Waikato council to stay with LGNZ following split vote decision

Waikato Regional Councillors have voted in favour of the organisation remaining a Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ) member.

The matter of whether the Council should remain an LGNZ member was first raised via a notice of motion in March, with councillors leaving the matter to lie on the table while staff organised a workshop to consider the costs and benefits of membership. The workshop, which was open to the public, was held in May.

LGNZ advocates for local government interests and supports councils through policy advocacy, sector-wide collaboration, and the provision of tools and training to uplift governance and performance.

During the 24 June full council meeting, a motion to renew the council’s $80,375.55 LGNZ subscription for the new financial year was lost in a narrow 5-6 vote with one abstention.

A notice of motion, signed by eight councillors, was received by Chief Executive, Chris McLay, the day after the meeting. It proposed the revocation of the decision made in the June meeting and a replacement motion that Waikato Regional Council remains a member of LGNZ.

The notice was supported by the benefits of LGNZ membership as outlined in the Council report presented on the matter, and the absence of some elected members when the resolution was passed, limiting full participation in the decision-making process.

At the 23 July meeting, councillors debated the value of the LGNZ membership, with the vote split 7-7. The motion to remain an LGNZ member passed on the casting vote of the chair.

For: Bruce Clarkson, Kataraina Hodge, Stu Kneebone, Tipa Mahuta, Jennifer Nickel, Pamela Storey, Angela Strange.

Against: Robbie Cookson, Mich’eal Downard, Ben Dunbar-Smith, Clyde Graf, Chris Hughes, Warren Maher, Noel Smith.

This council meeting was livestreamed and recorded: https://www.youtube.com/live/FRkdjp0pXuA?si=HSAPtgl_XAhHc09T.