Far North Council & Community Boards take office

The 26 successful candidates in the October triennial elections in the Far North have now officially taken up local government office.

The elected members completed their declarations of office following a powhiri at Kaikohe today.

At the first formal meeting of the new council, former Western Community Board chairperson and highest polling Western Ward candidate, Sally Macauley, was elected as Deputy Mayor.

The council has appointed Cr Dennis Bowman to the Northern Community Board, Cr Di Maxwell to the Eastern Community Board and Cr Sally Macauley to the Western Community Board.

Mayor Wayne Brown's new council has set November 13 as the date for its first ordinary meeting.

The individual community board meetings which followed also elected their chairpersons as follows:-

Northern: Chairperson, Fiona King. Deputy chairperson, Phil Cross.

Eastern: Chairperson, Paul Gorringe. Deputy chairperson, Florence Annison

Western: Chairperson, Tracy Dalton. Deputy chairperson, Emma Davis.

The first ordinary meetings of the boards will be held on 05 December (Northern), 06 December (Western) and 07 December (Eastern).

MAYORS ADDRESS TO FIRST COUNCIL MEETING 

Kia ora tatou and welcome to the first meeting where I have been given the privilege of leading council as Mayor, following the election which saw voters deliver a BIG MANDATE FOR CHANGE AT FNDC

The clear program that was presented to ratepayers gave our two basic messages of improving the performance of FNDC to benefit all ratepayers and working to lift the wealth of all of our people, both Maori and Pakeha, a strong majority of 5000, a figure that exceeded any candidate’s total.

This indicates major voter unease at current council behaviours and it was on the back of a large turn out of ratepayers with those not voting being in most cases residents who do not pay rates, such as tenants and younger family residents.

I welcome my Value for Ratepayers team members, Sally, Steve, Di, Colin and Dennis onto council and we look forward to working as a team with the other councillors. I am pleased that Ian has supported the key messages and hope that Tom, Ann and Laurie will also support the more open and business like approach that will be the kaupapa of this new council, and which has received such a strong mandate from voters.

The campaign was about a new direction and voters embraced it! We will all need to roll up our sleaves and get stuck in now to lift the performance of the organization, starting now.

The campaign messages were:-

PUT THE RATEPAYERS BACK IN CHARGE OF THE COUNCIL

This is all about a massive cultural change in behaviour and attitude of staff. Our staff are to listen, ring back, help ratepayers not hinder, look for solutions not arguments, never threaten, insult, infuriate or demonise ratepayers. Picking on the poor and disabled is unacceptable, we must learn to apologise for stupid behaviour or errors and there have been plenty, to seek approvals not hearings, to be honest about delays, include mandatory stopped time, avoid lawyers and use plain English and te Reo where possible to inject some of the special flavour of our beloved district.

ROADS, SEWERAGE, NOT MEETINGS AND COMMITTEES

This is about efficiency of decision-making in a results-focussed organization. This Council is setting the example by having no committees other than a much-needed Audit and Finance committee, thereby showing our wish to reduce management time on meetings and concentrate on results and improvements. Managers are all expected to know and live their numbers, both financial figures and productivity measures.

Current high operating expenses (Opex) will be reduced in favour of Capex in roading, stormwater and sewerage. All costs will be reviewed to ensure that FNDC costs are at least as low as private sector costs. All FNDC meetings, both official and staff only, will be questioned for value and greater use made of modern communications to reduce travel both for staff, councillors and the public. We will withdraw from expensive talkfests such as Local Govt NZ.

Community boards will be empowered and rewarded to consult with their communities and hapu, and to make more local decisions, but these boards too will be constrained to act efficiently, avoid make-work and will be supported for the minimum of meetings. Community board chairs and deputies will carry much of the function attendance load of the former mayor. Disabled and Maori representation may be added to community boards.

All agendas will be shortened, the worst excesses of repetitive word processing will be stopped, and papers will be limited by the introduction of the executive summary with full back up docs only available by request.

LESS BUREAUCRACY, MORE SERVICES

This signals our intention to drastically cut governance costs and complicated administration processes in favour of faster processing of RC’s, BC’s and provision of council service responses to the public. We will invest in systems, not admin, and we will support decisions being made as low in the organisation as possible. A reduction is expected in the number of RC’s going to hearings and there will be a review of development contributions, too many of which are appealed at present.

All forms will be greatly simplified and tested on elderly and minority groups so that they are understood and compliance lifted, with an accompanying fall in non-complying construction starts.

PLAN FOR PROSPERITY

This council will provide a welcome mat for business investment in the Far North. We will use all suitable forums to encourage city-based employers to relocate here as we seek to develop opportunities for our young ambitious and also those currently under-achieving. Already ASB Trust has approached me offering support for this initiative. Maori business will be encouraged to reflect in their results the wealth of their holdings in the district.

We will speed up consents but lift environmental standards, which currently cost ratepayers dearly for poor results from the past. This council will quickly move to require sewerage or on site disposal systems to be installed and checked by the subdividers before titles are issued, rather than leaving cost shocks for the house builder and compliance problems for council. We will move to require public access on all coastal subdivisions.

My long experience with major government organizations will be leveraged to the advantage of FNDC and already we are underway with submissions to Transit to change their methodologies, which punish less developed regions such as ours.

Far North Holdings will be reviewed to give it a clear direction as a catalyst rather than a competitor with ratepayers. It will be redirected to exit poor performing businesses and those not germane to FNDC core activities. It currently faces capital demands from FNDC, which will not be met, particularly given its current poor returns.

These are sensible changes but will require genuine change from staff and this will take leadership and responsibility. Those who embrace this change will note a sudden lift in sprits and public approval. Those who cannot or will not make the change will need to re-examine their involvement. Management will be measured to ensure that the directions and outputs required by council are met. This approach will lift the performance and appeal of FNDC as a place to work for those with skill and confidence. Current staff will be encouraged and trained to respond to the wishes of ratepayers who seek prosperous and attractive growth for all the people of our Fabulous Far North.

My vision is that the Far North will be seen as a desirable place to work, invest and grow a career, it will become known as a source of innovation and a place that cares for its people and its environment.