HUTT CITY COUNCIL NEWS RELEASE

25 MAY 2017

Community Committees now Community Panels

A Community Panel model will replace four Community Committees disbanded in 2016 before the local government election.

This change was endorsed by a full council meeting this week (23 May).

Four Community Panels will be established in the Northern, Central, Eastern and Western Hills ward communities. Each panel will consist of up to five non-elected council members with ward councillors.

The Panels will manage a Local Community Projects Fund ($480,000 shared across the four panels). The projects fund will be committed to community assets such as playgrounds, murals, community gardens, safety improvements or community assets that are unable to be funded by council’s annual budget. The $480,000 was previously allocated to salaries of community committee members.

The Panels will also play an important role in local representation. They will provide feedback and views to the elected council on both local and city wide matters.

Council will be seeking expressions of interest from members of the public soon. Nominations will be sought in June and ideally Community Panels appointed in July.

ENDS

Note to editors:

Some additional information

1) What is different from four community committees, to four community panels?

There are some key changes in the new Community Panel approach.
Changes include:

a. A significant new fund for local community projects - $480,000

b. Loss of salaries for members

c. An increased focus on meaningful representation and providing feedback to elected members and the full Council

d. Some delegations of Community Committees will now be managed by officers and or Council Committees:

• Traffic management issues

• Naming of new roads and alterations

• Official naming of parks, reserves and sports grounds

• Removal and/or planting of street trees

• Granting of leases and licences in terms of community groups using Council owned properties

• Granting of rights of way and other easements.

2) How are Community Panel members being reimbursed?

Each member receives a $750 honorarium for meeting related costs.

3) Will the fund the Panels manage be shared equally?

Yes, equally across each panel - $120,000 each.

4) How will Panels feedback to the council?

Through local councillors, attending council meetings and so on.

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