Paul East upset by trust term decision

Paul East. Photo/Stephen Parker

Trustees of the Rotorua Energy Charitable Trust have decided not to put a limit on how long they can serve, angering one trustee who says the trust needs new blood to move forward.

Last year, all six trustees were elected unopposed when no one else decided to run for a position in October's elections.

Former National Party MP for Rotorua and New Zealand High Commissioner in London, trustee Paul East, disagreed with his fellow trustees, saying term limits should be introduced.

"There is a need to refresh the trustees so other members of the Rotorua community have an opportunity to serve and this may also lead to new initiatives and a different approach to some community issues.

"This is in no way critical of the present approach but it is very difficult for incumbent trustees to be defeated at an election and there are many worthy local citizens who would welcome the chance to serve as trustees.

"There may be community interests that are not presently supported by the trust because they do not have an advocate at the trust table," Mr East said.

A poll of 1000 Rotorua residents carried out in February by APR Consultants revealed 51 per cent of those asked believed there should be term limits.

An informal poll taken last year of 135 respondents said 48 per cent preferred term limits.

In a statement, trust chairman Grahame Hall said the Trust Deed, which was adopted in 1994, did not outline any term limit for trustees.

Trustees are elected by the community during triennial elections.

"Trustees have discussed the introduction of a term limit for a number of years and this matter was discussed again at a recent meeting of trustees," Mr Hall said. "After reviewing the survey results the majority of trustees were of the view that there was not significant support for any change and accordingly there would be no alteration to the Trust Deed in relation to trustee terms of office at this time however, this matter will be reviewed again in the future."

Trust deputy chairwoman Jo-Anne La Grouw said Mr East was the lone voice calling for trustee term limits.

"We felt 51 [per cent] was not a strong enough swing to change our constitution. Why is Paul [East] standing in his fourth term when he feels so strongly about trustee terms?"

Current trustees are chairman Mr Hall, Lyall Thurston, Trevor Maxwell, Sandra Kai Fong, Mr East and Mrs La Grouw. Trustees were paid $20,562 and the chairman $36,494 in the year ending March 31.