The former Palerang Mayor believes responsible stewardship of the community’s money is the greatest honour, and the greatest responsibility, of a local council.

“A well run council sticks to core issues, core business, do their job,” Mr Raynolds said.

“To be given the honour of spending other people’s money, I think is the highest honour that the community can give to one of its own.

“In the case of Queanbeyan, I believe, it is my very strong opinion that they are irresponsible with public money.”

“They subsidise tourism, they subsidise business, they subsidise the arts.”

“That money comes straight off yours and my standard of living. It comes from the rural local roads, it comes from parks and gardens.”

A consistent and coherent rate system is critical to the economic health of the region, says Mr Raynolds.

He wants to see a simple rates system like Palerang’s instituted across the board, rather than Queanbeyan’s more complex system.

Mr Raynolds won’t play nice for an easy ride on council, but he does plays straight and fair, applying policy evenly across the region, he says.

“I’m a hard councillor, I’m not easy to get along with. I expect the best, all the times, and, I play with a straight bat,” Mr Raynolds said.

A healthy council culture, made up of consistent and fair councillors is what the region needs, to give future generations hope in institutions of governance, he says.

And what does the Queanbeyan Palerang region need?

“Good steady government, good steady governance. No rush, no fanfare, stick to core business, everybody will be happy,” Mr Raynolds said.