The Taranaki Electricity Trust office building in Inglewood. Photo / Google.
Nominations have opened for the Taranaki Electricity Trust's triennial election, despite the country currently being under a lockdown.
Nominations opened on Friday, March 27, the second day of the nationwide lockdown, and will close at noon on Friday, April 24. The initial pandemic alert level four period is due to end on April 23, although this could be extended by the government.
Trust secretary Grant Hassall says the decision was made by the current five trustees and himself not to delay the election after seeking advice on the subject.
"The trust deed requires that the election does occur prior to June 30. We sought the appropriate advice on this matter, including from the Department of Internal Affairs and the message was that it needed to continue."
It isn't the only election taking place at the time he says, with an election also taking place for the Clifton Community Board.
There are normally six trustees on the board representing two wards, but there is currently a vacancy following the death of long-serving trustee Ken Bedford. It was decided not to fill that role before the election, says Grant.
"Because Ken's death occurred within a few months of the election, it was not seen as practical to go through the exercise of advertising and appointing a new trustee."
Prospective candidates are required to submit their nomination form with two parliamentary electors of the respective ward of the Trust district. With the lockdown in place, not everyone will have two people in their bubble who can sign the form, but Grant says this won't be an issue.
"If a candidate's nominators reside outside of their bubble, separate nomination papers may be downloaded and submitted to the Electoral Office, provided all parts of the nomination are received before 12 noon, Friday April 24."
A $200 deposit is also required to be submitted with the nomination, and Grant says this is also still achievable despite many banks in smaller towns being closed to the public during alert level 4.
"Candidates can pay their $200 deposit by either cash, cheque, or bank transfer electronically. The details are available on the nomination paper."
The TET was formed in 1993 when the Taranaki Electricity Power Board merged with New Plymouth Energy.
Annually it distributes millions of dollars of investment income to applicants from the area previously supplied by the board. The area includes Eltham, Stratford, Inglewood, Waitara and part of North Taranaki. The area is split into two wards, with three trustees elected for each ward.
In the year ending June 30, 2019, trustees gave out a total of $2,510,920 in grants to community projects, initiatives and individuals living in the area. In addition to this amount, a total of $2 million has been loaned by the TET for the new hospital wing project at Marinoto Rest home in Inglewood over the past two years.
As of Tuesday, April 7, three people - Andrew Wood (Ward B), Alan Jamieson (Ward B) and Mike Davey (Ward A) had lodged their nomination form with Election Services who are running the election process by April 7. All three are current trustees.
In the year ending June 30, 2019, total trustee remuneration was $153,915. Grant says that money is for all six trustees, with the chair and vice chair receiving slightly more than the other trustees.
Voting documents will be delivered from Friday, May 15 to the approximately 19,000 electors in the Taranaki Electricity Trust district. Voting will close at noon, Friday, June 12.
Grant says the Trust itself will not be organising any debates or meet the candidate evenings in the lead up to the voting, so can't comment on how they could take place if Taranaki was still to be under alert level 3 or alert level 4 restrictions regarding groups and meetings at that time.
"We welcome community groups to do so as they have in prior years."
People wishing to check if they are on the Electoral Roll for this election may also do so by contacting the Electoral Office on 0800 922 822.
Nomination papers are available to download from www.taranakielectricitytrust.co.nz/elections by phoning 0800 922 822 to have one posted out or by emailing info@electionservices.co.nz to request one.
Completed nomination papers need to be received by the electoral officer by noon on Friday, April 24. They can be sent by post to Independent Election Services, PO Box 5135, Victoria Street West, Auckland 1142; or emailed to nominations@electionservices.co.nz
Are you standing for the TET this year? Let us know - call 027 836 0515 or email: ilona.hanne@nzme.co.nz