16 July 2018

Long-standing councillor honoured for contribution to local government

Local Government New Zealand has honoured Rotorua leader Cr Trevor Maxwell MZNM with the Minister of Local Government EXCELLENCE Award for Outstanding Contribution to Local Government.

Cr Maxwell has represented Rotorua Lakes Council since 1977 and was Deputy Mayor from 2002-2013. In that time Cr Maxwell has shown true leadership across a range of issues, and in particular Māori and the arts.

Cr Maxwell is Rotorua Lakes Council’s Cultural Ambassador and currently serves on six iwi protocol committees, Kaumatua Committee te Pukenga Koeke o Te Whare Taonga o Rotorua, is the Council’s representative on the Creative Communities Rotorua Assessment Committee and often hosts overseas delegations to Rotorua.

He has been an appointee to Tourism New Zealand as Kaupapa Director and has previously represented the organisation at international events, including Māori Arts Meets America in San Francisco in 2005 and the opening of the America’s Cup regatta in Valencia in 2007.

LGNZ President Dave Cull says Cr Maxwell is a role model for his community and local government and the award is well-deserved.

“Trevor has shown an outstanding commitment to the sector. He has dedicated his life to his whanau, hapū and iwi and continues to stay involved at grass roots level as well as continuing to contribute at a high level around the Council table,” Mr Cull says.

Chair of Te Maruata, LGNZ’s collective of Māori in governance roles within the sector, Cr Bonita Bigham says Cr Maxwell is the living embodiment of community and local government success.

“He is a role model for all Māori, inside local government and within our communities at large.”

Cr Maxwell’s commitment to local government and the community was also recognised in 2002 when he was awarded the Queen’s Service Medal for contribution to Māori, arts and local body affairs.

The EXCELLENCE Award for Outstanding Contribution to Local Government, designed to recognise one or more individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to local government, was awarded by LGNZ’s National Council.

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