Council committees
If you'd like to present at any of these committees, find out how in this handy factsheet.
Committee Terms of Reference can be found here.
Regulatory Committee (Whakaretea)
Council assigns to the Committee responsibilities from time-to-time, and the Committee provides advice and reports back to Council on:
- the approval of non-notified resource consent applications;
- the need for formal review and amendment of existing plans, strategies and by-laws;
- the consideration and determination of notified consent applications that are unable to be dealt with via the existing Delegations to staff (via the appointment of qualified hearing panels);
- the appointment and performance of hearing committees/panels;
- the implementation of NPS, frameworks, and environmental standards required;
- the monitoring of regional plans, strategies and bylaws.
- compliance and enforcement activities, including those relating to permitted activities, resource consents and biosecurity matters.
Chairman: Cr Neville Cook
Deputy Chairman: Cr Jeremy McPhail
Members: Crs Gibson, Guyton, McDonald, Rodway, Horrell (ex-officio)
Quorum: Four
Strategy and Policy Committee (Rautaki me Mahere)
Council assigns to the Committee responsibilities from time-to-time, and the Committee provides advice and reports back to Council on:
- the provision of governance oversight into the development and review of plans, policies, strategies and by-laws;
- the recommendation to notify proposed changes or variations to proposed Plans, Policies, Strategies and By-laws;
- the governance oversight of consultation related to regional policies, plans and strategies;
- the appointment of hearing committees or panels to hear submissions on regional policies, plans and strategies;
- undertaking Water and Land Plan associated project work;
- the receipt, and if necessary endorsement of, scientific studies/reports; receipt of SOE reports and/or score cards;
- the compiling of submissions to Government as needed (if the Council timetable does not provide for same)
Chairman: Cr Lyndal Ludlow
Deputy Chairman: Cr Maurice Rodway
Members: Crs Cook, Evans, Gibson, Guyton, McDonald, McPhail, Pemberton, Morrison, Roy, Horrell (ex-officio)
Mana whenua representatives: Stewart Bull and Anne Wakefield
Quorum: Seven
Regional Services Committee (Ropu Ratonga-a-Rohe)
Council assigns to the Committee responsibilities from time-to-time, and the Committee provides advice and reports back to Council on:
- governance oversight and monitoring of the non-regulatory implementation of Council plans, strategies and by-laws, including (but not limited to):
- River Corridor Concept Plans
- clean heat
- pollution prevention
- environmental education
- land sustainability
- the Waituna response.
- managing the relationship of Council with the Catchment Liaison Committees;
- governance oversight of and recommending programmes for delivery of flood protection and drainage maintenance;
- governance oversight of and recommending programmes of work related to the Regional Pest Management Plan;
- governance oversight of and recommending programmes of work that promote sustainable resource management practices.
- governance oversight of the management of Council’s lease land via the Land Administration Committee.
Chairman: Cr Peter McDonald
Deputy Chairman: Cr Eric Roy
Members: Crs Evans, Ludlow, McPhail, Pemberton, Rodway, Horrell (ex-officio)
Mana whenua representatives: Gail Thompson and Estelle Pera-Leask
Quorum: Five
Finance and Performance Committee
Council assigns to the Committee responsibilities from time-to-time, and the Committee provides advice and
reports back to Council on:
- oversight of tasks associated with the development of organizational strategic plan;
- governance input into the development of output plans and budgets together with associated financial policies which support the delivery of the strategic plans, especially Long-term Plans and Annual Plans;
- governance oversight of performance reporting to Council regularly, including making recommendations as required, relating to Local Government Act annual reporting and audit by:
- reviewing periodic high level output reporting against targets and investigating areas of significant non-performance;
- reviewing related financial performance against budget and investigating areas of significant non-performance;
- monitoring overall financial wellbeing against budget;
- providing governance oversight to the completion of external audits including consideration of internal controls;
- governance oversight to the maintenance and development of corporate disciplines and infrastructure, including facilities, systems and risk management procedures;
- governance oversight to delegations of authority and associated internal organizational policy development.
Chairman: Cr Maurice Rodway
Deputy Chairman:
Members: Crs Ludlow, McPhail, Morrison, Pemberton, Horrell (ex-officio)
Quorum: Three
Risk and Assurance Committee
The Committee will review the effectiveness of the following aspects of governance, risk management and internal control:
- oversight of risk management across Council (including Council-Controlled organisations). This incorporates corporate disciplines and systems and infrastructure and facilities, including:
- risk policy, framework and strategy;
- council’s “risk appetite” statement;
- the effectiveness of risk management and internal control systems including all material financial, operational, compliance and other material controls including health and safety and business continuity and resilience;
- new and/or emerging risks, and any subsequent changes to risk register;
- draw Council attention to any other issues that the committee believes may negatively impact attainment of organisational mission and/or goals.
- internal and external audit and assurance, including:
- internal audit plans and programmes of work;
- assurance reports dealing with audit findings, conclusions and recommendations (including CCOs);
- management of the relationship with Council’s external auditors;
- management’s responsiveness to findings and recommendations;
- the Office of the Auditor General plans, findings and other matters of mutual interest.
