Elected Member Roles

Collective duties of the Council

Setting the council's plan and priorities for the next ten years through the Long Term Plan, which decides the services and activities the council will focus on
Deciding the budget and funding needs for council activities through the Long Term Plan and annual planning
Overseeing council policies as well as district planning matters within the council's area
Monitoring the on-going performance of council against its stated objectives and policies (including formal sign-off of the Annual Report)
Making sure council resources are used wisely
Creating bylaws
Complying with Acts of Parliament
Employing, setting performance requirements for, and monitoring the on-going performance of the council’s Chief Executive (under the Local Government Act 2002).

Representation and advocacy

Bringing the views of the community into council decision-making processes
Being an advocate for community groups and individuals
Balancing the need to support specific interests with the needs of the broader community
Listening to the concerns of local residents and ratepayers
Maintaining contact with community representatives and other local stakeholders
Participating in consultative processes with the community and organisations.

Governance

Participating in the good governance of the council as a whole
Understanding the differing roles of mayor, deputy mayor, committee chairs and councillors
Recognising that the governance role does not extend to operational matters
Having a good understanding of the council processes set out in the Standing Orders that determine how council meetings are run
Developing and maintaining a working knowledge of council services, management processes, powers, duties and constraints
Participating in the setting and monitoring of council policies, budgets, strategies and service delivery through long-term and annual planning processes
Ensuring familiarity with agendas and other council reports before council meetings
Being familiar with and complying with the statutory requirements of an elected councillor
Complying with the Code of Conduct adopted by the council
Identifying and declaring any potential personal conflicts of interest, whether of a pecuniary or non-pecuniary nature.
Knowledge of and commitment to the Local Government Act 2002

Code of Conduct

View a copy of Council's Code of Conduct here (PDF file, 640.5 KB).

The Local Government Act 2002 requires Councils to adopt a Code of Conduct for the elected members of the Council. The Council last reviewed and adopted its Code of Conduct on 21 November 2019. The code also applies to all people appointed to committees or subcommittees of Council.

Manawatu District Council's Code of Conduct provides guidance on the standards of behaviour expected from elected members in their dealings with:

each other
the Chief Executive
staff
the media; and
the general public

Pecuniary Interests Register - Public Summary

View a copy of Elected Member's Pecuniary Interests - Public Summary 2023/24 (PDF file, 207.7 KB).

Changes made in 2022 to the Local Government Act 2002 (sections 54A - 54I) mean that elected members are now required to annually declare information on their pecuniary interests to the Council. A public summary of these declarations is required to be made available for public viewing.

These declarations relate to a member's activities and position, including their:

Involvement in companies
Interests or shares
Employment
Properties
Trusts (if there is a beneficial interest or the trust has applied for Council funding)
Overseas Travel
Gifts
Payments

A public summary of member's annual declarations will be made available in February/March of each year. The current public summary (2023/24) covers the period 13 January 2023 - 29 January 2024.

Remuneration of Elected Members

The salaries payable to the Mayor and Councillors are set by the Remuneration Authority. Currently these are:

Position	Salary (per annum)
Mayor (*less deduction for private use of car)	$136,955*
Deputy Mayor	$54,822
Chairperson - Audit and Risk Committee	$43,074
Chairperson - Chief Executive's Employment Committee	$43,074
Chairperson - Hearings Committee	$43,074
Submission Assessment Panel (x2)	$41,116
Councillors	$39,158

Allowances and Expense Reimbursement Policy

The following allowance and expense reimbursement policy has been approved by the Council to apply for the period 15 October 2022 to 30 June 2025: Elected Members Approved Allowances Policy (PDF file, 240.1 KB).

Applicable Statutory Requirements

Section 46(1) Local Government Act 2002

Elected members can be held liable for losses resulting from negligence or unlawful action by the elected Council.

Sections 54A - 54I Local Government Act 2002

Elected members are required to disclose pecuniary interests, and a summary of these will be made available on the Council's website in February of each new year.

Schedule 7 clause 1 of the Local Government Act 2002

Any elected member (the Mayor or a councillor) will be disqualified if they cease to be an elector or become disqualified for registration as an elector under the Electoral Act 1993, or are convicted of an offence punishable by a term of imprisonment of two years or more.

Local Authority (Members’ Interests) Act 1968

This describes the circumstances under which a member has a pecuniary interest in a matter before the Council. Nobody may be elected to a Council, or once elected, remain a member, if the value of contracts between the Council and that member exceed $25,000 in any financial year. Nor may a member participate in the discussion or voting on a matter in which the member has a direct or indirect pecuniary interest, except an interest in common with the public.

If members are convicted of a breach of this requirement they will automatically be disqualified from office. They may also be fined up to $100. A disqualified member may, however, stand for election at a by-election.

Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 (LGOIMA)

These obligations apply to the disclosure of information by a member in respect of any information held (in his or her capacity as member) to a member of the public. The underlying principle is that unless there is good reason to withhold it, information should be made available. Section 7 of the Act gives a number of grounds for withholding disclosure.

The LGOIMA also sets out the procedural requirements for meetings of local authorities, the publication of agenda, procedures for discussion with the public excluded and access by the public to the minutes of meetings.

The Secret Commissions Act 1910

This makes it unlawful:

for a member (or officer) to advise anyone in respect of entering or not entering into a contract with a third person in relation to the business of the Council
to receive a gift or reward from anyone outside the Council in return for advice or services in relation to the business of the Council or to present false receipts to the Council.

The Crimes Act 1961

This makes it unlawful for members:

to accept or solicit for themselves (or anyone else) any gift or reward for acting or not acting in relation to the business of the Council
or use information gained in the course of the member’s duties for monetary gain or advantage by the member, or anyone else.

Financial Markets Conduct Act 2013

The main purposes of this Act are:

to promote the confident and informed participation of businesses, investors, and consumers in the financial markets; and
promote and facilitate the development of fair, efficient, and transparent financial markets.

Its application to Council would arise if Council wished to borrow money by public stock issues. In such a case, Council would be required to publish an investment statement and a prospectus. Where published documents relating to an issue of securities are found to contain false or misleading information, or are likely to mislead or confuse or contain untrue statements, the directors (in this case the Mayor and Councillors) of the issue may be held both criminally liable and civilly liable.