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Tauranga City Council#Commission reappointment controversy

{{Short description|Territorial authority of New Zealand}}

{{Multiple issues|

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{{Use New Zealand English|date=October 2022}}

{{Infobox legislature

|name = Tauranga City Council

|logo = File:Tauranga City Council logo.png

|logo_res =

|coa_pic = File:Tauranga City Council coat of arms.png

|coa_res = 120px

|house_type = City council

|jurisdiction = Tauranga

|leader1_type = Mayor

|leader1 = {{NZ officeholder data|Tauranga City Mayor|y}}

|party1 =

|election1 =

|leader2_type = Deputy Mayor

|leader2 = Jen Scoular{{cite news |title=Tauranga mayor Mahé Drysdale honours grandfather as he’s sworn in |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/350366235/tauranga-mayor-mahe-drysdale-honours-grandfather-hes-sworn |publisher=Stuff.co.nz |date=3 August 2024 |access-date=3 August 2024}}

|party2 =

|election2 =

|leader3_type = CEO

|leader3 = Marty Grenfell

|members = 10{{efn|The mayor and 9 councillors.}}{{cite web |title=Mayor and councillors |url=https://www.tauranga.govt.nz/council/about-your-council/mayor-and-councillors |website=www.tauranga.govt.nz |publisher=Tauranga City Council |access-date=17 June 2024}}

| structure1 =

| structure1_res =

| structure2 =

| structure2_res =

| political_groups1 =

|committees1 =

|committees2 =

|joint_committees =

|voting_system1 = Single transferable vote{{cite web |title=Voting |url=https://www.tauranga.govt.nz/council/about-your-council/elections/voting |website=www.tauranga.govt.nz |publisher=Tauranga City Council |access-date=2 November 2022}}

|last_election1 = July 2024

|next_election1 = October 2028

|meeting_place =

|website = [https://www.tauranga.govt.nz/ www.tauranga.govt.nz]

|footnotes = {{noteslist}}

}}

Tauranga City Council is the territorial authority for the city of Tauranga, New Zealand. The council consists of nine councillors, each elected from one of nine wards, and is presided over by the mayor, who is elected at large. The current mayor is {{NZ officeholder data|Tauranga City Mayor|y}}. Marty Grenfell is the current CEO of Tauranga City Council.{{Cite web|title= Te tōpūtanga {{!}} The organisation

|url=https://www.tauranga.govt.nz/council/about-your-council/the-organisation |access-date=21 July 2024 |publisher=Tauranga City Council}}

History

The historic predecessor was Tauranga Borough Council, which existed from 1888 to 1963. Tauranga City Council was then formed and existed from 1963 until the 1989 local government reforms. Post-amalgamation with other authorities in 1989 (e.g. Mount Maunganui Borough Council), Tauranga District Council existed until 2003 when it again became Tauranga City Council.{{cite web |title=Tauranga City Council Minute Book History |url=http://tauranga.kete.net.nz/tauranga_local_history/topics/show/224-tauranga-city-council-minute-book-history |publisher=Tauranga City Libraries |access-date=1 July 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180213132819/http://tauranga.kete.net.nz/tauranga_local_history/topics/show/224-tauranga-city-council-minute-book-history|archive-date=13 February 2018}}

= Crown commission and suspension =

{{main|Crown commission administration of Tauranga}}

On 20 November 2020, Mayor of Tauranga Tenby Powell resigned following infighting between himself and city councillors. The resignation came eight months after the mayor was unanimously censured by his council for an angry outburst.{{Cite news|date=20 November 2020|title=Tauranga mayor Tenby Powell resigns|url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/431078/tauranga-mayor-tenby-powell-resigns|access-date=17 April 2021|work=Radio New Zealand|language=en-nz |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220408015607/https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/431078/tauranga-mayor-tenby-powell-resigns|archive-date=8 April 2022|url-status=live}}{{Cite news |last=Gillespie |first=Kiri |date=24 March 2020 |title="Tauranga mayor Tenby Powell told to apologise over code of conduct breach" |work=Bay of Plenty Times |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/bay-of-plenty-times/news/tauranga-mayor-tenby-powell-told-to-apologise-over-code-of-conduct-breach/M4GRFD3RUFNAB2WKFBNRLD3TRA/ |access-date=1 January 2024}}{{Cite news |last=Evans |first=Alisha |date=24 March 2020 |title="Mayor to apologise for "bullying comments"" |work=Sunlive |url=https://sunlive.co.nz/news/237976-mayor-to-apologise-bullying-comments.html |access-date=1 January 2024}} Following further mayoral "outbursts," {{Cite news |date=14 August 2020 |title="Tauranga mayor Tenby Powell in informal meeting" |work=Bay of Plenty Times |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/bay-of-plenty-times/video/tauranga-mayor-tenby-powell-in-informal-meeting/3D2ZWOFOC65QY5MKCEPCJKF4TM/ |access-date=1 January 2024}}{{Cite news |last=Shand |first=Matt |date=3 August 2020 |title="Tauranga mayor's profanity-laced flip-flop over quitting" |work=Stuff.co.nz |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/122326275/tauranga-mayors-profanitylaced-flipflop-over-quitting |access-date=1 January 2024}} Powell publicly called for the Minister of Local Government to appoint a commission to replace the "dysfunctional" council.

