Far North District Council came into being on 1 November 1989 as a result of the legislated amalgamation of the Bay of Islands County Council, Hokianga County Council, Whangaroa County Council, Mangonui County Council, Kaikohe Borough Council and the Kaitaia Borough Council. The Council is the northernmost in New Zealand. The District Council is responsible for establishing policies and strategies determining the overall direction of Council. These policies and strategies are implemented by the chief executive and council staff. The purpose of local government in New Zealand is:
Council's role
The District Council is responsible for establishing policies and strategies determining the overall direction of Council. These policies and strategies are implemented by the Chief Executive and Council staff. Learn more about our governance structure here. The purpose of local government in New Zealand is:
- To enable democratic decision-making and action by, and on behalf of communities.
- To promote the social, economic, environmental and cultural well-being of communities, in the present and for the future.
Council members
The Far North District Council currently comprises a Mayor and nine Councillors who represent the three wards within the District. The Mayor is independently elected over the whole District, while Councillors are elected from three electoral areas (wards) - Te Hiku, Kaikohe-Hokianga and Bay of Islands-Whangaroa. The District is also divided into Community Board divisions. Contact details of Councillors and Community Board Members and more about their roles can be found here.
The Local Governance Statement(PDF, 723KB) is a collection of information about the processes through which Council engages with the residents of Far North District, how the Council makes decisions, and how citizens can influence these processes.
The Local Governance Statement provides the public with information on ways to engage in local democratic processes. The Local Governance Statement includes the following broad categories of information:
- functions, responsibilities and activities of the local authority
- electoral arrangements
- governance structures and processes
- the way elected members make decisions and relate to each other and to the management of the local authority
- key policies of the local authority.
Council adopted their current Code of Conduct for elected members on 31 October 2019. The Local Government Act requires all local authorities to adopt a code of conduct that, among other things, sets out their expectations about the manner in which members may conduct themselves while acting in their capacity as members, including behaviour toward one another, staff, and the public.
Community boards are not required to adopt a Code of Conduct. However, the Bay of Islands-Whangaroa Community Board have chosen to adopt this Code of Conduct.
A Code of Conduct for employees, contractors and consultants was updated in February 2017.
Council generally meets every six weeks to consider issues affecting the district and make decisions. As your elected representatives, councillors govern and manage the interests of the Far North District on behalf of everyone who lives here. Councillors also sit on committees and some external bodies. Additional roles include:
- District licensing committee
- Hearings Commissioners
- Creative Communities Funding Assessment Committee
| Assurance, Risk and Finance |
Strategy and Policy |
Infrastructure |
Regulatory Compliance |
Executive Review |
| Mayor John Carter |
Mayor John Carter |
Mayor John Carter |
Mayor John Carter |
Mayor John Carter |
| John Vujcich (Chairperson) |
Rachel Smith (Chairperson) |
Felicity Foy (Chairperson) |
Kelly Stratford (Chairperson) |
Ann Court (Chairperson) |
| Independent Member – Bruce Robertson (Deputy) |
David Clendon (Deputy) |
Ann Court (Deputy) |
Dave Collard (Deputy) |
Kelly Stratford (Deputy) |
| Ann Court |
Moko Tepania |
Dave Collard |
David Clendon |
John Vujcich |
| Moko Tepania |
Ann Court |
Rachel Smith |
Ann Court |
Felicity Foy |
| Mate Radich |
Felicity Foy |
Kelly Stratford |
Rachel Smith |
Rachel Smith |
| Kelly Stratford |
David Collard |
John Vujcich |
John Vujcich |
|
| Rachel Smith |
John Vujcich |
Adele Gardner |
Belinda Ward |
|
| Mike Edmonds |
Kelly Stratford |
Mike Edmonds |
|
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| Adele Gardner |
Belinda Ward |
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External appointments and portfolios
In addition to its formal committees, the Far North District Council has a number of additional forums which deal with specific issues, and also makes appointments to various external forums to ensure District input. A full list of external bodies elected members are appointed to can be accessed here.
There are three community boards - Te Hiku, Kaikohe-Hokianga, and Bay of Islands-Whangaroa - whose 19 members are elected from the three wards, which are divided into 12 subdivisions.
The Local Government Act 2002 states the role of a community board is to:-
- Represent, and act as an advocate for, the interests of its community;
- Consider and report on all matters referred to it by the territorial authority, or any matter of interest or concern to the community board;
- Maintain an overview of services provided by the territorial authority within the community;
- Prepare an annual submission to the territorial authority for expenditure within the community;
- Communicate with community organisations and special interest groups within the community;
- Undertake any other responsibilities that are delegated to it by the territorial authority
Standing orders set out the rules for the conduct of council and community board meetings. Their purpose is to support these bodies to make decisions in a transparent, inclusive and lawful manner.
- Far North District Council Standing Orders were adopted on 31 October 2019
- Kaikohe-Hokianga Community Board Standing Orders were adopted on 06 November 2019
- Bay of Islands-Whangaroa Community Board Standing Orders were adopted on 04 November 2019
- Te Hiku Community Board Standing Orders were adopted on 05 November 2019
Elected members' pay is set by the Remuneration Authority each year. You can read the Remuneration Authority's determination here. Council’s Elected Member Allowance and Reimbursement Policy(PDF, 80KB) outlines the rules on the claiming of expenses by elected members and the resources that will be available to them during their term of office.
Council may appoint a person who is not an elected member to a committee or subcommittee. Allowances paid are outlined in the Appointed Members Allowances Policy(PDF, 94KB)
Elected Member Expenses
Any person or organisation can present a petition to the Council, a Committee, or a Community Board. Petitions must contain at least 20 signatures and the request must consist of fewer than 150 words (not including signatures).
The petition can be received either in hard copy or electronically and should be delivered to the Governance Support Team. Your submission should be addressed to the Chief Executive. You will be provided with the opportunity to speak to your petition at a public meeting and elected members may ask you questions. After the petition is considered, the Chief Executive will notify the petitioner of the outcome.
For more information or to present your petition, contact the Governance Support Team via email governance@fndc.govt.nz or call 09 401 5231.