We now have a new Raglan Community Board – Chairperson yet to be decided

We now have a new Raglan Community Board, although the Chairperson is yet to be decided. The Board Chair is appointed in the same way as the Prime Minister – by a vote of the members. Prior to 2010, the person selected had been the person who scored first or second in the electorate vote. In 2013 there was a situation of six candidates and six positions resulting in no voting by the community. So there was no signal of the Raglan community’s desire for who the Chair should be. In 2013, the Board members met then voted in as Chairperson, Linda Cole. She later resigned when she moved to Kawhia. Alan Vink, the then Deputy, was then appointed by the Board members.

This year we had 7 candidates so there was an election, although with Lisa Thomson becoming the ward councillor, the other 6 candidates all go on the board. Back in August when it looked like there wouldn’t be an electorate vote, I set up a poll on Raglan 23 asking people to give their pick for the Chair.

People were asked to consider when voting that the chairperson has to have the time available to do the job properly- at least 15 hours a week and be capable of dealing with diverse community groups and the Waikato District Council. And the person needs to want to do the job.

The table below shows the result and compares them to the local body election result.  The two polls are quite different.  One is a multi vote for who should be board members while the other is a single vote for who should be chairperson. In the local body election, the highest vote for board members was won by Lisa Thomson with 20% of registered voters nominating her, next came Rangi Kereopa on 18% and then Bob MacLeod and PJ Haworth on 17%.

The poll for Chair of the Board gave a different result with Bob MacLeod a clear winner on 45%, then Rangi Kereopa on 24%.

The Board members will now have to vote on who the Chairperson will be. Prior to that usually some lobbying goes on amongst the members with promises of support made. The members are sworn in at the Board’s triennial meeting on the 8th November. This meeting will begin at 2.00pm in the Supper Room of the Raglan Town Hall, Bow Street, Raglan. After the swearing in, they vote in the Chair and Deputy. At least this year they have a full set of information to base their decision on.