Whanganui district councillors part of group recommending number of elected officials at 2025 election

Whanganui district councillors listen to public submissions on last year's annual plan. Photo / Bevan Conley

A working party to recommend the number of Whanganui district councillors to be elected in the 2025 and 2028 elections will feature five incumbent councillors.

The decision was made after much to-ing and fro-ing at a council meeting last week, with some councillors wanting no representation in the group, some wanting two councillors and some wanting five.

Council officers recommended not to appoint elected members but that was countered by a recommendation from Whanganui Mayor Andrew Tripe.

He told the meeting he understood officers wanted to ensure a fair process without the “potential perceptions of parochialism and self-interest” associated with having elected members on the group.

However, that posed only a minor risk, particularly with some councillors indicating it would be their last term, he said.

“Elected members have an important perspective on the decision-making process requirements and community representation.”

The group will be chaired by Deputy Mayor Helen Craig, with councillors Josh Chandulal-Mackay, Charlotte Melser, Peter Oskam and Ross Fallen also involved. All volunteered to be a part of it.

Councillor Kate Joblin did not support having five councillors.

She said the only one with “any formal, recognised qualifications” on the issue was Chandulal-Mackay.

Councillor Rob Vinsen said other than Craig and Chandulal-Mackay, the rest of the councillors were in their first terms.

“I wonder if that’s the most appropriate mix to have there,” he said.

Chandulal-Mackay said the perceptions of self-interest were unavoidable because any decisions would go to the full council for approval.

“If I reflect on decisions made in the past, I think of Councillor [Philippa] Baker-Hogan‘s comments during the Māori wards debate, openly acknowledging that decision could mean she may well lose her seat.”

Baker-Hogan voted in favour of Māori wards.

In 2018, several councillors voted to randomise rather than alphabetise the list of election candidates, even though it could potentially be against their interests, he said.

According to a report from democracy services manager Anna Palamountain, following preliminary engagement with the community the working group “will explore viable representation options and undertake further community engagement” and seek a formal decision from the council on its representation arrangement.

The community will have the chance to submit its views before the final make-up of the council is presented at a council meeting next June for formal adoption.

An appeal period will follow and any objections received will be lodged with the Local Government Commission which will make the final decision.

Kate Joblin said the only councillor on the group with “any formal, recognised qualifications” on the issue was Josh Chandulal-Mackay. Photo / Bevan Conley

Melser said she put her hand up for the role because she liked to be “a helpful member” of the council.

She thought elected members would have good input and were in the best position to understand what constituents needed.

However, the list of councillor names put forward was “over the top” and she would happily remove herself from it.

“I would like to keep Josh on that list and Deputy Mayor Helen Craig.”

A motion to keep only Craig and Chandulal-Mackay was lost and the council eventually voted nine to four in favour of the five representatives.

Joblin, Vinsen, Craig and Glenda Brown voted against it, with Tripe, Melser, Chandulal-Mackay, Baker-Hogan, Michael Law, Oskam, Fallen, Charlie Anderson and Jenny Duncan in favour.

Craig, who confirmed she would not stand at the next election, said she did not think councillors should be on the committee, despite volunteering to be on it.

“This is a very, very simple process. You’ll have a great big committee with very limited decision-making. I think it’s OTT (over the top).”

Along with the five councillors and a representative of the Whanganui Rural Community Board, the group will include council chief executive David Langford, Palamountain, council’s general counsel, corporate support officer, policy officer, communications adviser and geographic information system lead, and a representative from Electionz.com.

Brown said she was uncomfortable with the “blurred lines” between officers and councillors in the group.

She did not support the mayor’s recommendation.

“Working parties in the past have been management and I don’t see any reason why this can’t be management, given that a report is coming to council anyway.”

In October, the council voted to include Māori wards in the 2025 and 2028 elections.

The next step is to decide how many councillors will sit around the table.

At present, there are 12, with six representatives on the Whanganui Rural Community Board.

The make-up of the board, or if it will continue, will also be reviewed.

Mike Tweed is an assistant news director and multimedia journalist at the Whanganui Chronicle. Since starting in March 2020, he has dabbled in everything from sport to music. At present his focus is local government, primarily the Whanganui District Council.