Gisborne District Council

Te Kaunihera o Te Tairāwhiti
History
Founded6 March 1989 (1989-03-06)
Preceded bySeveral councils
Leadership
Deputy Mayor
Josh Wharehinga
Structure
Seats14 seats (1 mayor, 13 ward seats)
Length of term
3 years
Meeting place
Gisborne
Website
gdc.govt.nz

Gisborne District Council (Māori: Te Kaunihera o Te Tairāwhiti) is the unitary authority for the Gisborne District of New Zealand. The council consists of a mayor and 13 ward councillors.[1] The district consists of the city of Gisborne and a largely rural region on the east coast of the North Island.

Structure

Gisborne District Council is a unitary territorial authority, which means that it performs the functions of a regional council as well as those of a territorial authority (a district or city).[1] The area it governs is constituted as both the Gisborne District and the Gisborne Region.[2]

The council consists of a mayor and 13 elected councillors.[1] Nine councillors are elected from the Gisborne Ward, and one each from the four wards of Matakaoa-Waiapu, Taruheru-Patutahi, Tawhiti-Uawa and Waipaoa.

Under the elected members, there is an appointed chief executive officer, 4 department managers and approximately 250 staff. The council chambers and main administration centre is in Fitzherbert Street, in the Whataupoko suburb, just across the Taruheru River from the Gisborne Central business district.[3]

The current mayor is Rehette Stoltz.

History

Gisborne District Council was established in 1989 as part of a major nationwide reform of local government. It replaced the councils of Gisborne City, Cook County, Waiapu County and Waikohu County, East Cape United Council, East Cape Catchment Board and Regional Water Board, East Coast Pest Destruction Board, two harbour boards, and several noxious plants authorities and recreation reserve boards.[2] It was the only unitary authority in New Zealand[1] until three others were created in 1992.

County councils had been formed in 1876, with the abolition of the Auckland Provincial Council.[4][5] Uawa County had split off from Cook County in 1918,[6] but merged back in 1964.[7]

Gisborne District Council had 16 councillors and 11 wards in 1989. It reduced to 15 councillors and 7 wards (including Matakaoa and Waiapu) in 1995, to 14 councillors in 1998, then 13 councillors and 5 wards in 2013.[8]

In late September 2023, the Gisborne District Council attracted significant domestic media attention after an animal control officer accidentally euthanised a pet dog named "Sarge" with a bolt gun, having mistaken him for another impounded dog. The Council apologised to Sarge's owners Logan and Piri, and reached a settlement with them. The animal control officer also resigned.[9][10][11] Sarge's owners have called for a nationwide ban on bolt guns, and for the Council to leave calling cards, and to assign euthanasing to a humane third party.[12]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Te Tauākī Mana Whakahaere ā-Rohe / Local Governance Statement" (PDF). Gisborne District Council. 2020. Retrieved 11 October 2021.
  2. 1 2 "The Local Government (Gisborne Region) Reorganisation Order 1989" (PDF). New Zealand Gazette. 9 June 1989. pp. 2328 ff. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
  3. ↑ "Council meetings". Gisborne District Council. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
  4. ↑ Fraser, B. (1986). The New Zealand Book of Events. Auckland: Reed Methuen.
  5. ↑ Scholefield, Guy (1950) [First published in 1913]. New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1949 (3rd ed.). Wellington: Govt. Printer.
  6. ↑ Mackay, Joseph Angus (1949). "Chapter XXXIX — Local Government: Uawa County". Historic Poverty Bay and the East Coast, N.I., N.Z. Gisborne, New Zealand: Joseph Angus Mackay. p. 404. Retrieved 28 May 2012 – via New Zealand Electronic Text Collection.
  7. ↑ Williams, Lynette (26 February 2009). "Tolaga Bay Wharf". Rarangi Taonga: the Register of Historic Places, Historic Areas, Wahi Tapu and Wahi Tapu Areas. Wellington, New Zealand: New Zealand Historic Places Trust Pouhere Taonga. Historical Narrative: Opening of the wharf. Retrieved 28 May 2012.
  8. ↑ Local Government Commission (16 January 2019). "Determination of representation arrangements to apply for the election of the Gisborne District Council to be held on 12 October 2019" (PDF). p. 8. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
  9. ↑ Quill, Annemarie (25 September 2023). "Beloved family dog killed by Gisborne District Council 'by mistake'". Stuff. Archived from the original on 29 September 2023. Retrieved 30 September 2023.
  10. ↑ Rosenberg, Matthew (25 September 2023). "Apology from Gisborne District Council after wrong dog put down". The Gisborne Herald. Archived from the original on 30 September 2023. Retrieved 30 September 2023.
  11. ↑ "Gisborne dog death: Sarge's owners and district council settle matter after wrong animal put down". The New Zealand Herald. 29 September 2023. Archived from the original on 30 September 2023. Retrieved 30 September 2023.
  12. ↑ Rosenberg, Matthew (29 September 2023). "Owners of euthanised Gisborne dog Sarge want bolt guns banned". Radio New Zealand. Archived from the original on 29 September 2023. Retrieved 30 September 2023.

38°39′54″S 178°01′40″E / 38.6649761°S 178.0276827°E / -38.6649761; 178.0276827

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