Powerful Tauranga influences on key council posts

Former Tauranga mayor and councillor Stuart Crosby's understanding of roading issues has seen him appointed to head the Bay of Plenty Regional Council's transport committee.

Mr Crosby's appointment follows his first-time election to the regional council on October 8 after serving 12 years as Tauranga's mayor and 15 years as a councillor

Another former city councillor and past regional council chairman John Cronin was appointed to chair the audit and risk committee.

Paula Thompson, a former Tauranga City Council chief executive, will chair the direction and delivery committee.

Second term councillor David Love of Tauranga was appointed to chair the Civil Defence emergency committee and to be deputy of the audit and risk committee.

Tauranga's Andrew von Dadelszen was deputy chairman of the direction and delivery committee while Western Bay representative Norm Bruning was appointed deputy of the public transport committee led by Lyall Thurston (Rotorua).

The council's other Western Bay representative Jane Nees was appointed deputy chair of the transport committee.

The Komiti Maori will be chaired by Arapeta Tahana (Rotorua), with Tipene Marr (Kawerau) as deputy.

The council confirmed Doug Leeder as its chairman and Jane Nees as his deputy.