On 18 December 2020, Minister of Local Government Nanaia Mahuta confirmed that the government would be appointing commissioners to administrate Tauranga in response to infighting within the council. The commissioners' terms began in early 2021 and were scheduled to last until the next local elections scheduled for October 2022, but was later extended to July 2024.{{cite news |title=Nanaia Mahuta confirms commission appointment to Tauranga City Council |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/433174/nanaia-mahuta-confirms-commission-appointment-to-tauranga-city-council |access-date=7 January 2021 |work=Radio New Zealand |date=18 December 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201231215851/https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/433174/nanaia-mahuta-confirms-commission-appointment-to-tauranga-city-council |archive-date=31 December 2020|url-status=live}} The commissioners stood down with elected representatives returning in August 2024.{{Cite web |date=2024-08-02 |title=New Tauranga Council, mayor kicks off its term |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/523914/new-tauranga-council-mayor-kicks-off-its-term |access-date=2025-04-27 |website=RNZ |language=en-nz}}

Elections

The council is normally elected every three years, using the single transferable vote voting system.{{Cite web|url=https://www.tauranga.govt.nz/council/about-your-council/elections/voting|title=Voting – Tauranga City Council|website=www.tauranga.govt.nz}} The vote is conducted by postal ballot. The 2007 election, which closed on 13 October 2007, had a turnout of 40%. Turnouts have since been 38.07% 2010, 37.78% 2013, 43.64% 2016, 40.28% 2019.{{Cite web|title=Returns|url=https://www.electionz.com/LGE2019Returns/ELT23TG19_Returns.htm|access-date=6 August 2020|website=www.electionz.com}}

Tauranga City Council formerly used the first-past-the-post (FPP) voting system until 2019, when it switched to using single transferable vote (STV).

No election was held for the Tauranga City Council during the 2022 local elections, due to the council having been replaced with a Crown commission. The next elections for the city council were instead held during July 2024.{{cite web| title= Elections | url= https://www.tauranga.govt.nz/council/about-your-council/elections | website = www.tauranga.govt.nz | publisher = Tauranga City Council| access-date= 27 October 2022}}

Tauranga City Council created nine electoral wards for the 2024 local elections. There are eight general wards (Mauao/Mount Maunganui, Arataki, Pāpāmoa, Welcome Bay, Matua-Otūmoetai, Bethlehem, Tauriko and Te Papa) and one Māori ward (Te Awanui, covering the entire city), which each return one councillor.{{cite web |title=Elections 2024 > Information for voters |url=https://www.tauranga.govt.nz/council/about-your-council/elections-2024/information-for-voters |website=www.tauranga.govt.nz |publisher=Tauranga City Council |access-date=4 May 2024}}

Council

{{See also|Mayor of Tauranga}}

Under most circumstances, the council is presided over by the Mayor. At its first meeting after a local election, the council elects from among its members a deputy mayor, who acts as mayor in the absence and with the consent, or in the incapacity, of the Mayor. The Deputy Mayor also presides at meetings if the Mayor is not present. The Deputy Mayor serves until losing his set on the council, unless removed from office by a vote of the council.

Elections for the council were most recently held in 2024.

In January 2025, Te Awanui Māori ward councillor Mikaere Sydney resigned his seat after not being to take up his position as councillor due to illness.{{cite news |last1=Evans |first1=Alisha |title=Tauranga’s first Māori ward councillor resigns |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/taurangas-first-maori-ward-councillor-mikaere-sydney-resigns/43KMB5ERPBFOFMHY4XF4T675CA/ |access-date=7 February 2025 |work=NZ Herald |date=31 January 2025 |language=en-NZ}} A by-election to fill his seat was held in April 2025, and Sydney's uncle Hemi Rolleston was elected.{{cite news |last1=Evans |first1=Alisha |title=Hemi Rolleston wins Tauranga Māori ward byelection |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/ldr/559530/hemi-rolleston-wins-tauranga-maori-ward-byelection |access-date=1 May 2025 |work=RNZ |date=30 April 2025 |language=en-nz}}{{cite web |title=2025 Te Awanui Māori Ward By-election {{!}} DECLARATION OF RESULT |url=https://www.tauranga.govt.nz/Portals/0/data/council/elections/by-election-2025/byelection-final.pdf |website=www.tauranga.govt.nz |publisher=Tauranga City Council |access-date=1 May 2025}}