- integrity matters, including employee, contractor and elected member interests and ethics-based policies and issues.
- monitoring of compliance with laws and regulations;
- significant projects and/or programmes of work focussing on the appropriate management of risk;
- Council’s compliance with the requirement to prepare external information through its Long‑term Plan, Annual Plan and Annual Report and other external reports required by statute.
Chairman: Independent Chair Andrew Douglas
Deputy Chairman: Cr Lyndal Ludlow
Members: Crs Gibson, Ludlow, McPhail, Morrison, Rodway, Horrell (ex-officio)
Quorum: Four
Southland Civil Defence Emergency Management Group (Te Manatu Arai Mate Ohorere o te Tonga)
The Civil Defence Emergency Management Act 2002 requires the establishment of a joint committee of representatives from all local authorities in the region.
The councils have established the Southland Emergency Management Group (SCDEMG) as a joint standing committee of the councils pursuant to Section 12 of the Civil Defence Emergency Management Act 2002 (the Act). The terms of reference are set out in the Southland Civil Defence Emergency Management Group Plan 2017-2022 and the Agreement of Joint Civil Defence Services signed 1 July 2019.
After a comprehensive review of the Civil Defence Emergency Management (CDEM) in Southland the councils have agreed that their responsibilities for CDEM under the Act shall be combined and delivered through one body to be known as Emergency Management Southland (EMS) with the intention that each Council is to be an active equal participant in the establishment development and control of it.
EMS comprises an Emergency Management Office and Emergency Operations Centre in Invercargill with such other sub-offices and centres that are deemed necessary by agreement and shall have the purposes and functions and be governed by the principles set out in the agreement. EMS is located in a building alongside Environment Southland's offices and is staffed by a manager and several emergency management staff.
Members: Environment Southland's representative on the Southland Civil Defence Emergency Management Group is Cr Neville Cook (alternate: Chairman Nichol Horrell).
Representatives from 3 out of the 4 councils need to be present.
Regional Transport Committee (Ropu Tiaki Waka-a-Rohe)
The Regional Transport Committee is responsible for regional land transport in relation to the Transit New Zealand Act 1989. Its objectives are to:
- to undertake the statutory requirements of the Land Transport Management Act 2003;
- to prepare the Regional Land Transport Plan (RTLP) in co-operation with the Otago Regional Transport Committee, to prepare any applications to vary the RLTP and to process any applications to vary the RLTP (LTMA Section 106(1)(a));
- to prepare and adopt a policy that determines significance in respect of:
- any variations made to the RLTP;
- activities included in the RLTP (LTMA Section 106(2));
- to provide any advice and assistance the regional council may request on its transport responsibilities generally (LTMA Section 106(1)(b));
- to undertake monitoring to assess implementation of the Regional Land Transport Plan including monitoring of the performance of activities (LTMA Section 16(3)(f) and 16(6)(e)), in co‑operation with the Otago Regional Transport Committee;
- to consult on a draft RLTP for the region in accordance with the consultation principles specified in Section 18 and 18A of the Land Transport Management Act 2003, in co-operation with the Otago Regional Transport Committee;
- to complete a review of the RLTP during the six-month period immediately before the expiry of the third year of the Plan (LTMA Section 18CA) in co‑operation with the Otago Regional Transport Committee;
- to advise the Council on any significant legislative changes, programmes, plans or reports relating to the region’s transport system;
- to prepare and implement regional transportation planning studies, or pan-regional studies with the Otago Regional Transport Committee, when necessary;
- to represent and advocate for transport interests of regional and/or pan-regional Otago Southland concern
- to consider and submit on transport-related policies, plans and consultation documents issued by the Ministry of Transport, Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency, regional/district councils, and other relevant organisations as considered appropriate, including submitting jointly with the Otago Regional Transport Committee, when appropriate;
- to liaise with the Ministry of Transport, Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency, Commissioner of Police, regional/district councils, KiwiRail, the Department of Conservation and other interested parties on transport matters, and advise the Council on any appropriate new initiatives as considered appropriate;
- to operate in a collaborate manner in the combined meetings of the Otago and Southland regional transport committees and to engage with other regional transport committees and working parties, which from time-to-time may be established;
- to consider advice and recommendations from the Otago Southland [Regional] Technical Advisory Group.
Chairman: Cr Jeremy McPhail
Members: Crs Morrison, Horrell (ex-officio) with TA representatives and NZTA representatives.
Quorum: Four
Climate Change Sub-Committee
The Climate Change sub-committee, which meets once every two months, consists of six councillors as well as a mana whenua representative and will report to the Strategy and Policy Committee on its progress.
