Certificate Recognises Councillors Expertise and Effort

Kaipara District Council Judicial Committee members Graham Taylor, Richard Alspach and Tom Smith have received certificates acknowledging their completion of the Ministry for The Environment’s Good Decision Making Programme.

The Judicial Committee hears and decides the outcome of resource consent applications that require hearings. The Resource Management Amendment Act 2005 requires that the chair and a majority of members of any hearing panel must be accredited by successfully completing the Good Decision Making Programme.

This is delivered by the University of Auckland’s Centre for Continuing Education and provides the skills needed to run fair and effective resource consent, plan change and designation hearings and to make informed decisions.

Councillors Alspach, Taylor and Smith have renewed the certification gained during their previous term as Councillors with an endorsement which allows them to chair a panel.

A number of other Councillors are also studying for the Good Decision Making Certificate

Congratulating the Councillors at the July Council meeting, Mayor Neil Tiller said in addition to recognising the committee’s qualifications, presenting the certificates gave an opportunity to acknowledge the work the Judicial Committee members put into their role.

“They get a meeting allowance and mileage but they don’t get compensated for the hours put in, both day and night, studying for this and the consents that come before them.”