Removing barriers so communities can lead

Last week we held our first Assets and Infrastructure Committee meeting of 2026. As chair of that committee, I see my role, and the role of our councillors, not as gatekeepers but as enablers. 

Our responsibility is to carefully consider the advice from staff, test it through robust discussion, and make decisions that are not just right for today but right for the future of our district. That is a privilege, particularly when those decisions involve working alongside communities, iwi and mana whenua. 

Recently, we have considered a number of items that reflect this approach. 

In Raahui Pookeka Huntly, we are progressing steps to return unused land at Davies Park so it can be brought back into active community use. In Huntly West, we have considered a long-term lease that would enable Matawhaanui Trust to establish a community hub focused on health services and Kaupapa Maaori initiatives. In Raglan, we have endorsed updates to our Natural Reserves Management Plan to recognise and support years of volunteer led restoration work at Lorenzen Bay. 

These decisions are not simply about approving reports. They are about removing barriers where we can, while still meeting our legal and stewardship responsibilities. 

One example that stands out is the proposal to enable local hapuu to erect a pou on an unformed road in Orini. A pou is a taonga. Supporting its installation and maintence is not a routine administrative matter. It requires coordination, care and respect. It reflects partnership in action, where local hapuu, land owners and Council staff work together so that something of cultural and community significance can stand for generations. 

That is the kind of work I am proud to be part of. 

As councillors, we do not make decisions in isolation. We listen to submissions. We engage with mana whenua. We weigh up community aspirations alongside long term obligations.  

But at its heart, our work is about enabling communities to step forward with their ideas, their leadership and their commitment. It is about ensuring that public land and facilities are used in ways that strengthen wellbeing, support environmental stewardship and reflect who we are as a district. 

When we get that balance right, we see tangible outcomes: activated spaces, recognised volunteer effort, strengthened community services, and cultural taonga given the space they deserve. 

That is what partnership looks like in practice. And that is the approach I remain committed to as we continue this work together.