A new portfolio system within Otago Regional Council (ORC) to replace some committees was approved at this week’s meeting of the new council (Wednesday November 5).

Dunstan Ward councillors were allocated as ‘co-leads’ within the new structure.

Matt Hollyer will be the co-lead for regional and public transport; Neil Gillespie will be the co-lead for policy and planning; Gary Kelliher will be the co-lead for science and resilience; and Michael Laws will be the co-lead (with chair Hilary Calvert) for strategy and customer service.

The Audit and Risk Committee, Joint Transport Committee, Joint Committee Civil Defence, and Joint Committee Regional Deals will be retained, and Gary and Neil were appointed to the Audit and Risk committee. 

Some councillors criticised the new structure as lacking mana whenua consultation.

Michael told the council the governance structure involving mana whenua input into decision making needed to be “overhauled as quickly as possible”.

But councillor Alan Somerville criticised the new portfolio approach, saying one meeting with mana whenua the day before they were due to vote on the new portfolio structure, was “not meaningful engagement".

Councillors met with mana whenua at the Otakou marae on Tuesday (November 4) and chair Hilary Calvert told the meeting she didn’t think the council needed to consult with them before they made a clearer structure around the table.

Former chair Gretchen Robertson also questioned the role of mana whenua within the proposed portfolio system, and refuted comments about iwi decision making on committees.

Hilary said her intention was for the council to continue to have respectful and meaningful dialogue - both formal and informal - with mana whenua to help the council understand the issues that were important to iwi.

ORC’s Long-Term Plan 2021-2031 includes a service level measure to ‘build mana whenua participation in council decision making through a treaty-based partnership approach in our engagement’.

Under its statutory requirements, the regional council is obligated to engage, consult and discuss issues of significance with iwi.

The new portfolio structure provides for decision-making to sit solely with council, complemented by the establishment of portfolio areas and the appointment of portfolio leads. 

Gretchen and Alan voted against the recommendation to form portfolios, but agreed with the majority of councillors to continue consulting with mana whenua in a ‘mutually agreeable way’ to incorporate representation into the new structure.

Final voting on the new governance structure and roles of the portfolio leads will be made at the ORC’s next meeting in Cromwell on November 29.

PHOTO: Supplied