New cohort of elected members ready to roll up their sleeves

A month into the new term, the country’s elected members on councils are primed to deliver real results for their communities.

Next Monday’s elected member induction in Kerikeri will mark the 12th LGNZ induction event held since the elections, starting with Mayors Induction on 20-21 October.

Around 430 new and returning elected members attended these events from councils across New Zealand, participating in sessions ranging from governance, decision-making and legal responsibilities of councils, to understanding current reforms.

LGNZ Interim Chief Executive Scott Necklen says the goal of these sessions was to equip new elected members to ‘hit the ground running’ in their first 100 days in office.

“These inductions give elected members — both new and returning —the tools and knowledge to make an immediate impact in their role,” says Scott Necklen.

“The current economic climate impacts everyone, including local government, and the public demands a high level of financial acumen and effective decision-making from councils. That means elected members understanding the need to be laser-focussed on what they can do to help ease the current cost-of-living crisis.

“These events are also an opportunity to build elected members’ networks across their region, particularly important for those who are new to local government, as councils look to improve efficiency through shared services for example.

“The feedback from these sessions have been overwhelmingly positive, and we’re pleased to see a high level of buy-in from elected members across a range of demographics and backgrounds. It's great to see their collective enthusiasm and drive to deliver on the mandates that got them elected.”

Elected member demographics

Scott Necklen says statistics compiled by LGNZ show a 44% turnover rate of elected members these elections, which is lower than 2022.

“The turnover for territorial authorities, including Mayors and councillors, is about 42.5%, which is down from the 45% rate in 2022. This is despite almost half of the Mayoral races resulting in a new Mayor this term.

“Community boards also had a reduced turnover rate; about 48% turnover this election compared to 59% in 2022. This is encouraging in that higher rates of turnover can result in local bodies lacking institutional knowledge and experience. A mix of stability and experience, alongside ‘new blood’, is always good for the community.

“We’ll continue to support elected members throughout their term via networking and information sessions, alongside Akona, which is our learning and development programme specifically designed for elected members.”