What you will be involved in
As an elected member you will
- Be part of governing a culturally diverse city.
- Help decide how Porirua’s money is spent.
- Make decisions that will help define the future of our communities.
- Help Porirua’s businesses grow and prosper.
- Decide how to meet the current and future needs for infrastructure, public services and regulations.
On any given day, an elected member may:
- Read and prepare for the upcoming meetings.
- Participate in various decision-making meetings and committees.
- Engage with the public to listen to their views.
- Attend events like public meetings, prize-givings or citizenship ceremonies.
- Represent the Council at community and events like Matariki, Lunar New Year and our flag-raising ceremonies.
What to expect
Even though your responsibilities and hours will vary, being an elected member is a serious commitment.
If you are thinking of becoming a candidate, you should consider how you might balance the requirements and responsibilities of the role with other commitments in your life.
Mayor’s key responsibilities
- Promoting a vision for Porirua.
- Providing leadership to achieve the vision.
- Ensuring effective engagement between Council and our community.
- Leading in developing Council’s plans, policies, strategies, bylaws and budgets.
- Establishing committees of Council and appointing a Chairperson for each.
- Appointing the Deputy Mayor.
Councillor’s key responsibilities
- Attending Council and Committee meetings, and workshops with Council staff and external parties.
- Reading reports and agendas, and conducting other meeting preparation work.
- Engaging with the public by attending events and public meetings, and liaising with residents and community groups.
Learning and development for elected members
We provide all elected members with learning and development support throughout their three-year term.
We run induction just after election where elected members:
- Learn how decisions are made.
- Get guidance on how to be effective in your governance role, including your key obligations.
- Become familiar with Council processes and systems.
- Receive information about the Council workplace, policies, expectations and safety procedures.
- Get any necessary equipment such as a laptop or tablet.
