Candidate's handbook

The Mayor is elected by the district as a whole and, as one of the elected members, shares the same responsibilities as other members of the Council. The mayor also has the following roles:

• presiding at Council meetings including ensuring the orderly conduct of business during meetings (as determined by standing orders)
• advocating on behalf of the community involving the promotion of the community and representation of its interests. Such advocacy will be most effective where it is carried out with the knowledge and support of the Council;
• spokesperson for the Council
• ceremonial head of the Council
• providing leadership and feedback to other elected members on teamwork and chairing of committees
• fulfilling the responsibilities of a Justice of the Peace (while the mayor holds office)
• providing leadership to the other members of the Council and the people of the area
• leading the development of the Council’s plans, policies, and budgets for consideration by the members of the Council.

The Mayor has the power to appoint the deputy mayor. The Deputy Mayor exercises the same roles as other elected members, and if the mayor is absent or incapacitated, the deputy mayor must perform all of the responsibilities and duties, and may exercise the powers, of the mayor (as summarised above). The Deputy Mayor may be removed from office by resolution of the Council.

Collective duties of Council

• Representing the interests of the Council.
• Formulating the council’s strategic direction and relative priorities through the “Long-term Plan” (LTP), which determines the services and activities to be undertaken by council over a ten-year period.
• Determining the expenditure and funding requirements of Council activities through the LTP and annual planning processes.
• Overseeing, developing and/or approving all Council policies, administrative, legal, financial and strategic, including formal district planning matters within the Council’s geographical area of responsibility.
• Monitoring the on-going performance of Council against its stated objectives and policies (including formal sign-off of the Annual Report).
• Ensuring prudent use of Council resources.
• Law-making (bylaws).
• Overseeing council compliance with any relevant 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 at Council meetings.
• Balancing the need to advocate for specific interests against the needs of the wider community.
• Listening to the concerns of local residents and ratepayers on issues pertaining to the Council.
• Maintaining contact with community representatives and other local stakeholders.
• Participating in any relevant consultative processes with the local community and/or other organisations.

Governance

• Participating constructively and effectively in the good governance of the Council as a whole.
• Understanding and ensuring that basic principles of good governance are a part of the decision-making approach of the Council.
• Understanding and respecting the differing roles of Mayor, Deputy Mayor, committee chairs/portfolio holders and Councillors.
• Recognising that the governance role does not extend to operational matters or to the management of any implementation.
• 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 annual and long-term 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, being aware of and declaring any potential personal conflicts of interest, whether of a pecuniary or non-pecuniary nature.

Core competencies

• Genuine interest, understanding (and passion) of/for the issues faced by Porirua City residents.
• Ability to relate to wide range of people at many levels and across many disciplines and cultures.
• Ability to hear and understand the varying positions of others and consider these in decision making.
• Ability to express ideas clearly.
• Ability to understand, focus on and resolve complex issues through long term planning.
• Ability to understand financial and reporting statements.
• Understands the differing roles of governance and management.
• Ability to think “city-wide” on issues to come to decision.
• Be results focused.
• Knowledge of and commitment to the Local Government Act 2002.

Experience and background

• May have experience relevant to the challenges facing the district.
• May have extensive community networks.
• Be familiar with the existing Porirua City Council’s 2025/2035 Long-term Plan (LTP).

Personal qualities

• Demonstrates integrity and ethical behaviour.
• Is independent, inquisitive and innovative.
• Has the ability to see all sides of an argument.
• Is hard working and can work unsupervised.
• Ability to develop and maintain positive working relationships with councillors and staff
• Committed to Porirua City.
• Respect for others.
• Flexible working hours; evening and weekend work is required.
• Actively demonstrate commitment to the Elected Members’ Code of Ethics.

Porirua uses the single transferable voting (STV) method for local elections for the mayor and councillor positions. This is a preference-based ranking system for candidates. More information can be found here.

Prospective candidates should be aware of the requirements of the Local Authorities (Members’ Interests) Act 1968.

Elected members (or spouse or partner) may not be concerned or interested in contracts made by the Council when payments made for the contracts entered into during a particular year exceed $25,000 (incl. GST). That amount may only be exceeded if the Council has either obtained the prior approval of the Audit Office or, in special circumstances, obtained retrospective approval.

Elected members may not discuss or vote on any matter in which they have a pecuniary interest when it is being considered by the Council or a committee. When a matter is raised at a meeting of the Council or Committee in which a member has a pecuniary interest, the member prohibited from voting or discussing the matter must declare the pecuniary interest. The fact of that disclosure and abstention from discussion and voting on it is also recorded in the minutes. While it is not necessary to withdraw from the meeting, it is good practice to do so.

The Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 (the Act) is aimed at reducing the number of serious work-related injuries and deaths in New Zealand. The Act is a new way of thinking about health and safety for New Zealand. The Act is designed to:

• Ensure everyone has a role to play.
• Makes everyone’s responsibilities clear.
• Focuses on managing risk.
• Requires those who create the risk to control the risk.
• Requires businesses to engage with their workers and enable them to participate on an ongoing basis.
• Allows flexibility in managing health and safety risks.

For elected members, the most significant implication is the introduction of the role of officer and the requirement for officers to meet due diligence duties.