Leadership roles given out for new council

Labour and Green councillors will chair the big three committees on the new Wellington council, but two previous leaders have been snubbed.

After a month of negotiating and figuring out the new council, mayor Tory Whanau has settled on the new committee leaders. The list comes a week ahead of the first substantive Wellington City Council meeting on November 16.

Whanau described the new setup as an ‘‘elegant outcome’’. She was focused on the need for ‘‘new, fresh leadership to lead us towards a climate-resilient city’’ but also recognised it was important to have ‘‘a diversity of views from across the political spectrum’’.

The four smaller subcommittees – dealing with audit and risk, chief executive performance, grants, and regulatory processes – remain largely unchanged.

The new structure snubs two councillors who held leadership roles in the previous council.

Independent Diane Calvert, a Paul Eagle supporter who was the chairperson of the finance and performance committee, has no leadership or deputy role.

Rebecca Matthews, Labour, will take on the leadership of the

new committee combining the long-term plan with finance and performance.

Former chairperson of the planning and environment committee, Iona Pannett, has lost her leadership role as well.

The new environment and infrastructure committee will be chaired by Tamatha Paul, the Green councillor who replaced Pannett earlier in the year as the Green nominee for the Pukehı¯nau/Lambton ward.

The other full-council committee – social, cultural, and economic – will be chaired by Labour councillor Teri O’Neill.

‘‘It is important that the leadership positions on the committees are filled by people who have the ability and experience – that includes work, council, and life experience – to lead and shape good decisions on behalf of all Wellingtonians,’’ Whanau said.