New Stratford District Council sworn in and deputy mayor named

The new Council was formally sworn in last week.

Fourth-term councillor Alan Jamieson has been reappointed as deputy mayor of Stratford at last week's inaugural meeting of Council.

"Alan has been deputy mayor for the past two terms, and filled the position well. It should be no surprise therefore, that he has been reappointed to the position for another term," says Mayor Neil Volzke.

Neil said he is looking forward to working alongside Alan and the other nine councillors over the next term, adding he was impressed with the calibre of councillors sitting at the table.

"It's great to get the new team in place and I think there is a good skill mix that will take the district forward in a positive direction over the next three years."

District Mayor Neil Volzke (left) has appointed Alan Jamieson to serve as deputy mayor.

At the meeting, all councillors were formally sworn into duty in front of their friends and family.

Other councillors were appointed to various committee chair roles during the meeting. The deputy mayor will chair the Policy and Services Committee, while John Sandford, the longest serving councillor at the table, will serve as Chairperson of the Sport New Zealand Rural travel Fund Committee and Councillor Boyde will chair the newly created Council Farm and Aerodrome Committee.

The mayor will chair the Executive Committee, while an external person will chair the Audit and Risk Committee.

In addition to the internal committees, councillors were also appointed as Council representatives on the various regional and joint committees the Council has a seat at.

Grant Boyde was appointed to the Taranaki Regional Council Policy and Planning Committee, the mayor to the Regional Land Transport Committee and the Civil Defence Emergency Management Group, while Alan Jamieson was also appointed to the Taranaki Regional Solid Waste Management Committee and the Central Landfill Joint Committee.