New Year Honours for Councillors

For immediate release: Friday 2 January 2009
Environment Bay of Plenty Chairman John Cronin and former Councillor Athol Herbert have been named in The Queen’s New Year Honours for 2009.

Chairman John Michael Cronin, JP, was made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for his services to local body affairs and the community.

Mr Athol John Herbert, JP, received The Queen’s Service Medal for his services to the community.

Environment Bay of Plenty congratulates both Chairman Cronin and Mr Herbert for their achievements and acknowledges them for their contributions to the Bay of Plenty.

In addition to being the Chairman of the regional council, Mr Cronin is a Member of the Leadership Forum on Climate Change; Chairman of the Climate Change sub-committee for Local Government New Zealand; and Deputy Chairman of Regional Affairs Committee of New Zealand.

Chairman Cronin has been an Environment Bay of Plenty Councillor since 1998 and during this time has served as a director of Quayside Limited and Port of Tauranga; and prior to this, he was a Councillor on Tauranga City Council from 1986 to 1995. Chairman Cronin has also committed many hours to various community groups as a voluntary treasurer and accountant.

Mr Herbert was an Environment Bay of Plenty Councillor from 1998 to 2007 with his term including stints as Chairman of the Regional Land Transport Committee, the Regional Development Committee and a director of Quayside Limited and the Port of Tauranga.

Mr Herbert held senior positions with many trusts and boards including the NZ China Trade Association; Pacific Education Trust; Bay of Plenty British Seafarers Charitable Trust; and was a member of the Bay of Plenty Conservation Board and SmartGrowth.

Speaking from London, Chairman Cronin said he was ecstatic to have been recognised for the work he had undertaken within the community.

He said he was delighted to have Mr Herbert also recognised for his work as he had served the community well and been a first-class Councillor.

“Athol has given so much to the Bay of Plenty and particularly during his nine years with Environment Bay of Plenty,” Chairman Cronin said. “Athol has done so much for community groups and for residents through his membership on so many different boards and trust and this is a very nice way of being thanked for that dedication.”

ENDS

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