Council committees, boards & subcommittees

Council and committee meetings are scheduled usually on a Wednesday, every two weeks. You can access meeting schedules, agendas and minutes for these meetings online. Council has 5 committees.

Finance and Assurance

Chair: Bruce Robertson (external member)
Committee members: Mayor Scott and all Councillors

Responsible for ensuring that Council has appropriate financial, risk management and internal control systems in place that provide:

  • an overview of the financial and non-financial performance of the organisation
  • effective management of potential opportunities and adverse effects
    reasonable assurance as to the integrity and reliability of Council’s financial and non-financial reporting
  • exercising active oversight of information technology systems, health and safety policies, processes, compliance, results and frameworks and relationships with external, internal auditors, banking institutions and insurance brokers.
  • monitor and assess the financial and non-financial performance of Council against budgeted and forecasted outcomes
    consideration of forecasted changes to financial outcomes
  • Council’s compliance with legislative requirements
  • Council’s risk management framework
  • Council’s control framework
  • Council’s compliance with its treasury responsibilities
  • Council’s compliance with its Fraud Policy

Ohai Railway Fund Committee

Chair: Kevin Dixon

Committee members: Mayor Scott and Councillors Jaspreet Boparai and Derek Chamberlain and Kevin Dixon, Kevin Curtin, Shane Robertson and Alana Barret (four local representatives whom are elected at the committee’s triennial meeting).

Responsible to consider applications to the Ohai Railway Fund to provide grant(s) for the benefit of the “residents” of the former “Ohai Railway Board Area” as legally described in the New Zealand Gazette Notice, page 1671 of 11 May 1916.

District Licensing Committee

Chair: Councillor Paul Duffy

Deputy Chair: Christine Menzies (to act as chair in the absence of the chair)
Committee members: Councillor Jaspreet Boparai and Councillor Tom O’Brien.

Responsible for ensuring that functions as set out in s.187 of the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012 are undertaken. These include deciding on applications for new and renewed licences and managers certificates, regardless of whether they are contested, temporary authorities and temporary licences, variation of licences and most enforcement action for special licences.

Subcommittees:

Matuku, Five Rivers and Te Anau Basin Water Supply Subcommittees

The council has constituted three Water Supply Subcommittees within the district which are each responsible for the overall governance of the respective water supply scheme in accordance with the policies of council. These subcommittees are:

  • Te Anau Basin: One member each from Ramparts, Mt York, Takitimu, Kakapo
  • Five Rivers: Six members plus Councillor Tom O’Brien (ward councillor)
  • Matuku: Six members plus Councillor Matt Wilson (ward councillor)

Stewart Island/Rakiura Visitor Levy Subcommittee

Chair: Councillor Julie Keast

Committee members: Mayor Scott, Mr Bruce Robertson (Chair, Finance and Assurance Committee, Councillor John Spraggon (councillor for Stewart Island/Rakiura Ward), one community board representative, a member from Stewart Island/Rakiura, a member to represent iwi and a representative from or recommended by each of the approved operators named under the Stewart Island/Rakiura Visitor Levy Policy

Responsible for ensuring is responsible for governance of the Stewart Island/Rakiura visitor levy fund and setting strategic objectives to act as the basis for assessing applications for funding.

Riverton Harbour Subcommittee

Chair: Nick White

Committee members: Mayor Scott, Councillor Don Byars, four members nominated by Oraka Aparima community board (community board to nominate a representative from the community board, two representatives from berth owners and one representative from either Riverton Rowing club or Riverton Coastguard), one member nominated by the local Iwi Aparima Oraka Runaka and one representative from Southland Regional Council (with no voting rights).

Responsible for ensuring:

  • the management and control of all Riverton harbour assets vested in Council being:
    • the use and maintenance of the boat ramp adjacent Koi park
    • the use and maintenance of the “unloading wharf” and crane at Lees Point operated by Council so that no vessel anchors, moors, secures or is placed at the unloading wharf unless actively loading or unloading fuel, provisions, fishing equipment or fish (1972 Bylaw No. 3)
    • the use and maintenance of the “common walkway” on the jetty leading to the privately-owned berth numbered L36.
    • the use and maintenance of the “common walkway” on the jetty leading to the privately-owned Berths numbered L22, L23, L24, L25, L26, L27, L28, L29 and L30
    • the provision and maintenance of the ‘lead lights’ markers the white light at Howells Point and red flashing light at Pearl Rock and any other navigational aids required to assist those vessels leaving and entering the Riverton harbour
    • the use and maintenance of berth L35 currently subject to a lease.
  • the administration, management and control of all Riverton harbour endowment lands now vested in Southland District Council in consultation with and subject to approval by Southland District Council being those lands comprised in Certificates of Title 5C/914, 5C/917, 5C/918, 5C/919, 5C/920, 5C/921, 5B/825, 9D/859, 10C/615, 10C/616 and all such other Riverton harbour endowment lands so vested.

