Council attendance rates revealed

Councillor Merepeka Raukawa-Tait attended 77 meetings. Photo / Ben Fraser

Two Rotorua district councillors have attended almost every district council and committee meeting in the past three years.

However, another two have made it to 75 per cent or less of meetings during the last three-year term.

The Rotorua Daily Post received a number of requests from readers asking for councillors' attendance figures for the last three years.

Topping the attendance charts were councillors Dave Donaldson and Julie Calnan with 97 per cent of meetings attended.

At the other end of the scale were Deputy Mayor Trevor Maxwell with 75 per cent and councillor Merepeka Raukawa-Tait with 73 per cent of meetings attended.

The attendance figures cover 157 Rotorua District Council and extraordinary council meetings, plus all committee meetings and extraordinary committee meetings from October 2010 to October 2013.

They do not include sub-committees, statutory hearings, Rotorua Lakes Community Board meetings or Te Arawa Standing Committee meetings.

Meetings of the Rotorua District Council, Infrastructure Services committee, Corporate and Customer Services committee and Economic and Regulatory Services committee are usually held on a six-weekly cycle.

All councillors spoken to by the Rotorua Daily Post said they took their responsibilities very seriously.

Mr Donaldson said he did not over commit himself to other projects outside of the council.

"My philosophy is to do one job and do it properly," he said. "I appreciate other people have other commitments, but I limit mine to the council only.

"If I have been absent I have been part of a council delegation or away giving a submission for the council."

Mrs Calnan said being a district councillor was her job.

"I believe I have to be there ... it's what my employers expect of me. Missing meetings means you also miss out on a lot of background information and debate," she said.

Mr Maxwell said he had missed meetings due to a number of reasons, including a two-week trip to England for the Queen's 60th jubilee and representing the council at the annual local government conference.

"Except for the mayor, this is not a full-time job. I do try and attend everything, but on some occasions it's just not possible," he said.

Mrs Raukawa-Tait said she had work commitments in Wellington and councillors would often reschedule meetings after previously cancelling them.

She said councillors would often get bogged down in needless debate about operational matters instead of sticking to setting council policy and direction.

"It's not a full-time job, we certainly don't get paid a full-time wage.

"Basing someone's performance on how many meetings they attend is wrong.

"It's the contribution you make during meetings that should be more important," she said.

Rotorua district councillor attendance

Mayor Kevin Winters: Attended 144 of 157 meetings at 92 per cent.
Deputy Mayor Trevor Maxwell: Attended 117 meetings at 75 per cent.
Maggie Bentley: Attended 140 meetings at 89 per cent.
Julie Calnan: Attended 152 meetings at 97 per cent.
Dave Donaldson: Attended 152 meetings at 97 per cent.
Mark Gould: Attended 148 meetings at 94 per cent.
Karen Hunt: Attended 144 meetings at 92 per cent.
Mike McVicker: Attended 147 meetings at 94 per cent.
Merepeka Raukawa-Tait: Attended 77 meetings at 73 per cent.
Glenys Searancke: Attended 141 meetings at 90 per cent.
Charles Sturt: Attended 129 meetings at 82 per cent.
Janet Wepa: Attended 148 meetings at 94 per cent.

* Attendance figures cover Rotorua District Council and extraordinary council meetings, plus all committee meetings and extraordinary committee meetings from October 2010 to October 2013
* Councillor Raukawa-Tait replaced Geoff Kenny during a by-election in 2011.