The FlipSide- Summer 2023

From the Mayor’s Desk

A new year dawns with plenty of challenges ahead, but who would like life to be boring?

I am thrilled with the governance team that we head into the new year, and new term with. Central Otago normally has 28 elected members including myself, although presently we have 27 with a by-election underway in Cromwell. Of those 27, nine are freshly elected, meaning we have a great mix of experience and newness.

I am particularly pleased that across the council and boards, all 2019-2021 representatives who put their hand up for reelection were successful, which to me signifies a solid degree of community satisfaction with our efforts over the last term. That community leadership group has, as I said, some big challenges ahead, as does the community.

At the local government level, we have the Three Waters and Resource Management Act reforms to navigate, both of which could be affected by the result of the national election later in the year. Outside of that we have the challenges and huge opportunities of the Future for Local Government review. In the broader community, all your elected members are aware of the difficult financial times that we all face, with uncertainty expected to continue for some time yet.

All up though, I couldn’t think of a better group of people to lead at Council nor a better place in the world to live.

Tim Cadogan

Central Otago Mayor

Introducing your Council

Our Central Otago District Council is made up of members of the public who are elected to represent you and your community. They were elected on 8 October 2022 and will hold office for a three-year term. Pictured above at their first meeting of the triennium, (back row from left): Crs Stu Duncan, Cheryl Laws, Nigel McKinlay, Tracy Paterson, Sally Feinerman, Lynley Claridge and Martin McPherson. Front row from left, Sarah Browne, Neil Gillespie (Deputy Mayor), Tim Cadogan (Mayor), Tamah Alley and Ian Cooney. Cheryl, Neil, Nigel and Sarah were elected for the Cromwell ward, Ian, Lynley, Martin and Tamah for the Vincent ward, Sally for the Teviot Valley Ward and Stu for the Maniototo ward. Their job as elected members is to govern and manage the interests of this district on behalf of everyone who lives here. It is also their role to look after the well-being of this community, now and in the future. You’ll find bio and contact details for your Mayor & Councillors on Council’s website at www.codc.govt.nz/your-council/ elected-members. They are happy for you to make contact if you wish to discuss your ideas, issues or concerns. Council meet every six weeks. This is when formal decisions regarding the running of our district are made.

Introducing your Community Boards

Central Otago District Council has four community boards. The role of the boards is to represent and act as advocates for the interest of their respective communities. They meet every six weeks.

Vincent Ward

Cromwell Ward

Teviot Ward

Public Forums

Maniototo Ward

Do you have an item you want to bring to the attention of your local community board? All our community boards offer a public forum opportunity, usually for up to 30 minutes at the start of an ordinary meeting. If you want to take up this opportunity then please make a request at least one clear day before the scheduled meeting you wish to speak at (but the earlier the better!), outlining the matter you wish to speak about. You can contact Council’s Governance Manager Wayne McEnteer by phoning 03 440 0667 or emailing wayne.mcenteer@codc.govt.nz.

Cromwell Community Board

Back row from left: Mary McConnell, Cr Neil Gillespie, Cr Cheryl Laws, Cr

and

(front from left) Anna

Chair). There is a by-election happening to fill a vacancy on the board for its seventh member. More information on this at www.codc.govt.nz/elections.

Teviot Valley Community Board

Front

Back row from left: Norman Dalley (Chair) Mark Jessop (Deputy Chair).

row: Cr Sally Feinerman, Russell Read and Gill Booth

Sarah Browne,

Harrison (Chair)

Bob Scott (Deputy

Back

Maniototo Community Board

Vincent Community Board

Back

row from left: Cr Stu Duncan, new member Rebecca McAuley and returning member Duncan Helm. Front row from left: reappointed chair and deputy chair, Rob Hazlett and Mark Harris.

row from left: Dr Roger Browne, Tony Hammington, Dai Johns, Cr Tracy Paterson. Front row from left: Jayden Cromb (Deputy Chair), Cr Tamah Alley (Chair) and Cr Martin McPherson.

A message from the CEO

At the end of 2022, in the spirit of the 12 days of Christmas, I penned a newspaper column with a dozen things I was grateful for from a Council perspective.

Topping my list: ‘Engaged and passionate staff at CODC who wake up, front up and deliver every day of the year for the community that they live in and love’.

It is this team, and the prospect of what we can achieve for and with our community in 2023, that has me facing the year ahead with optimism.

Helping me lead this dedicated team is a reshaped Executive Leadership Team formed in November last year, pictured right with me (4th from left), which I’ll introduce (from left to right).

Saskia Righarts, Group Manager - Business Support, leads the information services, risk and procurement, finance and governance functions.

Louise van der Voort, Group Manager – Planning and Infrastructure, oversees the planning and regulatory functions, property team, and roading and environmental services (waste services and sustainability initiatives).

Group Manager - Community Experience David Scoones, a new addition to Team CODC, leads the parks, pools, libraries and customer services functions.

Ensuring we focus on the important areas of Human Resources, organisational culture initiatives, and health, safety & wellbeing is Louise Fleck, General Manager - People & Culture. Dylan Rushbrook has stepped into the role of Group Manager - Community Vision, responsible for community development, communications & engagement, economic development, strategy & policy, and tourism.

Bringing together those functions that interface with our community is a genuine step forwards for our organisation, at a time when focusing on the community we serve has never been more important. The new structure also creates the space needed for the executive to focus on some of the big conversations happening in the local government sector, and deliver on the vision that our elected members set on behalf of you, our community.

Noho ora mai.

Sanchia Jacobs Chief Executive Central Otago District Council

CODC Executive Leadership Team

The Prospector MTB Stage Race

Haere Mai, Welcome

If you are new to Central Otago – welcome to our little piece of Paradise!

We have an online Central Otago Welcome Guide targeted at those considering moving to our communities, and those recently moved here. It’s designed to be a quick and handy resource for the need to knows, including healthcare, childcare and education, clubs and organisations, events and activities to check out within the region, as well as Council services and facilities.

Head to: centralotagonz.com/welcome-guide

We have recently produced and published an action plan to make sure we can give the warmest of Central Otago welcomes to all our newcomers. The Central Otago Welcoming Plan (cover pictured below) is a three-year action plan for the Central Otago District Council’s Welcoming Communities programme, intended to be a plan “led by the community, for the community”. You can read the plan at www.codc.govt.nz/welcome-plan, where you’ll also find more information about the Welcoming Communities programme.

CENTRAL OTAGO WELCOMING PLAN 2022

Te Waharoa ki Ngā Hapori

Photo credit: Ross McKay

APPLY NOW FOR COMMUNITY FUNDING

Applications to the second round of Central Otago District Council Promotions and Community Grants for 2022/2023 are now open and close at 5pm on Sunday 19 March 2023.

Applications for the current Creative Communities Scheme funding round, to support arts and cultural activities in our district, close on Friday 24 February 2023 at 4pm. To find out more about these funding opportunities and to apply head to: www.codc.govt.nz/funding