The new Porirua City Mayor and Councillors were sworn in at the Council’s inaugural meeting at Pātaka last night.

During the formalities, Koromatua Mayor Anita Baker appointed Izzy Ford as Deputy Mayor and announced the Chairs of each of the committees of the Council. Joining them were Councillors Ross Leggett, Euon Murrell, Nathan Waddle, Josh Trlin, Kylie Wihapi, Moze Galo, Faafoi Seiuli, Geoff Hayward and Mike Duncan.

“I’m very excited about our new council which has a good balance of people, experience and cultural diversity. I’ve ensured all councillors have committee positions and have asked our younger councillors to step up in a couple of areas as I believe they are highly capable and they are the future of Porirua,” Mayor Baker said.

A new Committee of the Whole will be chaired by Cr Ross Leggett with Cr Ford as deputy chair. It will be responsible for long-term planning, strategy, monitoring performance, relationships with Ngāti Toa Rangatira, regional and national issues, hearings, policies, District Plan reviews and overseeing Council operations including transport, 3 waters, parks, recreation, village planning and economic development. This includes all Councillors and Kaumātua Taku Parai (non-voting member).

The Audit and Risk Committee which provides assurance on the Council’s risk management, control and accountability frameworks, will be chaired by an external party and Cr Josh Trlin will deputy. Committee members include Mayor Baker, Cr Ford, Cr Murrell, Cr Waddle and Kaumātua.

The Chief Executive’s Employment Committee which sets the employment terms, conditions and remuneration for the Chief Executive and monitors performance will be chaired by Cr Euon Murrell with Mayor Baker the deputy chair. Members are Cr Ford, Cr Wihapi, Cr Leggett, Cr Waddle and Kaumātua.

Cr Faafoi Seiuli will chair the Grants, Awards and Events Committee and Cr Nathan Waddle will be deputy chair. This committee manages the Council’s Civic Awards, Mayoral Recognition Certificates, approves funding for grants and events and monitors and reviews the events programme. Also on the committee will be Cr Galo, Cr Wihapi and Cr Hayward.

The Wastewater Treatment Plant and Landfill Joint Committee includes Cr Murrell, Cr Hayward and Cr Duncan. The Chairperson will be appointed from within the committee. It will provide governance for the joint services by Porirua and Wellington City councils for the treatment plant and landfill.

The Te Awarua-o-Porirua Harbour and Catchment Joint Committee, a joint committee with Greater Wellington Regional and Wellington City councils to oversee the development, monitoring, review and implementation of the harbour and catchment strategy. The strategy is currently being reviewed and the joint committee won’t meet again until findings and recommendations have been considered. Therefore Mayor Baker has deferred making appointments to the committee until then.

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