Focus on collaboration and transparency drives appointments to new Council

The committee structure and key appointments for the 2016-19 Kāpiti Coast District Council have been confirmed, paving the way for the work of the new Council to begin in earnest.

Mayor K Gurunathan has appointed Janet Holborow as Deputy Mayor and established a range of Council committees which see all councillors playing a role as either a chair or deputy chair.

Mayor Gurunathan says his decisions on the committee structure and the appointments to key roles reflect a strong desire to support a collaborative approach around the Council table that plays to the strengths of those who sit around it.

“The line-up is a combination of leadership from returning elected members and opportunities for the talented and capable, newly elected, members to excel. I'm looking forward to a team working collectively to meet the significant challenges facing our Kāpiti communities."

In the new Council the number of major standing committees of the whole Council reduces from three to two, with Cr James Cootes appointed chair of the Strategy and Policy Committee and Cr Michael Scott appointed chair of the Operations and Finance Committee.  Between them, these two committees share the responsibilities that were shared between the Corporate Business, Environment and Community Development and Regulatory Management committees of the previous Council.

“Audit and risk matters are elevated from sub-committee to full committee status, a decision that represents both local government best practice and the Council’s own focus on ensuring it has sound internal systems and robust financial management and reporting mechanisms,” says Mayor Gurunathan.

He says the Council has also confirmed which Councillors will take up appointments to key external organisations. 

“These roles give us the opportunity to stay connected to and collaborate with some really important and valuable organisations within our communities and I know the Councillors are all looking forward to getting stuck into the great work they do.

“We’ll also be looking at how we can work closely with the Greater Wellington Regional Council to ensure Kāpiti benefits from strong and effective leadership across local government.  I’m very encouraged by my early conversations with our Kāpiti regional councillor Penny Gaylor. 

“As a member of our Council in the last triennium she brings to her new role an understanding of the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead for Kāpiti and I look forward to working closely with her.”

New appointments: