South Waikato council has a meeting about nothing – for the public, anyway

A public meeting of a South Waikato District Council committee had nothing for the public, with the only agenda item a report deemed too sensitive to discuss openly.

The Growth and Infrastructure Committee meeting was held on Friday morning in Tokoroa. Council officials say the group’s “still finding its feet”.

The agenda contained no updates on work underway in the district, or any sign of future projects.

The only item on the agenda – a Development Report Update for February 2023 – was discussed behind closed doors.

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However, council officials said the committee was “still finding its feet” and this was its first meeting. It was formed more than three months ago after October’s elections.

According to the SWDC’s website, the purpose of the Growth and Infrastructure Committee is to “assist the council and business community to develop and grow the South Waikato district”.

Its role is to “provide direction on strategic priorities for core infrastructure aligned to the district’s development, and oversight of strategic projects”.

The committee can make recommendations to the council but any decisions made need to be ratified at a full council meeting.

The committee is made up of chairperson and Putāruru Ward councillor Marie Farrell, South Waikato mayor Gary Petley, deputy mayor Bill Machen, and councillors Hans Nelis, Maria Te Kanawa and Sandra Wallace.

Farrell was approached for comment but declined, referring questions to the council’s communications team or the mayor.

Wallace also declined to comment and referred questions to the mayor or committee chairperson.

Councillors Machen, Nelis and Te Kanawa did not respond to requests for comment.

Mayor Gary Petley was unavailable for comment due to being on a short-term leave of absence.

However, the council’s chief executive Susan Law said it was the first time the committee had met and there would be a much fuller public agenda at its next meeting.

She said the council had adopted a new committee structure after October’s elections and was “…building up a formal programme of business … this is why the agenda was limited”.

She said the new committee was set up to help develop infrastructure for new business and employment opportunities in the district and was not involved with day to day infrastructure issues such as roading or water supply – those issues were dealt with by the council’s Local Services Committee.

Taupō MP Louise Upston said it was unusual to have nothing for the public at a public meeting, and said if it became a trend there would be something to worry about.

“But, as this is a new committee, a new mayor, and a new council structure I’m less concerned … but I would encourage the council to include the community as much as possible.

“If it became a pattern, that’s quite a different story, so we need to give the council team some time to understand the issues.”