Support for new members

UP to five new independent members could help the Grow Dunedin Partnership address concerns raised in a review critical of the partnership tasked with supporting Dunedin’s economic development.

The Dunedin City Council’s economic development committee this week supported new terms of reference for the partnership group.

The new terms include the ability to appoint up to five new members to reflect the city’s economy.

The partnership group includes representatives from the council, Otago Polytechnic, University of Otago, OtagoSouthland Employers’ Association, Otago Chamber of Commerce and Ngai Tahu, and meets six times a year to provide support and advice on developing Dunedin’s economy through different strategies and projects.

The group has been the subject of criticism in two reviews, in 2015 and 2018, including for a perceived lack of real input from the tourism sector.

In its 2018 review of Enterprise Dunedin, consultancy Martin Jenkins also noted those whose views were sought were ‘‘particularly confused and dissatisfied with the role, function and purpose of the Grow Dunedin Partnership board’’.

The board was not being used effectively or fulfilling its potential, and moves to improve input from the tourism sector had not been satisfactory as the individual added to the board following a 2015 review was a hotel investor and not representative of the wider tourism sector, it said.

Economic development committee chairman Cr Chris Staynes, the council representative on the Grow Dunedin Partnership, said it had been ‘‘a long journey’’.

The updated terms of reference provided clarity and the partnership group had expected the 2018 review to reach the findings it had, Cr Staynes said.

‘‘The only disappointing thing is that it has taken an incredibly long time to actually get the new terms of reference in place and move on.’’

This was an opportunity to ‘‘restart’’ and seek new members.

‘‘We’ll be looking to bring in skill sets that represent the city’s economy — primarily we want governance skill sets, but we are also looking for secondary skill sets that cover those sectors that form our economy.’’

The new terms of reference must now be approved by the full council.