What is being an Elected Member all about?

The Role of the Mayor

The Mayor is elected by the District as a whole for a three-year term and shares the same responsibilities as other Council members. Mayors cannot be removed from office by the council.

This is a full-time role, requiring significant professional and personal commitment, including after hours and weekends.

The Mayor cannot commit the Council to any particular course of action unless specifically authorised under delegated authority.

Key Responsibilities:

• Promoting a Vision: Leading the vision for the Ruapehu District and providing leadership to achieve it.
• Development of Plans and Policies: Leading the development of council plans, policies, and budgets.
• Spokesperson and Ceremonial Head: Acting as the spokesperson for the Council and its ceremonial head.
• Presiding at Meetings: Ensuring the orderly conduct of business during council meetings.
• Leadership and Feedback: Providing leadership and feedback to other Elected Members on teamwork and chairing committees.
• Community Engagement: Ensuring effective engagement between the Ruapehu District Council and the community.
• Appointing the Deputy Mayor: Appointing the Deputy Mayor.
• Establishing Committees: Establishing Council committees and appointing their chairpersons.
• Committee Membership: Serving as a member of each Council committee.

The Mayor is also required to be a Justice of the Peace while holding office.

Deputy Mayor

The Mayor appoints one of the elected ward councillors to be the Deputy Mayor. The Deputy Mayor exercises the same role as other Elected Members. The Deputy Mayor may be removed from office by resolution of the Council.

The role requires a significant time commitment, including after-hours and weekends.

In addition to the responsibilities of an elected member, the Deputy Mayor is authorised to chair meetings and generally perform functions and duties of the Council in the Mayor’s absence:

Key Responsibilities:

• Attending Council meetings and Hearings, and chairing if the Mayor is absent;
• Attending meetings and workshops with council staff and external parties as required for individual projects;
• Reading plans, reports and agendas, and other meeting preparation work; and
• Engaging with the public, including attending events and public meetings, and liaising with residents and community groups.

Councillors

Councillors are elected to represent their communities for three-year terms, with no limit on the number of terms they may serve. Upon election, all Elected Members, whether from the General or Māori Ward, must declare that they will perform their duties faithfully and impartially, to the best of their skill and judgement, in the best interests of the entire District.

For the 2025 Local Government Elections, Ruapehu will have three Councillors representing the Māori Ward and six representing the General Ward.

As representatives and leaders of your community, Councillors set policies, make regulatory decisions, and review council performance through its annual report and the performance review of the Chief Executive.

This role requires a significant time commitment of approximately two days per week, including after-hours and weekends.

Key Responsibilities:

• Attending Council meetings and Hearings
• Attending meetings and workshops with council staff and external parties for individual projects
• Reading plans, reports, and agendas, and preparing for meetings
• Representing the interests of the people of the Ruapehu District
• Engaging with the public, including attending events and public meetings, and liaising with residents and community groups
• Ensuring prudent use of council resources
• Law-making (bylaws)
• Monitoring the performance of the Council against goals and objectives set out in its Long Term Plan
• Employing and monitoring the performance of the Chief Executive (under the Local Government Act 2002, the local authority employs the Chief Executive, who in turn employs all other staff on its behalf)

Unless otherwise provided in the Local Government Act 2002 or in standing orders, the Council can only act by majority decisions at meetings. Each member has one vote and the Chairperson has a casting vote. Any individual member (including the Mayor) has no authority to act on behalf of the Council unless the Council has expressly delegated such authority.

Community Board Chair

Members are elected to represent their communities for three-year terms, with no limit on the number of terms they may serve. As a Community Board Chairperson, you will provide strong leadership to your board, making a real difference in your community.

This role requires a time commitment of 10 to 15 hours a week, including some after-hours work.

Key Responsibilities:

• Chairing Community Board meetings
• Reading plans, reports, and agendas, and preparing for meetings
• Attending meetings and workshops with council staff and external parties for individual projects
• Engaging with the public by attending events and public meetings, and liaising with residents and community groups
• Advocating for local issues and initiatives on behalf of residents to the Council

For many, membership of a Community Board is the first step in a journey that may lead to becoming a councillor, Mayor, or even a Member of Parliament.

For the 2025 Local Government Elections, Ruapehu will have three Community Boards, each comprising five elected members and one appointed councillor:

• Waimarino-Waiouru Community Board
• Ōwhango-National Park Community Board, and
• Taumarunui–Ōhura Community Board