Council Committee Structure

Council

Chair - Mayor Gary Petley
Deputy Chairperson - Deputy Mayor Hamish Daine
Members - all Councillors
Quorum - six members
Meeting frequency - monthly, or as required for Annual Plan, Long Term Plan and other relevant legislative requirements

Purpose

• Enable democratic local decision-making and action by, and on behalf of, South Waikato communities.
• Meet the current and future needs of communities for good-quality local infrastructure, local public services, and performance of regulatory functions in a way that is most cost-effective for households and businesses.
• Set the overarching strategic direction for South Waikato District Council as an organisation.
• Hold ultimate responsibility for allocating financial resources across the Council.

Role

• Address Local Government Act, Local Electoral Act and Local Government Rating Act matters.
• Oversee all matters relating to identifying and contributing to community outcomes.
• Consider and agree on matters relating to significant new activities or areas of involvement such as infrastructure which are not the responsibility of a specific committee.
• Provide district leadership on key issues that require a collaborative approach between a number of parties.
• Review and decide the Council’s electoral and representation arrangements.
• Consider issues of district significance which are not the responsibility of any specific standing committee or that are of such district significance/high public interest that the full Council needs to decide on them.
• Adopt Council’s Policy on Significance and Engagement Policy.
• Develop, adopt and implement the Code of Conduct and Standing Orders.
• Consider and agree on matters relating to elected members’ remuneration.
• Appoint the Chief Executive, and review their contract, performance and remuneration at least annually.
• Approve all delegations to the Chief Executive, including the authority for further delegation to staff.
• Oversee the work of all committees and subcommittees.
• Receive and consider recommendations and matters referred to it by its committees, joint committees, subcommittees and working parties.
• Approve membership to external bodies and organisations, including Council Controlled Organisations.
• Develop, adopt and review policies for, and monitor the performance of, Council Controlled Organisations.
• Monitor and review the achievement of outcomes for the South Waikato Community.
• Review and approve strategic matters relating to the sale, acquisition and development of property for the purposes of meeting Council’s organisational requirements and implement District Council policy.
• Address strategic corporate matters including property and accommodation.
• Adopt the Long-Term Plan, Annual Plan and budgets variations, and Annual Report.
• Adopt Council policies as required by statute to be decided by Council or outside of committee delegations (for example infrastructure policy).
• Develop, review and approve Council’s Financial Strategy and funding and financial policies and frameworks.

Audit, Risk and Improvement Committee (Standing Committee)

Chair - Rachael Dean (independent)
Members - Crs Daine, Nelis, Purdy, Te Kanawa, Anthony Byett (independent)
Ex officio - Mayor
Quorum - half the numbers, one of whom must be the Chair or Deputy Chair
Meeting frequency - quarterly

Purpose

• The purpose of the Audit, Risk and Improvement Committee is to assist and advise the governing body in discharging its responsibility and ownership of governance, risk management and internal control. The committee will:
• Monitor the effectiveness of Council's performance management and performance information.
• Obtain assurance from management that all financial and non-financial control and risk management functions are operating effectively and reliably.
• Provide oversight of the implementation of accepted audit recommendations.
• Ensure Council effectively monitors compliance with legislative and regulatory requirements and promotes a culture committed to lawful and ethical behaviour.
• Provide oversight of preparation of the Long-Term Plan (LTP), Annual report and other external financial reports required by statute.

Role

Internal Audit

• Evaluate the quality of the internal audit function, particularly in the areas of planning, monitoring and reporting.
• Review, approve and monitor the implementation of the internal audit plan.
• Review the reports of the audit function dealing with findings, conclusions and recommendations.
• Review and monitor managements responsiveness to the findings and recommendations – enquiring into the reasons that any recommendation is not acted upon.

Risk Management

• Evaluate whether processes are in place to address key roles and responsibilities in relation to risk management.
• Review, endorse and monitor the implementation of financial policies, framework and strategy.
• Review the effectiveness of risk management and internal control systems including all material financial, operational, compliance and other material controls. This includes legislative compliance (including Health and Safety), significant projects and programmes of work and significant procurement.
• Review risk management reports identifying new and / or emerging risks.

External Audit

• Discuss with the external auditor before the audit commences: 1. the nature, scope and fees of the external audit, 2. areas of audit focus and 3.error and materiality levels.
• Review with the external auditors' representations required by elected members and senior management.
• Review the external auditor's management letter and management responses and inquire into reasons for any recommendations not acted upon.

Local Services Committee (Standing Committee)

Chair - Cr Lee
Members - Crs Daine, Farrell, Machen and Teokotai
Ex officio - Mayor
Quorum - half the numbers plus one
Meeting frequency - quarterly

Purpose

The purpose of the Local Services Committee is to:

• Inform the strategic direction for the Council in relation to locally delivered services and monitor implementation through approved planning and policy frameworks and reporting mechanisms.
• Identify local service issues resulting from emerging trends and reported data and provide input on developing a strategic response.

Role

• Inform Council’s strategic direction, including prioritisation and policy responses as it relates to locally delivered services.
• Enhance awareness and understanding of emerging issues and trends relating to meeting Council’s strategic direction of local delivered services.
• To consider the impacts of the Council’s network of infrastructure and assets on the environment.
• Review and monitor Council Bylaws Framework as it relates to services used by the local community.
• Oversee and monitor: 1. the preparation and implementation of Council’s asset management plans, 2. the operation of Council’s local roads, parks and reserves, waste – solid, facilities and events in accordance with adopted annual and long-term plans, 3. the management of Council’s properties, 4. provide advice to the Council on priorities for the Councils capital expenditure on infrastructure, 5. liaise with the Growth and Infrastructure Committee to make recommendations to Council on strategic infrastructure investments.

Growth and Infrastructure Committee (Standing Committee)

Chair - Cr Machen
Members - Crs Lee, Nelis, Purdy, Te Kanawa, Wallace
Ex officio - Mayor
Quorum - half the numbers plus one
Meeting frequency - quarterly

Purpose

The purpose of the Growth and Infrastructure Committee is to assist the Council and business community to develop and grow the South Waikato District.

Role

• To provide direction on strategic priorities for core infrastructure aligned to the district’s development, and oversight of strategic projects.
• Review and recommend to Council positions on regional economic development.
• Consider any issues delegated by Council that have a regional, environmental, social or economic focus.
• Provide advice to the Council on priorities for the Council’s land and social infrastructure expenditure
• Liaise with the Local Services Committee to make recommendations to Council on strategic infrastructure investments.
• Recommend to Council submissions on legislation, policy, regulations, standards, plans and other instruments prepared by Central Government, Local Government and other organisations around growth and infrastructure.
• Identify, monitor and evaluate necessary actions by the organisation and other relevant organisations under co-governance arrangements as they relate to local services
• Monitor and review regional spatial and land use strategies
• Monitor key performance measures relating to district and regional growth.