22 September 2023
Opinion Editorial from Mayor Helen Lash - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Workshops are important for democratic process
Council absolutely stands by providing workshops and briefings to elected members as part of their work around the Council table. Briefings and workshops are an important part of an elected member’s duties to fulfil the role in the best interests of the Westland District. Workshops are all conducted in compliance with the Standing Orders of Council, which we respect and ensure we uphold at all times. A workshop is best described as an informal briefing session for members that: allows free debate without the formal standards of a Council meeting, aspirational thinking, and for elected members to receive information and guidance from staff and other experts, and provide guidance in return.
While Council has held many workshops and briefings since our election in October 2022, as described in the Hokitika Guardian on Friday 22 September, it is important for the community to understand the nature and purpose of these workshops and briefings. This Council has a very different make-up than our predecessor. Of the current Council, only three members have previous experience with Westland District Council. We were elected to ensure the best possible outcomes for the district and we take this responsibility seriously. To do that job effectively we have to understand the complexities of the role and activities within council.
All Councils are required to induct their members into the role of governors, and to bring them up to speed with the current work and issues facing the Council. The first six months of workshops can be considered the learning period for elected members, where we received training in governance matters and began reviewing the big issues that the community had raised as important to them. This knowledge prepares and enables elected members to undertake their duties to the best of their abilities.
With the timeframe of when elections fall, Councils almost immediately have to consider the next Annual Plan and Long Term Plan. The background work to these involves difficult and complex information which, if brought to a formal meeting, could take a significant amount of time to discuss and consider and would restrict other business being undertaken. What does come to the formal meeting of Council is the direction provided to staff as a result of the workshop, at which time elected members then have an opportunity to discuss, question and decide in the public forum.
I stand by the value of holding workshops because they allow Council to make big decisions in a transparent way in the public forum of open Council and Committee meetings, instead of in public excluded meetings. We are also proud that our Working Groups and Committees include members of the community who provide insight and expertise that supports elected members and Council staff. Workshops are not held to avoid open decision making; they do, in fact, support open decisions, which Council makes with the confidence that they have received and understood all of the information and they are making decisions that best serve the community. Elected members are a representation of the public interest. We are working hard on behalf of the community to ensure good governance and oversight, and we have all participated in the discussions held in workshops and briefings to represent the community well.
As Mayor, I am not prepared to stand by and allow the conduct of the elected members and staff at Westland District Council to be called into question when we work so honestly and transparently. There is a clear bias by the local press towards Council, with an unfortunate conflict of interest from the Editor of the newspaper. It is anti-Council sentiment and an unjustifiable attempt to bring this Council into disrepute. Conduct of the workshops are within the Standing Orders and enables us to - make highly informed decisions. I believe that through the significant amount of interaction between the staff, outside experts and elected members, this ensures good engagement of elected members.
ENDS
Media enquiries to:
Emma Rae, Strategy and Communications Advisor