Tuesday, 17 January 2017

Committee chairs for Rodney Local Board announced

“We’ve now put in place a strong leadership team for the Rodney Local Board and a committee structure that’s accountable and focused on the massive challenges our communities face. We will be making great use of all the political, commercial and community experience around the table over the coming three years,” says chairperson of the Rodney Local Board, Beth Houlbrooke.

In October new political ticket Rodney First secured a majority of five members on the nine member Rodney Local Board, with Allison Roe joining Beth Houlbrooke in the Warkworth subdivision, and Cameron Brewer and Brent Bailey joining Phelan Pirrie in the Kumeu subdivision.

Brent Bailey has been appointed chairperson of the Parks and Recreation Committee, with Allison Roe deputy. While Cameron Brewer is chairperson of the Transport, Infrastructure and Environment Committee, with independent Dairy Flat representative Louise Johnston deputy. All nine board members are on both committees.

“Our local board won’t be dominated by one chair. Rather by creating these two key committees we’re empowering all local board members. Having dedicated committees also helps us put some serious focus on the likes of transport,” says Beth Houlbrooke.

The Parks and Recreation Committee has delegated authority on parks, sports and recreation (excluding greenways); arts, community and events; and libraries and information.

The Transport, Infrastructure and Environment Committee will deal with infrastructure and environmental services; plans and places; transport (being Auckland Transport and greenways); Business Improvement District partnership; and community facilities.

Deputy chair of the Rodney Local Board, Phelan Pirrie, says Rodney First campaigned on some specific projects which were then strongly supported by the rural-based ward. To advance them, he says the board needs to be very disciplined on how it governs and what it spends its time on.

“In local government it’s very easy to focus on a raft of peripheral stuff that won’t actually improve the lives of locals. We need to be project and outcomes focused, and not get bogged down in the process. Hence, I’m pleased the board voted to support my initiative to create project leaders,” says Phelan Pirrie.

As well as confirming the two committees of the whole, the Rodney Local Board has agreed to establish a “project lead structure” to enable all board members to take personal leadership over any of the agreed local board initiatives.

Beth Houlbrooke says a priority for the board over the coming weeks is to release drafts of its 2017/18 Annual Plan and the all-important three-year Rodney Local Board Plan for public feedback on the board’s proposed budgets, projects and priorities.

More information on Rodney First, its policies, members, and contact details, please visit www.rodneyfirst.org

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