Committee structure and chairs for Auckland Council
News Release
29 October 2013
Committee structure and chairs for Auckland Council
Mayor Len Brown today announced the new committee structure and chairs for the second term of Auckland Council.
Len Brown says “The public has been very clear that they want to see a council that leaves politics at the door and focuses on getting the job done for Auckland.
“As with the first term, I have taken an approach that sees leadership responsibilities broadly shared across the chamber, across the political spectrum and across the Auckland region.
“I have spoken with each of the councillors about the role they can play in this new council. I am delighted with the energy, enthusiasm and pragmatism I have seen right across the spectrum.”
Key points:
There are four committees of the whole of the Governing Body – Long-term and Annual Plan Committee, Urban and Rural Development Committee, Regional Strategy and Policy Committee, Finance and Organisational Performance Committee
In addition to the committees of the whole of the Governing Body, there are a number of standing committees to address specific areas of council business – CCO Governance and Monitoring Committee, Hearings Committee, Regulatory and Bylaws Committee, Audit and Risk Committee, Civil Defence and Emergency Management Committee
Formal committee meetings and workshops will be scheduled on Tuesdays – Thursdays to leave clear time for councillors to do important work across the region
The Mayor will take personal responsibility for leading the council’s budget and planning process in a new standalone committee
The CCO Committee has been strengthened to now also be responsible for financial and performance monitoring for CCOs
The details below will be tabled at the reconvened inaugural Governing Body meeting tomorrow. A workshop will then be held to discuss membership of the committees and a report will be brought to the second meeting of the Governing Body next month to confirm Terms of Reference and committee membership
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For
further information, contact:
Dan Lambert
Office of
the Mayor
Phone: 021-242-2311
Notes for editors: Overview - structure and chairs
Governing Body: the governing body will oversee the implementation of the Auckland Plan, set the direction for major strategic priorities/projects and ensure that this is reflected in the work programmes of the committees, as well as receiving regular updates on progress.
Legally the governing body cannot delegate:
making a rate
making a
bylaw
borrowing money or purchasing or disposing of
assets unless it is in accordance with the long-term
plan
adopting a long-term plan, annual plan or annual
report
appointing a chief executive
adopting
policies required to be adopted and consulted on in
association with the long-term plan or developed for the
purpose of the local governance statement
adopting a
remuneration and employment policy
The governing body
also retains to itself:
Final approval of the Unitary
Plan
electoral matters, including review of
representation arrangements
governance documents
including, standing orders, code of conduct, committee terms
of reference
There are four committees of the whole
of the Governing Body:
1. Long Term & Annual
Plan Committee
Chair: Mayor Len Brown
Deputy Chair:
Cr Penny Webster
This committee will meet on an ‘as
required basis’ under the chairmanship of the Mayor, who
leads these processes, and will be responsible for the
development of the long-term and annual plans including:
Local Board agreements
Local Board Funding Policy
Financial policy related to LTP and AP
Setting of
rates
Under this committee will be a reporting
committee for the hearings process.
LTP/AP Hearing
Committee
Chair: Cr Penny Webster
Deputy Chair: Cr
John Watson
2. Urban and Rural Development
Committee
Chair: Cr Penny Hulse
Deputy Chair: Cr Chris
Darby
This committee will guide the physical development
and growth of Auckland through a focus on land use planning,
housing, the appropriate provision of infrastructure and
strategic projects associated with these activities. Key
responsibilities include:
Unitary Plan
Plan
changes to operative plans
Designation of Special
Housing Areas
Housing policy and projects including
papakainga housing
Spatial plans including area
plans
CBD development (including reporting of CBD
panel)
Tamaki regeneration projects
Built
heritage
There will be two reporting committees of
this committee:
a) Unitary Plan
Committee
Chair: Cr Alf Filipaina
Deputy Chair: Cr
Penny Hulse
A small committee that can meet regularly,
and if necessary at short notice, to give direction to
officers on matters such as:
The council’s
submission to the Unitary Plan (final sign off with parent
committee)
Response to matters raised by submission
process
Pre-hearing mediation
b) Physical
Infrastructure Committee
Chair: Cr Mike Lee
Deputy
Chair: Cr Chris Darby
This committee will oversee the
strategic direction and key projects of Auckland Transport,
Watercare and the council’s stormwater department to
ensure alignment with the growth of Auckland and the Unitary
Plan.
