Eketāhuna community board member’s absence raises concerns

Terry Carew is in the UK but still plans to attend Eketahuna Community Board meetings remotely.

Some members of the Eketāhuna community are concerned at hearing a community board member will not be in the country for several months.

A resident spoke at the board meeting earlier this month saying she had talked to others in the community after hearing board member Terry Carew was in the UK, and had asked the board to consider either a leave of absence or an alternative where he could continue to attend meetings, albeit through video link.

The absence of the community board member had upset some in the Eketahuna community. Photo / Mark Mitchell

She said there were people who “don’t think it’s right”.

The subject of Carew’s absence from New Zealand was first tabled for discussion in December.

Carew explained at that meeting that he had talked to the democracy manager at Tararua District Council before the 2022 local elections as well as the previous board and was advised there wouldn’t be an issue.

He said with communications he would still be able to attend all meetings, as well as maintain contact with the community.

“There’s very little that I would not be able to do apart from the actual presence in the community.”

Carew said he could only guarantee that he would be back in the country in November this year until January next year, by which time he would be gone again, potentially for up to a year.

Options were given including leave without pay, declining leave of absence and attendance via audio-visual means, or continuing as a board member in a limited role.

Technology was available at the February meeting, allowing Carew to join the meeting via video link.

In discussion, councillor Scott Gilmore said he was uncomfortable with Carew continuing in a limited role.

He said he did some research to see if he could find any equivalent situations but could only find examples of people moving within New Zealand to other towns and still travelling to meetings.

“Actually moving overseas for an extended period, as far as I can see, seems unprecedented.”

Councillor Mike Long said he was disappointed when the situation was originally presented to the board.

“For me it undermines the integrity of the board. When people voted, they were unaware that a member was going to be away for an extended time.”

He felt Carew’s intended absence should have been public knowledge at voting time.

It was noted that another option of declining the leave of absence and finding a replacement would trigger a byelection, which would be costly to ratepayers.

Board member Everlyne Chase said she had also talked to members of the community and the feeling was that people did not want to go through the election process again.

Gilmore said it came down to what power the board had and it did not have the power to force a byelection or resignation.

He suggested Carew reflect over the next couple of meetings on how effective he is in his role for the community.

“This has significance much further than the community. It’s a precedent-setting situation.”

Chase said the Our Town committee was fully backing Carew “mainly because Terry still keeps in touch with all the groups that he works with”.

She said he was still connected with all the projects he was working on.

The board voted to decline the leave of absence and allow Carew to continue as a board member, attending meetings using audio-visual technology available, with the proviso that should there be a failure to connect an apology is tendered.

Leanne Warr has been editor of the Bush Telegraph since May 2023 and a journalist since 1996. She re-joined NZME in June 2021.