The Climate Change Sub-Committee has been established to provide advice and to report back to Council on:
- the development of the regional climate change strategy;
- regional, national and international climate change developments, including emerging issues and impacts, changes in legislative frameworks and their implications for Council’s climate change strategies, policies, plans, programmes and initiatives;
- effective regional leadership on climate change to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and ensure a climate resilient future for Murihiku Southland;
- opportunities for collaboration with other regional councils and territorial authorities on climate change and climate resilient communities, including the regional climate change inter-agency group;
- opportunities for advocacy to central government to align;
- Environment Southland regional climate change programmes and initiatives, including enabling the Murihiku Southland community to adapt to climate change and support the region’s transition to a low emissions economy;
- Environment Southland’s internal work programme as a climate change leader aiming to reduce its own carbon footprint.
Chair: Cr Maurice Rodway
Members: Crs Guyton, Ludlow, McDonald, Morrison, Rodway, Roy, Horrell (ex officio)
Mana whenua representative: Stewart Bull
Quorum: Four
Chief Executive Review sub-committee
The Chief Executive's Review Sub-committee is tasked with undertaking all performance reviews of the Chief Executive. The reviews will cover matters recorded in the Chief Executive's employment agreement, any performance agreement that is in place, any matters arising from undertakings given or received at previous review dates and any other matter that is timely and relevant to cover at such a review.
Its objectives are to:
- provide the Council with a formal process for regular review and planning with the Chief Executive in terms of the Council's performance expectations;
- prepare and adopt a Performance Agreement between the Council and the Chief Executive;
- assist the Chief Executive to identify areas and priorities for efficiency and baseline reviews;
- receive briefings and act as a governance sounding board for organisational change and improvement processes;
- review and recommend remuneration and other conditions of employment on behalf of Council;
- develop, with the Chief Executive, and recommend professional development programmes and initiatives to further develop the Chief Executive.
Chairman: Chairman Nicol Horrell
Members: Crs Cook, Ludlow, McDonald, McPhail, Rodway
Quorum: Three
Investment Committee
Council assigns to the Committee responsibilities from time-to-time, and the Committee provides advice and reports back to Council on the Council’s Investment Portfolio and undertake related activities to help maximise the returns to Council. This will include:
- providing Council with an annual strategic plan for the Investment Portfolio as a whole, ensuring that it meets Council’s financial goals;
- reviewing and where appropriate, recommending to Council changes in policies that relate to the management of the Investment Portfolio, or the Statement of Investment Performance and Objectives (the SIPO);
- advising Council on new commercial investments outside of the SIPO;
- undertaking annual strategic asset reviews (including annual reviews of third-party managers, where relevant);
- considering, informing, or advising Council on matters relating to the performance of the Investment Portfolio as a whole and each of the major assets included in the portfolio, including the performance of any third-party managers of those assets;
- managing key strategic relationships, including:
- liaising with senior management / the Board of South Port New Zealand Limited (SPNZ) and Council, to discuss matters relating to Council’s investment in SPNZ;
- considering, informing or advising Council on matters relating to the governance of SPNZ including those dealt with at Annual and Extraordinary General Meetings in accordance with Council policy;
- leading any third-party engagement on Council approved change in shareholding in SPNZ, including recommendations to Council.
- liaising with senior management of the Managers of the Managed Fund portfolio, to ensure that they understand Council’s objectives for its investment, and manage and monitor the performance of the Investment Manager against the SIPO;
- advising the Risk and Assurance Committee about any investment performance or provider risks that they need to be aware of and govern;
- advising Council on current or potential debt facilities used to fund assets in the Portfolio and manage key strategic relationships with debt providers.
The Investment Portfolio includes:
- the majority shareholding in South Port New Zealand (SPNZ), a strategic asset of Council;
- the Managed Fund portfolio governed by the SIPO,
- property owned by Council, including land associated with civic buildings and the associated civil defence / emergency management site, and in some circumstances, land that is primarily held for flood management purposes (and possibly leased out and generating a rental return);
- any other commercially material investment assets held outside of the SIPO; and
- debt facilities used to fund assets in the Portfolio.
The Committee will have at least one, but not more than two, independent members.
Chairperson: Independent member (to be appointed)
Deputy Chairperson: Cr Roy
Members: Cs McPhail, Ludlow, McDonald, Pemberton, Rodway, Gibson, Evans, Horrell (ex-officio)
Quorum: Three (of whom the independent appointee must comprise).
Other Appointments
Group / Forum | Members / Representatives |
---|---|
Bluff Maritime Museum Trust | Cr Neville Cook and Chief Executive Wilma Falconer |
Te Rōpū Taiao | Chairman Nicol Horrell (Chair), Cr Robert Guyton, Cr Maurice Rodway. |
Regional Sector Group | Chairman Nicol Horrell |
Southland Community Broadcasters Trust | Cr Neville Cook |
Waiau Working Party | Cr Jeremy McPhail and Cr Paul Evans |
Great South Shareholders Committee | Chairman Nicol Horrell |
Southland Heritage and Building Preservation Trust | Cr Ludlow is Trustee & Chair until AGM. No appointed Cr. rep. (Trust Deed) |
Whakamana te Waituna Charitable Trust | Appointments authorised by Trust Deed. Co-chair – Chairman Nicol Horrell (with Dean TAMI). Trustee – Cr Peter McDonald. |