Harry (Howard) Morris

People not Party

MORRIS Howard CouncillorMy principal place of residence is in the Nelson City Council - At Large area.

I am a father of three adult children that all grew up in Nelson and after 20 years am proud to call Nelson home.

I believe I have the skills to communicate with individuals and community organisations, the ability to listen to their needs, and the determination to best represent these at Council. I believe the welfare of its people drives the wellbeing of the city.

With a solid business background having owned and run several hospitality businesses for the last 18 years, I am financially prudent and results focused.

I want to be part of a progressive, inclusive council that makes well-informed decisions to benefit the community as a whole. I am seeking your vote to represent the best interests of the people of Nelson.

What makes Nelson so special for you?

I have lived in Nelson for the past twenty years, originally from Dunedin. I moved back to New Zealand from Sydney and settled in Nelson in 1999. Along with friend and business partner Rob Fanselow, I went into the hospitality business originally opening The Cut Restaurant and then HARRYS Bar. The opportunity to re-locate HARRYS from Hardy St to the site on Trafalgar St of the iconic Chez Eelco was an opportunity too good to resist. This move enabled HARRYS to reach it's potential in the hospitality industry entirely.   I am a father to three, and with my partner Damara we managed to parent a combined family of six children aged initially from 8 to 18 now 18 to 28. I have loved the opportunity to own a business and raise a family in Nelson. The Nelson city and region is a fantastic place for a family to grow up, and the sunshine hours certainly make it more inviting. I look forward to the opportunity to be part of a council that can move Nelson forward. There are many challenges we are facing, and with the right team, I am confident that Nelson can tackle the future with confidence.

What is your vision for the city?

I would like to see the City of Nelson be a "Smart Little City". Through making forward-thinking changes based on solid advice and knowledge regarding the oncoming challenges that the community and environment face.  With the world focused on climate change, we need to make sure that the beautiful coastline and national parks we have are protected with the best practice available.  The coast and national parks that surround us are a vital part of our tourism industry and not something we can replace. Many issues are facing the community at large, affordable housing,  transport, and workers having a liveable wage.  These issues cannot be fixed by the council alone. Working with the local industry, especially with zoning and consent work council may be able to help with decisive action on these issues. It would be great for business in the City centre and Tahunanui if we could drive more visitors and locals to get out and enjoy all that is on our doorstep more over the winter months. Bringing more events to the city would be a great way to add some activity during these months.