Commissioners reappointed to Tauranga City Council

Tauranga City Commissioners Shadrach Rolleston, Bill Wasley, Stephen Selwood, Anne Tolley. Photos / NZME

Local Government Minister Nanaia Mahuta has today announced the reappointment of four commissioners to the Tauranga City Council.

Anne Tolley has been reappointed chairwoman of the commission, alongside commissioners Bill Wasley, Stephen Selwood, and Shadrach Rolleston.

"As the council continues to face substantial infrastructure and funding challenges, it is clear that ensuring certainty for Tauranga is more important than ever," Mahuta said.

"The reappointment of the current Tauranga commissioners will provide crucial continuity and stability as they work across the city and wider Bay of Plenty.

"I look forward to seeing them deliver on the 2024-34 Long-term Plan and investment opportunities, and I am confident that the trust and confidence that they are building between the council and community will ensure a smooth transition back to locally elected representatives in July 2024."

Mahuta said she acknowledged the significant work by the commission to date "to ensure the best possible future for Tauranga".

"They have demonstrated the ability to understand the needs of the community and what is required to deliver substantial and necessary change to a rapidly growing city."

Selwood said he was "very pleased" to be reappointed.

"We've got a huge sort of work programme in place and while we've achieved quite a lot in the just slightly over 12 months we've been here, there's a lot more to do.

The reappointment would also provide the opportunity to embed the 2024-2034 Long-term Plan and to set the framework for the future council to pick up, he said.

"They may support that in full or they may well change it, which is part of the process, but at least we will have established a good platform for the new council to establish itself and carry on the good work for Tauranga and for the future."

Tolley said she was "honoured" by the confidence of the minister and "delighted" to have the other three commissioners continue.

"We have a good mix of skills and work hard for the Tauranga community."

Local Government Minister Nanaia Mahuta announcing her intention to extend the term of Tauranga's commission, flanked by MPs Angie Warren-Clark and Jan Tinetti in March. Photo / Andrew Warner

Rolleston said it felt "reassuring" that the commissioners had been given a chance to continue the direction they had set and to embed some of their decisions.

Commissioner Bill Wasley said he "appreciated" being reappointed.

It would provide "longer term direction" for the council and reorient it to a more "outward focus" organisation, particularly engaging with and developing partnerships with a range of community groups and agencies.

"That engagement and commitment and the work of community groups is actually key in terms of developing a successful city."

Western Bay of Plenty District mayor Garry Webber said the reappointment of the commissioners was "the best solution" for the short-term.

"It's not the long-term answer - we need to go back to democratically elected."

The reappointment would mean a "continuation of what we've seen over the last year, which is really getting Tauranga focused on their long-term plans".

Bay of Plenty Regional Council chairman Doug Leeder said the reappointment would give "a high degree of continuity".

"I think the Tauranga City Council area will probably be well served by them continuing rather than having a disruptive change."

Tauranga City Council chief executive Marty Grenfell said the reappointments would provide the governance stability and continuity required to implement key elements of the city's workplan.

"The work the commissioners have done in the last 15 months has helped restore confidence in the council's governance, after an extended period of dysfunction.

"They bring a high level of professionalism to their roles and their complementary skills and experience have supported the council management team and staff in bringing together the range of initiatives required to begin addressing the city's housing supply issues, urgent infrastructure needs and inadequate community facilities.

"Tauranga's historic underinvestment in infrastructure is responsible for many of the problems we face today.

He credied the commissioners for ensuring "a high level" of community support for "measures which elected councils have struggled with in the past".

Tauranga Ratepayers' Alliance spokesman Michael O'Neill said he believed Tauranga should "have democracy back ... and locals making decisions for locals".

In his view, the reappointment would probably mean "more expenditure for the ratepayers".

"Obviously they've got some big plans and that's going to impact on ratepayers for sure in a time when we can least afford it."

Such plans included the proposed civic centre redevelopment which he was "not against" but in his view, it was not the time to be "hitting the ratepayers for more".

"Many people are in quite a bit of difficulty with the current economy ... people are still trying to recover from Covid and we just should really put the brakes on expenditure at the moment in my view."

Former Tauranga mayor Greg Brownless said in his opinion the commission should not have been reappointed and Tauranga should be allowed to participate in democratic elections "just like every other place in New Zealand this year".

"At the time the commission was first appointed the minister indicated the term would end this year, which would mean democratic elections once again.

In his view: "Democracy has been denied ... some intervention was required but that has now passed. It's time, with all the major decisions that the council is taking, that people need to have a direct say in that through being able to choose their representatives.

"For people to actually have a real say, they've got to be able to both elect and boot out their representatives."

The commission was appointed following an independent review in November 2020 which identified significant governance problems with the council.

The commissioners have been in place since February 2021 and are now appointed for a further term until July 2024.