does not move in isolation, but is linked to the trends within the wider Taranaki population.

While it is possible that Stratford may continue to lose population there are significant straws in the wind that bode well for smaller communities. For example ‘baby boomers’ are reaching retirement age and ‘quality of life’ is emerging as a more pressing issue. In addition there is a growing preference for high amenity living which has triggered something of a retreat from the city. This has largely been aided by IT opportunities and telecommuting.

The news is therefore not all bad, however the Stratford District needs to understand that regional economies are open and resources such as people, capital, and labour will continue to come and go. As growth is not the only indicator of well-being towns like Stratford should have realistic expectations that relate to quality of life. Efforts should be based on supportive local government, local leadership and a realistic understanding of both the possibilities and the limitations of local action.

Stratford needs to be a more cohesive and successful community that engages with local businesses, community groups and enterprise agencies. The communities must be nimble and adaptable; after all sustainability is essentially about the capacity of the community to re-invent itself. In order to do this Stratford must be open to new people, new lifestyles and new ideas. The Council should be business friendly, networking with others to find new opportunities. Care should be taken to ensure that any initiatives undertaken are appropriate, proportionate and sustainable.

Remember that competitive advantage can be created. It is not just about climate and soils but also about marketing, finding niches and giving customers what they want. It is also about addressing the three Es, especially for young people: Education, Employment and Excitement.

While the future of Stratford is not guaranteed it is clear that decline is not inevitable; the community has within its power the capacity to create competitive advantage. The challenge is for Stratford to create the pull of a more vital future, since hope attracts investment and investment leverages hope.

A growth in employment must result in a growth in population. If the Stratford District was to gain its share (around 8%) of the regional growth, a District population of around 12,000 will be reached within twenty years.

Further work will be required by Council and the community over the next few years to plan in more detail where these people will work, live and play.

This highlights the importance of the Stratford District promoting itself. However such promotions should be targeted. One respondent in the community outcomes process commented that we don’t just want to attract people because we’re cheap. “We need to attract the right kind of people, we don’t want to turn Stratford into another South Auckland”.