Roles and Responsibilities of the Mayor and Councillors

Below you will find information on the roles and responsibilities of members of the Council, and the additional roles of the Mayor and Deputy Mayor.

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. Any individual member (including the Mayor) has no authority to act on behalf of the Council unless the Council has expressly delegated such authority.

Members who are elected on a ward basis have a duty to that ward and will be expected to undertake local functions and represent local issues and constituents but not to the detriment of their district wide responsibilities.

Mayor

Deputy Mayor

Elected Members

Mayor

The Mayor is elected by the District as a whole and, as one of the elected members, shares the same responsibilities as other members of Council.  The Mayor is the ceremonial head of the Council.  The Mayor also is responsible for:

• presiding at Council meetings. The Mayor is responsible for ensuring the orderly conduct of business during meetings (as determined in standing orders;

• advocacy on behalf of the community, with the knowledge and support of the Council;

• providing leadership and feedback to other elected members on teamwork and chairmanship of committees; and

• Justice of the Peace (while the Mayor holds office).

The Mayor must follow the same rules as other elected members about making public statements and committing the Council to a particular course of action.

Deputy Mayor

The Deputy Mayor must be elected by the members of Council, at the first meeting of the Council. The Deputy Mayor exercises the same roles as other elected members but, if the Mayor is absent or incapacitated, the Deputy Mayor must perform all of the responsibilities and duties, and may exercise the powers, of the Mayor (as summarised above).  The Deputy Mayor may be removed from office by resolution of Council.

Elected Members

Elected members, acting as the Council, are responsible for:

• the development and adoption of Council policy

• monitoring the performance of the Council against its stated objectives and policies

• prudent stewardship of Council resources

• employment of the Chief Executive

• representing the interests of the residents and ratepayers of the Papakura District Council (on election, the members' first responsibility is to the district as a whole)

• ensuring overall compliance by the Council with its obligations and responsibilities under any enactment.