UNCONFIRMED

Extraordinary Council Meeting Minutes

20 May 2026

 

   MINUTES OF Far North District Council
Extraordinary Council Meeting
HELD AT THE Council Chamber, Memorial Ave, Kaikohe
ON Wednesday, 20 May 2026 AT 10:00 am

PRESENT:              Kahika - Mayor Moko Tepania, Kohepu - Deputy Mayor Chicky Rudkin, Cr Arohanui Allen, Cr Rachel Baucke, Cr Ann Court, Cr Hilda Halkyard-Harawira, Cr Tāmati Rākena, Cr Davina Smolders, Cr Kelly Stratford, Cr John Vujcich

IN ATTENDANCE: Community Board Chairs Belinda Ward, Jessie McVaegh, Bill Subritzky (online), Hellen Gordonson (external subject matter experts)  and Gordon Shaw (Te Koekoeā External Chair).  

STAFF PRESENT: Guy Holroyd (Chief Executive Officer), Margriet Veenstra (Manager – Property Information and Business Compliance), Hilary Sumpter (Group Manager – Delivery and Operations), Aaron Taikato (Manuhautu Te Hono – Group Manager Te Hono), Charlie Billington (Group Manager – Corporate Services), Tanya Proctor (Head of Infrastructure), Rachel Smith (Executive Officer), Ken Lewis (Manager – Communications and Engagement), Myjanne Jensen (Communications Advisor), Aisha Huriwai (Manager – Democracy Services), Marysa Maheno (Democracy Advisor).

1            Karakia Timatanga / Opening Prayer

Kahika - Mayor Moko Tepania commenced the meeting with a karakia at 9:02AM.

2            Ngā Whakapāha Me Ngā Pānga Mema / Apologies and Declarations of Interest  

Apology

Resolution  2026/15

Moved:       Kahika - Mayor Moko Tepania

Seconded:  Cr Tāmati Rākena

That the apology received from Cr Felicity Foy be accepted and leave of absence granted.

Carried

3            Ngā Tono Kōrero / Deputation

Nil.

4            Ngā Kōrero a Te Kahika / Mayoral Announcements   

Kahika-Mayor Moko Tepania acknowledged the attendance of Te Koekoeā Chair Gordon Shaw and also Hellen Gordson attending as subject matter experts to support item 5.2.

5            Ngā Pūrongo / Reports

5.1         Local Government New Zealand Remits

Agenda item 5.1 document number A5626087, pages 7 - 11 refers

Resolution  2026/16

Moved:       Kahika - Mayor Moko Tepania

Seconded:  Cr Hilda Halkyard-Harawira

That Council support

a) The proposed remit titled Improvements for Dog Control Act from Rotorua Lakes Council as per attachment 1,

In Favour:       Kahika Moko Tepania, Kohepū Chicky Rudkin, and Crs Arohanui Allen, Rachel Baucke, Ann Court, Hilda Halkyard-Harawira, Tāmati Rākena, Davina Smolders, Kelly Stratford and John Vujcich

carried 10/0

Moved:       Kahika - Mayor Moko Tepania

Seconded:  Cr Hilda Halkyard-Harawira

b)The draft remit titled Devolution of place-naming authority to Local Government as per attachment 2; and

In Favour:       Kahika Moko Tepania, Kohepū Chicky Rudkin, and Crs Arohanui Allen, Hilda Halkyard-Harawira, Tāmati Rākena, Kelly Stratford and John Vujcich

Against:           Crs Rachel Baucke, Ann Court and Davina Smolders

carried 7/3

Moved:       Kahika - Mayor Moko Tepania

Seconded:  Cr Hilda Halkyard-Harawira

c) The proposed remit titled Financial Support for Government Reforms from Whangarei District Council as per attachment 3.

In Favour:       Kahika Moko Tepania, Kohepū Chicky Rudkin, and Arohanui Allen, Rachel Bacuke, Hilda Halkyard-Harawira, Tāmati Rākena, Kelly Stratford and John Vujcich

Abstained:       Crs Ann Court and Davina Smolders

carried 8/0

Carried

At 9:51AM Cr Kelly Stratford left the meeting room.

