New Committee, Venues for NRC Meetings

08 December, 2010

The Northland Regional Council has a new Regional Policy and Development Committee and will also hold its monthly full Council meetings around the region on a rotating basis over the next three years.

Councillors approved the moves at their monthly full Council meeting in Whangarei yesterday (subs: Tues 07 Dec) during which they also agreed on the structure of the Council’s other committees and those they would serve on.

Council Chairman Craig Brown says the new committee will be chaired by Kaitaia-based Regional Councillor Ian Walker, with Whangarei-based Cr Tony Davies-Colley as its Deputy.

The committee’s creation recognises a number of factors, including work to develop a new Regional Policy Statement (RPS) over the next 12 months, the fact Northland is still emerging from a recession and a desire to work more closely with other Northland Councils.

“The new RPS will be a vitally important document for Northland and provides an opportunity to review the current balance between use, development and protection of Northland’s natural and physical resources,” Cr Brown says.

Councillors also agreed yesterday to hold their monthly full Council meetings on a rotating Whangarei/Far North/Whangarei/Kaipara basis.

“As a regional body, we felt it was appropriate to hold more of our meetings in the communities our Councillors represent and our staff work for.”

Councillor Brown says there have been a number of changes in the political landscape in recent months, both locally and outside the region, including the creation of a powerful new neighbour to our south - the Auckland super city.

“I believe the make up of our current Council reflects the community’s desire for the Regional Council to be more pro-active across a number of areas. We’ve been told to get on and do the job – we intend to.”

Councillor Brown says it’s hoped most of the monthly meetings outside of Whangarei will able to be held at the local District Council chambers.

The Council’s Committees, their Chairs and Deputy Chairs are:

• Audit & Finance (Bill Rossiter Chairman, Graeme Ramsey Deputy)
• Environmental Management (Joe Carr Chairman, Graeme Ramsey Deputy)
• Regional Transport (John Bain Chairman, Joe Carr Deputy)
• Resource Management Act Hearings Committee (Craig Brown Chairman, Bronwyn Hunt Deputy)
• Regional Policy & Development Committee (Ian Walker Chairman, Tony Davies-Colley Deputy)

In another appointment yesterday, Cr Joe Carr will be the Regional Council’s representative on the Northland Civil Defence Emergency Management Group. (While this group is administered by the NRC, legally it is a joint committee of all four Councils in Northland. The group meets for the first time on Tuesday 14 December and among its first items of business will be the election of its Chair.)

Meanwhile, Cr Brown says Councillors were also appointed to a variety of external bodies and portfolios of interest. Some further appointments are expected to be made in the New Year and others as necessary.

In a similar vein, a number of appointments to Regional Council committees have yet to be filled by representatives of other Councils and/or external stakeholder groups.

A full list of Council’s Committees and appointments to date is available at www.nrc.govt.nz/committees

ENDS

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