Far North councillors set committee and external roles

Far North District councillors made key decisions on how the council will be governed and their own areas of responsibility over the next three years during last week’s council meeting.

Under the Local Government Act 2002, a mayor can establish committees that consider key issues and make decisions on behalf of the council. He or she can also appoint committee members including the chairperson.

During Thursday’s meeting (15 December), Kahika (Mayor) Moko Tepania opted not to exercise that decision-making power, instead asking councillors for input on a proposed committee structure and to agree on who will take on committee roles. Councillors agreed to establish three committees to make decisions on the council’s behalf. They are:  

1. Te Miromiro - Assurance, Risk and Finance Committee. The terms of reference and membership have been adopted, with the exception of the chair who is yet to be appointed. Te Pīpīwharauroa - External Members Appointment Committee will conduct interviews to select a chair independent of council late in January with a final decision on the appointment to be made by council in February.           
2. Te Pīpīwharauroa - External Member Appointment Committee. This will have responsibility for interviewing and recommending the appointment of external experts to the council. It will be chaired by Councillor John Vujcich with councillors Steve McNally and Penetaui Kleskovic as members. Their first task will be to appoint an independent chair for Te Miromiro – the Assurance, Risk and Finance Committee.
3. Te Kuaka - Te Ao Māori Committee. Terms of reference detailing the purpose, delegations, and membership of this committee have not yet been set. This will be undertaken early next year. 

The previous council had four committees: Infrastructure Committee; Strategy and Policy Committee; Regulatory Compliance Committee; and Assurance, Risk and Finance Committee.

One addition that Kahika Tepania did insist upon was to include the names of native New Zealand birds in the new committee titles. He explained that in Te Ao Māori, a Pīpīwharauroa (Shining Cuckoo) is a suitable allegory for the External Member Appointment Committee. The bird is recognised as the “bearer of news”. It also lays egg in the nests of other birds to be raised and nurtured, a metaphor for council’s committees.

A Miromiro (Tomtit) has a keen eye for detail required for the Assurance, Risk and Finance Committee, he said, while Te Kuaka (Godwit) is known for its resilience and ability to travel long distances. Kuaka also travel in huge flocks signifying strength in unity to achieve purpose. 

The meeting also confirmed a 23 November council decision to appoint an Executive Review Committee. This will be a renamed Te Huia - Executive Review Committee. The Huia is a bird of the highest esteem in Te Ao Māori and is synonymous with great leaders and leadership.

Last week, councillors allocated roles on 14 external committees and organisations. Kahika Tepania said there would be a mid-term review to ensure workloads are spread equitably among the 10 councillors and provide an opportunity to make changes if necessary. Councillors may be appointed to more external organisations in the new year. The current appointments are: 

External organisation	Principle member	Alternate
Northland Regional Transport Committee	Steve McNally	Ann Court
Te Oneroa a Tōhē Beach Board	Mayor Tepania	Hilda Halkyard-Harawira
Joint Climate Change Adaptation	Tāmati Rākena	Kōwhai-Deputy Mayor Stratford
Joint Regional Economic Development:	John Vujcich Penetaui Kleskovic
Mayoral Taskforce for Jobs	Mayor Tepania	Penetaui Kleskovic
Creative Communities Funding Assessment Committee	Felicity Foy	Tāmati Rākena
Kaikohe Library & Civic Hub Steering Group (KLCHSG)	Tāmati Rākena Babe Kapa Felicity Foy
Turner Centre	Babe Kapa
Ngakahu Steering Group	John Vujcich Hilda Halkyard-Harawira Babe Kapa Mate Radich Steve McNally
Cycle Trail Trust	John Vujcich Babe Kapa
Road Controlling Authority Forum	Ann Court
North Chamber	John Vujcich
Te Hiku Sports Hub	Felicity Foy
Te Ahu Charitable Trust	Felicity Foy

 

The meeting also adopted a meeting and workshop schedule for 2023. The council and its committees will meet on a four-week cycle with formal meetings aligned with Maramataka, the traditional Māori lunar calendar. Adoption of the Maramataka follows a council wānanga (workshop) held on 23 November 2022 with Maramataka expert, Matua Rereata Makiha, who explained the benefits for decision-making when following the moon cycles. The meeting calendar on the council’s website will be updated once yesterday’s meeting minutes are confirmed.