Public participation

Each council, committee, subcommittee and community board meeting has public participation at the start, where members of the public are able to raise issues.

If you are wanting to speak in public participation, you must contact the Governance Team on 0800 732 732 at least one working day before the meeting.

The subject matter should be disclosed and if presenting with PowerPoint, a paper copy of the presentation needs to be provided to the Governance Team.

Council organisations

There are external organisations that Council has representation on.

Some organisations are pending representation.

Age Concern Southland  Kelly Tagg (Officer)
Around the Mountains Cycle Trail Trust Deputy Mayor Christine Menzies
Citizens Advice Bureau Cr Julie Keast
Creative Communities Cr Margie Ruddenklau
Gore and Districts Community Counselling Centre Inc. Cr Julie Keast
Pioneer Women’s Memorial Trust (Gore) Cr Julie Keast
Southland Indoor Leisure Centre Charitable Trust  Cr Darren Frazer
Southland Medical Foundation  Mayor Rob Scott
Southland Regional Heritage Building and Preservation Trust Cr Paul Duffy (Cr Margie Ruddenklau as an alternate)
Tuatapere Amenities Trust Cr Jaspreet Boparai
Te Roopu Taiao Mayor Rob Scott and (Deputy Mayor Christine Menzies and Cr Paul Duffy as an alternates)
Waiau Working Party Cr Derek Chamberlain
Whakamana te Waituna Trust Crs Paul Duffy and Julie Keast

What are shared services?

The councils in southern New Zealand are working together in many ways under the umbrella of a joint committee called Shared Services. This committee has been meeting regularly since it was formed in 2000 and has achieved several successes for all of the partner councils. Please see the publication below detailing how the councils have been working together since 2000 to share services.

12 December 2022

Southland and beyond

Joint committees

Civil Defence Emergency Management Group

Mayor Rob Scott with Deputy Mayor Christine Menzies as alternate

The purpose of the group is to identify the hazards and risks to be managed by the group and the Civil Defence Emergency Management measures deemed necessary to manage those hazards and risks.

Local Approved Products

Local Approved Products Policy

Local Alcohol Policy

This is a joint Policy from both councils setting our rules and guidelines for alcohol related activities. It covers matters such as engagement between Sensitive Premises (schools, churches and residential use) and those seeking a licence, as well as trading hours for all types of licences and provides for a range of conditions that a District Licencing Committee can impose on a licence.

This is the second Joint LAP for Southland and Invercargill, the first being adopted in 2016. The Policy was reviewed for effectiveness during that time and most parties agreed that it is effective and all agreed it is a good thing to have.

The Proposed LAP will be subject to any appeals from 4 November until 6 December 2019. Any party who submitted on the draft LAP may lodge an appeal with the Alcohol Regulatory and Licensing Authority. If no appeals are lodged then the LAP will be available for adoption on 6 December 2019.

Southland Regional Heritage

Deputy Mayor Christine Menzies and Cr Paul Duffy

The purpose of the committee is to establish and preserve the regional heritage of Murihiku/Southland. For more information about the committee contact Great South (03) 2111400

Southland Regional Land Transport

Deputy Mayor Christine Menzies (Mayor Scott as alternate)

The purpose of the committee is a legislative function of preparing a Regional Land Transport Plan for the region for approval by Environment South and to provide any advice and assistance requested. The Regional Land Transport Plan is prepared every six years but with a three-year review. The review of the 2021-2027 Regional Land Transport Plan is currently underway.

Great South Joint Shareholder Committee

Mayor Rob Scott

Responsible for the advancement and coordination of activities within the Southland region including, tourism, economic and business development, promotion and marketing of the region and events management.

WasteNet (Waste Management Advisory Group)

Mayor Rob Scott and Deputy Mayor Christine Menzies

WasteNet has been developed to encompass waste management issues in Southland.