Efforts to establish a Maori Standing Committee in Wairoa have been well received so far.
Staff are working their way around the district holding hui to inform all 37 marae of the proposed candidate selection process, which was developed by working closely with an interim committee of Maori representatives.
The aim is
to enable Maori to select their own representation on the committee, as proposed in the council's Maori policy adopted earlier this year.
Council Maori liaison officer Ropata Ainsley said four out of eight planned hui had already taken place and had generated positive discussion about the process.
"We had some good dialogue at the meetings, which I believe will lead to some strong candidates for the standing committee," he said.
Each of the eight takiwa would be responsible for selecting a candidate, who would be confirmed at a hui-a-iwi involving all marae in January. A ninth member would be selected at this meeting to complete the committee.