At 9:56AM Cr Kelly Stratford returned to the meeting.

At 10:01AM Cr Tāmati Rākena left the meeting room.

5.2         Northland Water Done Well - Far North District Council Entry Into Northland Waters Limited

Agenda item 5.2 document number A5776564, pages 29 - 43 refers

Resolution  2026/17

Moved:       Kahika - Mayor Moko Tepania

Seconded:  Cr Arohanui Allen

That the Far North District Council:

a)      Approves Far North District Council entering Northland Waters Limited as a shareholder, and subscribing for ordinary Class A shares on an equal basis with Whangārei and Kaipara District Councils as set out in the Shareholders' Agreement.

b)      Approves the Shareholders' Agreement (Attachment 1).

c)      Approves the Constitution (Attachment 2).

d)      Approves the Transition Agreement (Attachment 3).

e)      Authorises the Mayor and/or the Chief Executive to execute the Shareholders' Agreement, Constitution and Transition Agreement on behalf of Far North District Council; and take further steps reasonably required to give effect to Far North District Council's entry into Northland Waters Limited, including completion of the share subscription.

f)       Delegates to the Mayor and/or the Chief Executive the ability to make or agree to any minor editorial amendments to the Shareholders' Agreement, Constitution and Transition Agreement prior to execution.

g)      Appoints Kahika-Mayor Moko Tepania and Cr John Vujcich, both elected members of Far North District Council, as Far North District Council's representatives on the Shareholders' Representative Group of Northland Waters Limited, and Cr Arohanui Allen and Cr Kelly Stratford, both elected members of Far North District Council, as their alternates.

h)      Delegates to the Shareholders' Representative Group Representatives, and to their Alternates when acting, the responsibilities and decision-making functions set out in the Shareholders' Representative Group Terms of Reference at Schedule 4 of the Shareholders' Agreement.

In Favour:       Kahika Moko Tepania, Kohepū Chicky Rudkin, and Crs Arohanui Allen, Rachel Baucke, Ann Court, Tāmati Rākena, Davina Smolders, Kelly Stratford and John Vujcich

Against:           Cr Hilda Halkyard-Harawira

carried 9/1

i)       Refers to Te Koekoeā Committee, for consideration and recommendation back to Council by June 2026, the question of a standing approach to Shareholders' Representative Group appointments, including whether representatives and alternates should be restricted to elected members of Council.

In Favour:       Kahika Moko Tepania, Kohepū Chicky Rudkin, and Crs Arohanui Allen, Rachel Baucke, Ann Court, Tāmati Rākena, Kelly Stratford and John Vujcich

Against:           Crs Hilda Halkyard-Harawira and Davina Smolders

carried 8/2

Carried

6            Te Wāhanga Tūmataiti / Public Excluded

RESOLUTION TO EXCLUDE THE PUBLIC

Resolution  2026/18

Moved:       Kahika - Mayor Moko Tepania

Seconded:  Cr Kelly Stratford

That the public be excluded from the following parts of the proceedings of this meeting.

The general subject matter of each matter to be considered while the public is excluded, the reason for passing this resolution in relation to each matter, and the specific grounds under section 48 of the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 for the passing of this resolution are as follows:

General subject of each matter to be considered

Reason for passing this resolution in relation to each matter

Ground(s) under section 48 for the passing of this resolution

6.1 - Core Roading Professional Services Contract Award

s7(2)(b)(ii) - the withholding of the information is necessary to protect information where the making available of the information would be likely unreasonably to prejudice the commercial position of the person who supplied or who is the subject of the information

s48(1)(a)(i) - the public conduct of the relevant part of the proceedings of the meeting would be likely to result in the disclosure of information for which good reason for withholding would exist under section 6 or section 7

 

Carried

 

7        Meeting Close

The meeting closed at 10:43AM.

The minutes of this meeting will be confirmed at the Extraordinary Council Meeting held on 28 May 2026.

 

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CHAIRPERSON