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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

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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


Ends

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.

Ends

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