Source: Radio New Zealand
New Plymouth mayor Max Brough. LDR /Te Korimako o Taranaki
Just minutes after unifying around a new vision statement, a rift on the New Plymouth District Council was laid bare over the appointment of an acting chief executive.
At an extraordinary meeting, councillor Dinnie Moeahu expressed his dismay that the public was to be excluded from debate about the appointment.
“The significance of this matter should involve the community and when we have to make a decision, a significant decision, why wouldn’t we have the community involved?”
Moeahu also took umbrage at senior council staff leaving the chamber at the instruction of outgoing chief executive Gareth Green.
“Why are our executive leaders leaving when they should be right here?
Councillor Dinnie Moeahu. Supplied / NPDC
“We are about to make a decision and I have some questions on this matter that I would like addressed before our council executives leave this room.
“And I’m not sure that when we remove the public, why are they leaving? Can someone tell me – through the CE – why are our executive leaders leaving this room?”
Green was happy to oblige.
“Through the chair, because I’ve asked them to. It’s not appropriate for our staff to be privy to the conversation that you’re going to have.
Outgoing chief executive Gareth Green. Taupō District Council / Supplied
“That would be inappropriate for both the individuals you will be discussing and for them [the staff]. It would be highly unusual for them to be here.”
Moeahu hit back during debate on the motion to exclude even though not a single member of the public had turned up to the meeting.
“I thought this term was going to be the term of transparency. We will be open. We will be honest. We will have our community know what we are doing.
“So, what are we going to do? Exclude our executive team, exclude the public from this decision.
“I will not support the recommendation and I would encourage others to stand up for the community in the realm of transparency because we have the option of including the public.”
Councillors voted 10 to 4 to exclude the public, with one councillor abstaining.
The chief executive was the single member of council staff employed directly by the councillors.
Following the meeting, New Plymouth mayor Max Brough said it was standard practice to exclude the public when employment matters were being discussed.
“You never, ever, ever, in a public space, talk about employment issues when going through the process of choosing a new CE ever.
“Never. No council does that. It’s nonsense. “
Brough accused Moeahu of political point scoring.
Ditching Sustainable Lifestyle Capital vision
Earlier, the two men had been on the same page as council took the first steps towards ditching its “Sustainable Lifestyle Capital” vision statement.
Councillors unanimously supported adopting “Thriving Today, Resilient Tomorrow” as its new vision.
Brough said the slogan – suggested by first-term councillor Gina Blackburn – signalled a change in direction for council towards a more economic focus.
“One of the problems with the Sustainable Lifestyle Capital is there’s all sorts of interpretations sustainable and we all think it’s great to have a lifestyle, but we’ve sort of drifted away from creating an income and generating wealth.”
Moeahu thanked his colleagues for the two days of work on the new strategic framework.
“We worked really hard to try and move forwards together as a cohesive unit and I really appreciated that there was a lot of honesty, and some challenges, but what we have landed on here should be commended.”
Blackburn said the vision statement was about looking forward.
“I think this signals a new direction for us as a council focused on our people, on our place and creating a district that everyone wants to be in, everyone wants to thrive in.
“And where everyone knows and can feel secure that our council is making decisions in the best interests of the future.”
The vision statement would be outlined in next year’s Annual Plan and inform its Mission, Goals and the Strategic Framework of the Long-Term Plan 2027-2037.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