As of the 2025 by-election, the members of the council are:{{cite web |title=Mayor and councillors |url=https://www.tauranga.govt.nz/council/about-your-council/mayor-and-councillors |website=www.tauranga.govt.nz |publisher=Tauranga City Council |access-date=3 August 2024}}{{cite web|title=2024 Council Elections DECLARATION OF RESULT |url=https://www.tauranga.govt.nz/Portals/0/data/council/elections/files/2024-final-result.pdf |publisher=Tauranga City Council |access-date=3 August 2024}}

class="wikitable"
Position

!Member

!Ward

!colspan="2" |Ticket (if any)

Mayor

|Mahé Drysdale

|At-large

|bgcolor="{{party color|Independent}}" |

|Strong Accountable Leadership

Deputy Mayor

|Jen Scoular

|Mauao/Mount Maunganui

|bgcolor="{{party color|Independent}}" |

|Commercial acumen, community heart

Councillor

|Hemi Rolleston

|Te Awanui

|bgcolor="{{party color|Independent}}" |

|

Councillor

|Rick Curach

|Arataki

|bgcolor="{{party color|Independent}}" |

|Pick Rick community needs over wants

Councillor

|Kevin (Herb) Schuler

|Bethlehem

|bgcolor="{{party color|Independent}}" |

|Constructive and Positive Leadership

Councillor

|Glen Crowther

|Matua

|bgcolor="{{party color|Independent}}" |

|Accountability, Transparency, Community

Councillor

|Steve Morris

|Pāpāmoa

|bgcolor="{{party color|Independent}}" |

|Championing Papamoa on Council

Councillor

|Marten Rozeboom

|Tauriko

|bgcolor="{{party color|Independent}}" |

|

Councillor

|Rod Taylor

|Te Papa

|bgcolor="{{party color|Independent}}" |

|Tauranga True

Councillor

|Hautapu Baker

|Welcome Bay

|bgcolor="{{party color|Independent}}" |

|Healthy Environment Thriving Community

Organisation

The day-to-day administration of the City of Tauranga is carried out by the Tauranga City Council staff. Indeed, in everyday usage, the term the council is extended to include not just the Mayor and Councillors, but the entire organisation.

The professional head of the city council organisation is the Chief Executive Marty Grenfell,{{Cite web|url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/bay-of-plenty-times/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503343&objectid=12118433|title=Marty Grenfell takes up Tauranga City Council's top job|first=Samantha|last=Motion|date=3 September 2018|via=www.nzherald.co.nz}} who is appointed by the Council under contract for up to five years. The Chief Executive is assisted by six General Managers, who have a specific portfolio:

  • GM Corporate Services – Paul Davidson
  • GM People and Engagement – Susan Jamieson
  • GM Strategy and Growth – Christine Jones
  • GM Infrastructure – Nic Johansson
  • GM Community Services – Gareth Wallis
  • GM Regulatory and Compliance – Barbara Dempsey

General Managers are supported by three director's and a larger group of senior managers. The director's being:

  • Director of Transport – TBA
  • Director of Waters – Stephen Burton
  • Direct of Digital – Alan Lightbourne

The council organisation is about 750 people delivering services across 40 businesses.

The organisation is focused on addressing three critical challenges within the city:

  • Housing affordability
  • Predictable travel times
  • City Resilience

Responsibilities and services

{{See also|Territorial authorities of New Zealand}}

The council is vested with a power of "general competence" for the social, economic and cultural well-being of Tauranga. In particular, the council has responsibility for a range of local services, including roads (except state highways), water, sewerage, glass recycling, parks and reserves, and libraries. Urban development is managed through the maintenance of a District plan and associated zoning regulations, together with building and resource consents. The council has been given extra powers to regulate certain types of business operations, notably suppliers of alcohol and brothels.

Council business units include:

{{Div col}}

  • Animal control
  • Environmental monitoring
  • Emergency management
  • Waste water
  • Storm water
  • Drinking water
  • Library
  • Building services
  • Airport
  • Marine precinct
  • Cemetery
  • Rating
  • Land surveying
  • Transport
  • Digital Services
  • Democratic Services
  • HR
  • Legal
  • Community relations
  • Events management

{{Div col end}}

Notes

{{noteslist}}

References

{{reflist}}

External links

  • [http://www.tauranga.govt.nz Tauranga City Council official website]

{{Territorial Authorities of New Zealand}}

Category:Tauranga

Category:City councils in New Zealand

Category:Politics of the Bay of Plenty Region