Our governance model

In Aotearoa New Zealand, we have two tiers of government:

• Central government is made up of members of Parliament who are elected across the country to make decisions affecting the country as a whole.
• Local government is made up of the Mayor and Councillors who are elected to look after the interests and needs of specific communities in our city.

Elected members for our city

The elected members of Council (Mayor and Councillors) are all elected to represent and make decisions about Porirua and the specific interests of the region and its diverse communities.

Once elected, our Mayor and 10 Councillors spend the next three years serving as representatives for you.

Council is responsible for:

• Preparing and adopting the Long-term Plan, Annual Plan and Annual Report and setting rates.
• Setting strategies, policies, plans and bylaws.
• Making decisions on regulatory and non-regulatory matters.
• Overseeing the governance of Council-controlled organisations (CCOs).
• Consulting with, and considering the views of the community, before making decisions that affect them.
• Monitoring and reviewing the performance of the Council organisation.

Gathering the necessary information

Representing our many communities is a very important role, so we make sure that elected members have all the information and support they need when it comes to decision-making. When making decisions for Porirua, elected members rely on advice from Council officers.