Taranaki’s smallest council holds meeting 60km away from council chambers

Once a year, Stratford District Council holds a council meeting in Whangamomona, about 60km east of the council's main office in Stratford. Photo / Ilona Hanne

It was a longer commute than normal for most of Stratford District Council’s elected members when they attended a council meeting earlier this month.

While the majority of council meetings are held in the council’s chambers on Miranda St in Stratford, once a year elected members meet in Whangamomona’s town hall instead, and it was for this purpose the mayor and all bar one councillors made the 120km round trip on April 9. Councillor Clive Tongaawhikau submitted an apology for the meeting.

Mayor Neil Volzke said the tradition of holding one meeting a year in Whangamomona was important for various reasons.

“Whangamomona is an hour’s drive from Stratford Council offices but it is still part of the district. The meeting is held at Whanga to signal that we do recognise the community there as being important, and we want to remain connected and inclusive. It also gives the opportunity to have a community discussion with locals on our Long Term Plan and for them to raise any issues that concern them. There is value in keeping those communication lines open.”

When it came to that community discussion at this year’s Whangamomona meeting, while there were only five members of the public present at the meeting, there were plenty of questions asked and opinions shared.

Elected members and council officers travelled to Whangamomona for a council meeting held in the Whangamomona town hall on April 9, 2024. Photo / Ilona Hanne

The forestry differential rate was one of the subjects raised, with questions around how properties were being assessed, and if any allowance would be made for carbon forestry.

Deputy mayor Min McKay said while it had been discussed by elected members, the end decision had been to not make an allowance, as there was no way to retrospectively rate properties if they later harvested trees that were originally planted for carbon credits.

“There’s not a rule that says you can’t change your mind. So a property owner could change their mind and we would have no way to then recover that money.”

The rating system was a “very blunt tool” when it came to trying to recover costs for things such as roading damaged by forestry work, said Volzke.

“But it’s the tool we have.”

He encouraged people to make submissions to the Long Term Plan to highlight their concerns.

It’s not just the destination and the meeting, but the trip itself that brings valuable insight for elected members, said Volzke.

“A number of the councillors rarely have a need to travel to the most eastern parts of our district and therefore not always aware of the issues the locals face. Roading is always at the top of that list. The trip sometimes includes stop-over points and an opportunity for first-hand views of roads and bridges as well as other things. This helps elected members understand where the money is needed and how it is being spent.”

Volzke said the annual trip to Whangamomona is always a highlight in his year.

“The people of Whanga are great. Largely because of their remoteness, they are very independent thinkers and have a real can-do and get on with it attitude. I like that.”

Disclaimer: Editor Ilona Hanne is married to the chief executive of Stratford District Council.

Ilona Hanne is a Taranaki-based journalist and news director who covers breaking and community news from across the region. She has worked for NZME since 2011.