$220k referendum on Māori wards likely as petition achieves numbers
29 Jan, 2021 02:10 AM
4 minutes to read
Concerned Citizens group member Ken Evans has been successful in gathering enough signatures to force a referendum on Māori wards. Photo / File
A petition aimed at overturning a decision to establish a Māori ward in Tauranga has gained the numbers it needs.
A referendum expected to cost ratepayers $220,000 is now expected to be held.
In August, Tauranga City Council voted 6-4 to establish a Māori ward before the next council election in 2022.
The petition sought to collect the support of 5 per cent of the 94,702 people on Tauranga s 2019 electoral roll to force a binding referendum on the issue, with the potential to overturn the council s decision.
Waikato-Times
It has been a confusing time for Tauranga City councillors after they ran afoul of Minister of Local Government Nanaia Mahuta who opted to install a commission.
Embattled Tauranga City councillors will be able to keep calling themselves that by name, but they have been prevented from performing any official duties or receiving any salary, the Department of Internal Affairs says. It has been a confusing time for Tauranga City councillors after they ran afoul of Minister of Local Government Nanaia Mahuta who opted to install a commission after wide-spread dysfunction and childish antics marred the council’s reputation.
I m moving on : Why Heidi Hughes quit Tauranga City Council
22 Dec, 2020 05:00 AM
4 minutes to read
A third Tauranga City Council elected representative has resigned in as many months, with the aim of avoiding a fiasco byelection before a commission is installed next year. Following Heidi Hughes resignation today, the byelection has been postponed until next year, but was expected to be cancelled by the appointment of commissioners before the nomination period ended.
Hughes told the Bay of Plenty Times the main reason she resigned was to avoid a messy and confusing byelection. It was going to be such a fiasco of a byelection . and $250,000 is an enormous sum of money.
Byelection postponed after Tauranga councillor Heidi Hughes quits in selfless move
21 Dec, 2020 10:17 PM
2 minutes to read
Tauranga City councillor Heidi Hughes has resigned in the hope of avoiding an expensive byelection that was set to run even with a commission due to replace the council in the new year.
Acting Tauranga mayor Tina Salisbury said Hughes had resigned this morning, effective immediately. Salisbury said Hughes decision was selfless .
The decision followed advice that another resignation was the only way to delay the in-progress byelection, apart from all nominated candidates withdrawing.
Nominations closed at midday today. As of 2.30pm, the council s candidate page lists four nominees for the mayoral position - Brian Friend, Kelvin Clout, Jos Nagels and Greg Brownless - and two for the councillor position, Kim Williams and Murray Guy.
Selfless : Tauranga councillor Heidi Hughes quits in hope of delaying pricey by-election nzherald.co.nz - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from nzherald.co.nz Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.