Plans to establish a new regional water services organisation for Hawke’s Bay have taken a further step forward, with Hastings District Council, Napier City Council and Central Hawke’s Bay District Council confirming a series of key decisions on how the organisation will be governed, funded and delivered.
The establishment of a regional water services organisation forms part of the Government’s Local Water Done Well reforms, which encourage councils to work together to deliver water services that meet higher national standards.
All three councils have now appointed members to the Shareholder Representative Forum, which will act as a joint voice on behalf of the councils as owners of the organisation. While councils will continue to set the overall direction and expectations, the forum will provide coordinated oversight, with the organisation itself responsible for delivering day-to-day water services across the region.
Members appointed to the Shareholder Representative Forum are:
- Mayor Wendy Schollum (Hastings District Council representative)
- Deputy Mayor Michael Fowler (Hastings District Council representative)
- Mike Paku (Hastings District Council representative)
- Deputy Mayor Graeme Taylor (Napier City Council representative)
- Councillor Keith Price (Napier City Council representative)
- TBC (Napier City Council representative)
- Mayor Will Foley (Central Hawke’s Bay District Council representative)
- Councillor Brent Muggeridge (Central Hawke’s Bay District Council representative)
- Councillor Amiria Nepe-Apatu (Central Hawke’s Bay District Council representative)
Other key decisions made by councils include:
- approving the transition budget to fund the establishment of the organisation and delivery of work through to 1 July 2027
- adopting the foundational documents (Constitution and Shareholders’ Agreement), which enable the organisation to be formally incorporated and set out how councils will work together as joint shareholders
- agreeing the process to develop the Statement of Expectations, which will guide what councils require from the organisation once established
These decisions enable the programme to move into the next phase of detailed planning and implementation ahead of Day One on 1 July 2027, the Councils said in a joint statement.
