Returns reveal financial interests
Elected members of local bodies required by law to declare returns from their pecuniary interests
It is Long-Term Plan consultation season and it is also when elected members should have well and truly filed their pecuniary interests returns. It is the second year these annual returns of certain pecuniary interests have been required for local government elected members under an amendment to the Local Government Act.
The returns cover from January 30, 2023 to January 29, 2024 and record members’ interests to provide transparency and strengthen public trust and confidence in local government processes and decision-making.
Horizons Regional Council has 14 elected councillors representing eight constituencies.
Palmerston North councillor and Horizons chairwoman Rachel Keedwell is a director of MWRC Holdings Limited. It is a councilcontrolled organisation and is 100 per cent owned by Horizons Regional Council. The company was formed in 2009 to own and manage Horizons’ investments.
Keedwell has a beneficial interest in the Keedwell Brown Family Trust and owns rental property in Palmerston North.
Palmerston North councillor Fiona Gordon has a pecuniary interest in Gordon Infrastructure, a facilities management and project management company.
She also has a pecuniary interest in Gordon Consulting. It offers resource management advice and services, facilitation and mediation services, project management, research and analysis, and report writing.
Gordon has shares in six other companies, including Tesla, Apple and Auckland International Airport.
She has a beneficial interest in JKB and J Taylor Trust.
Gordon owns a family residence in Palmerston North and is the beneficiary of a trust that owns a house in the city.
Palmerston North councillor and Horizons deputy chairman Jono Naylor is a shareholder of residential housing development company Flax Developments.
He owns a family residence in Palmerston North and an investment property in the city, plus an investment property in Tauranga.
Naylor is a self-employed consultant.
Palmerston North councillor Wiremu Te Awe Awe receives payment
for “customary activities associated with the service delivery” of Palmerston North City Council.
Manawatu¯-Rangit¯ıkei councillor Bruce Gordon is a director and shareholder of agricultural contracting, baling, cropping and cartage company Bruce Gordon Contracting.
He is also a director and shareholder of EB Gordon Limited, which manages and maintains the Dudding Lake motor camp and public area.
Gordon owns a farm at Marton, which is also used as a base for Bruce Gordon Contracting, plus a holiday home at Pauanui.
Manawatu¯-Rangit¯ıkei councillor
Gordon McKellar is a director and shareholder of McKellar Farmlands 2017 Limited and is employed by the company.
He owns a farm at Feilding. Whanganui councillor David Cotton is a director and shareholder of Rivercity Livestock 1995 Limited.
He has a pecuniary interest in Tasman Farming Partnership, Kai Iwi Farming Partnership, Tasman Trust, Tasman Taupo¯ Trust, Gilligan Trust, For Farms Real Estate and Opaehu Farm.
He has a beneficial interest in Tasman Trust and Tasman Taupo¯ Trust.
Cotton owns five farms near Whanganui and a residence in Taupo¯ .
Whanganui councillor Alan Taylor has a pecuniary interest in family trust Ridgway Trust. It is involved in farming and he is employed by the trust.
The trust owns a farm with rental housing near Whanganui.
Horowhenua councillor Sam Ferguson is a self-employed labourer and owns a family residence in Levin.
Tararua councillor Allan Benbow is a director of electricity distribution company Scanpower. He has a pecuniary interest in AL and KC Benbow, a farming partnership.
Benbow owns a farm in Dannevirke, a family residence and lifestyle block in Dannevirke and a unit title in a Taupo¯ motel.
He received dividends from a portfolio of New Zealand-listed companies. These are not stated.
Benbow is also a director of MWRC Holdings Limited.
Ruapehu councillor Nikki Riley is a director and shareholder of Bindesa Holdings, which provides accountancy services, and of commercial property company Ruapehu Link.
Riley has a beneficial interest in the McErlich Family Trust and RM Family Trust.
She has shares in a range of companies including Mainfreight, Fletcher Building, Ryman Healthcare and Avita Medical.
She owns a family residence at Kuratau and is the beneficiary of a trust that owns commercial property in Ohakune.
Raki Ma¯ori councillor Jim Edmonds is self-employed providing agricultural advice. He has a beneficial interest in Atihau Inc, Morikau Inc, Waimarino Ngaporo Trust, Lake Taupo¯ Forest Trust and Rotoaira Trust. He owns family property in Raetihi.
Tonga Ma¯ori councillor Te Kenehi Teira was employed by the Ministry of Education on the Te Ta¯toru o Wairau project.
The deadline for returns was February 23.
Benbow, Edmonds and Te Awe Awe all filed their returns after the Manawatu¯ Guardian contacted them on March 22.
Horowhenua councillor Emma Clarke was also contacted then. She has still not filled her return.
The returns are all available for people to see on the Horizons’ website.