3. Regional Strategy and Policy
Committee
Chair: Cr George Wood
Deputy Chair: Cr
Arthur Anae
This committee will deal with all strategy
and policy decision-making that is not the responsibility of
another committee or the Governing Body, i.e. strategies and
policies associated with environmental, social, economic and
cultural activities. Key responsibilities will include:
Final approval of strategies and policies not the
responsibility of other committees or the Governing Body
Setting/ approving policy work programme for
sub-committees
Overseeing strategic projects (except
those under the Urban and Rural Development Committee), for
example, the Southern Initiative
Acquisition and
disposal of property relating to the committee’s
responsibilities
There are five reporting committees
supporting this committee. These are aligned to the Auckland
Plan strategic directions and will operate as follows:
The policy work programme will be approved by Regional
Strategy and Policy Committee
Full powers within each
reporting committee’s area of responsibility except:
Approving expenditure that is not contained within approved
budgets
Approving expenditure of more than $2
million
Approving final policy
Deciding
significant matters for which there is high public interest
and which are controversial
Deciding matters that are
the responsibility of the Governing Body, another committee
or a local board
Act as a community interface for
consultation on policies and as a forum for raising
community concerns
Standing orders for these
committees will be reviewed to facilitate more informality
where necessary
The meeting cycle will be six-weekly
to allow sufficient meeting time in the council calendar
Reporting committees:
Arts, Culture and Events
Chair: Cr Alf Filipaina
Deputy Chair: Cr John
Watson
Parks, Recreation and Sport
Chair: Cr
Christine Fletcher
Deputy Chair: Cr Calum Penrose
Environment, Climate Change and Natural Heritage
Chair: Cr
Wayne Walker
Deputy Chair: Cr Linda Cooper
Community Development, Safety and Social Infrastructure
Chair: Cr Cathy Casey
Deputy Chair: Cr
Sir John Walker
Economy – Rural and Urban
Chair: Cr Arthur Anae
Deputy Chair: Cr Ross
Clow
4. Finance and Organisational Performance
Committee
Chair: Cr Penny Webster
Deputy Chair: Cr
Ross Clow
This committee will be responsible for
monitoring overall financial management and the performance
of the council parent organisation. It will also make
financial decisions required outside of the annual budgeting
processes. Key responsibilities include:
Financial
management
Write-offs
Acquisition and disposal
of property (where not a responsibility of the Regional
Strategy and Policy committee)
Monitoring performance
against the LTP and AP – monthly and quarterly
reporting
Recommending the Annual Report to the
Governing Body
There are two reporting committees of
this committee, both of which existed in the previous term
of council and will continue to operate in a similar form.
They are:
a) CEO review committee
Chair: Cr
Christine Fletcher
Deputy Chair: Mayor Len Brown
b) Tenders and procurement committee
Chair: Cr
Dick Quax
Deputy Chair: Cr Denise Krum
In addition to the committees of the whole of the governing body, there are a number of standing committees to address specific areas of council business.
1. CCO
Governance and Monitoring Committee
Chair: Cr Penny
Hulse
Deputy Chair: Cr Calum Penrose
This committee
will overview the complete CCO operations through:
Setting policy relating to CCO governance
Director
appointments
Approving Statements of Intent
(SOIs)
Monitoring quarterly performance reporting
2. Hearings Committee
Chair: Cr Linda
Cooper
Deputy Chair: Cr Penny Webster
As in the
previous term of council, this committee will be responsible
for:
Hearing and deciding on matters related to
resource consents and plan changes to operative plans
Hearing and deciding on matters related to the Dog Control
Act, Sale of Liquor Act and bylaws
Appointing
independent hearings commissioners
Guiding officer
responses to appeals
3. Regulatory and Bylaws
Committee
Chair: Cr Calum Penrose
Deputy Chair: Cr
Denise Krum
This committee will be responsible for
reviewing and recommending new or changed bylaws to the
Governing Body including consideration of delegations to
local boards and bylaws proposed by local boards.
4.
Audit and Risk Committee
Chair: Cr Sir John
Walker
Deputy Chair: Cr Cathy Casey
The Audit and Risk
Committee will provide advice and recommendations to the
Governing Body on the functioning of council processes and
control systems, risk management and results of internal and
external audit processes.
5. Civil Defence and
Emergency Management Committee
Chair: Cr Sharon
Stewart
Deputy Chair: Cr Bill Cashmore
As in the
previous term, this committee will oversee the council’s
civil defence and emergency management, planning, policy and
functions. It will also exercise the statutory powers
outlined in the Civil Defence Emergency Management Act 2002
and the Auckland Civil Defence Emergency Management Group
Plan.
Advisory Panels
A number of Advisory Panels
were part of the governance structure in the last term of
Auckland Council. Two of these were required by statute,
i.e. the Pacific Peoples Advisory Panel and the Ethnic
Advisory Panel. These statutory requirements do not now
exist but it is proposed to continue with these two advisory
panels in addition to the other discretionary panels that
were operated in the last term and also to add a Seniors
Advisory Panel. A further report will come back to the
Governing Body setting up the Terms of Reference for the
panels, but broadly these fall into two groups:
1.
Advisory panels that will be independently chaired and have
an appointed councillor
for liaison; and
2.
Advisory panels that are chaired by a councillor and will
advise specific council
processes such as the Unitary
Plan and the financial plans
Independently Chaired Panels and the liaison councillor are as follows:
Pacific Peoples Advisory Panel – Cr Arthur Anae
Ethnic Peoples Advisory Panel – Cr Denise Krum
Youth Advisory Panel – Cr Linda Cooper
Disability
Strategic Advisory Panel – Cr Sharon Stewart
Seniors Advisory Panel – Cr Cathy Casey
Business
Advisory Panel – Co-chaired by Michael Barnett and
councillor TBC
CBD Advisory Board – Cr Mike Lee
Advisory panels chaired by a councillor
Rural
Advisory Panel – Cr Bill Cashmore
Heritage Advisory
Panel – Cr Mike Lee
Independent Maori Statutory
Board liaison – Cr Alf Filipaina has been fulfilling the
role as governing body liaison with the IMSB and has agreed
to continue in this role.
Auckland Ambassador: Sir John Walker will continue the role of Auckland Ambassador as in the last term of the council.
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