Horowhenua District Council adopted their committee structure and chairs for the 2019-2022 triennium at the 13 November Council meeting.

The structure remains the same as the previous triennium and includes: Finance, Audit and Risk Committee, Community Wellbeing Committee, Community Funding & Recognition Committee, Hearings Committee and the Chief Executive Performance Review Committee.

However some of the chairs of the committees have changed.

Cr Victoria Kaye-Simmons was appointed Community Wellbeing Committee Chair, with previous Chair Barry Judd not re-standing for Council.

Having had experience both chairing the Older Person’s network and having involvement in other networks Cr Kaye-Simmons said she was looking forward to carrying on the excellent work of the committee.

“The wellbeing of our community is fundamental and we have some big challenges in this space. I look forward to addressing these and ensuring our community is thriving”.

After serving on the Community Funding & Recognition Committee for the past three years, Cr Piri-Hira Tukapua is now Chair, leading largely new committee members.

Cr Wayne Bishop will Chair the Chief Executive Performance Review Committee, Philip Jones remains as the independent member and Chair of the Finance, Audit and Risk Committee, and Deputy Mayor Jo Mason remains as the Hearings Committee Chair.

Mayor Bernie Wanden said the committees play an important role in the democratic process and shared the community’s high expectations of those chairing.

The Council also accepted new remuneration rates which will be submitted to the Remuneration Authority.

The Remuneration Authority sets the remuneration for elected members in local government. In 2017/2018 the Authority carried out a review taking into account workload and responsibilities.

Additionally, every Council was sized based on the district or city’s population, total operational expenditure, total assets and socioeconomic deprivation index.

The Authority determined Horowhenua District Council had $433,152 in the 2019/2020 year to allocate, excluding the Mayor’s salary which is fixed at $129,000.

Council then decided how to allocate the funds to the following positions, with the entire pool having to be allocated,

· Deputy Mayor

· Deputy Chairperson, Finance, Audit & Risk Committee

· Chairperson, Community Wellbeing Committee

· Chairperson, Community Funding and Recognition Committee

· Councillors

Deputy Mayor Mason said the review reflected the breadth of connection elected members were now required to have with the community.

“This is a multi-dimensional role, where we have to undertake many things simultaneously. But not only that the decisions we make for our community are significant” she said.

ENDS

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