Council committees

A: Council committees provide strategic leadership and guidance on a range of specialist subjects. Committees are an effective and efficient way to ensure decisions are based on expert advice and are made publicly and fairly.

A: Far North District Council currently has seven committees: Te Kuaka Committee for Māori Strategic Relationships, Te Miromiro Committee for Assurance, Risk and Finance, Te Koekoeā Committee for Council Controlled Organisations, Te Koukou Committee for Transport and Infrastructure, Te Huia Committee for Chief Executive Performance, Te Kūkupa Committee for Strategy, Policy and Regulation, Te Pīpīwharauroa Committee for External Appointments. You can find out more about each committee here.

Names and dates of external appointments to these committees are:

A: The council can delegate certain powers, duties, or functions to committees, including those with appointed members. Those powers are limited by Clause 32(1), Schedule 7, of the Local Government Act 2002, as well as restrictions on delegation specified by other relevant legislation. Only the council (made up of elected members only) can make decisions involving:

• adoption of financial planning documents, including the Annual Plan, Long-term Plan, and Annual Report of council
• setting of rates
• making bylaws
• borrowing money
• purchasing or disposing of assets
• appointment of the Chief Executive
• adoption of statutorily required policies.

These powers cannot be delegated to a council committee.

Whether appointed members have voting rights on their committee depends on the specific committee’s Terms of Reference adopted by the council. At the beginning of each new triennium, the council agrees its governance structures, including committee composition, delegations, and Terms of Reference, to ensure they remain fit-for-purpose, lawful, and aligned with good governance practice.

A link to the Terms of Reference for each committee are below:

1. Te Kuaka Committee for Māori Strategic Relationships Terms of Reference
2. Te Miromiro Committee for Assurance, Risk and Finance Terms of Reference
3. Te Koekoeā Committee for Council Controlled Organisations Terms of Reference
4. Te Koukou Committee for Transport and Infrastructure Terms of Reference
5. Te Huia Committee for Chief Executive Performance Terms of Reference
6. Te Kūkupa – Strategy, Policy and Regulation Committee Terms of Reference
7. Te Pīpīwharauroa Committee for External Appointments Oversight Committee Terms of Reference

A: Iwi and hapū representatives who participate in FNDC governance structures are not elected members of council. Where such roles do exist, representatives are typically nominated by recognised iwi or hapū entities e.g. through Te Kahu o Taonui, the mandated iwi collective for Te Hiku o te Ika/Far North. Those iwi and hapū representatives participate under the agreed Terms of Reference approved by the council.

Related information

• Appointment of Non-Elected Members (Appointed Members) to Committees of Council
• Appointed Members Allowances Policy.