Being a district councillor is a diverse and varied job that includes multiple facets, but one aspect – and the most public – are council meetings.

In the past three years, Whangārei District Council had
395 meetings that all councillors and the Mayor could attend, including standing committees that they were members of.

The Northern Advocate applied for figures of councillor attendance rates at the meetings.

These included full council meetings, extraordinary full council meetings, and standing committees such as Strategy Planning and Development; Infrastructure; Risk and Audit and Community Development committees, along with council briefings and workshops.

Standing committees where not all councillors are members – Te Karearea and the Housing committees – are not included in these figures.

Data revealed the councillors with the lowest attendance rates were Jayne Golightly (274 meetings – 69.3 per cent) and Carol Peters (324 – 82 per cent).

The Advocate approached them for comment on their attendance record:

Jayne Golightly – major life events had an impact

”Several elected members, including myself, have had major life changing unfortunate events this term, none of which we expected, nor did we want.

”These also being over and above the challenges that Covid brought to us all these past few years.

”Diverse representation of councillors that are much needed on council consists of working mothers.

”I also have my own business and a large family, now including small children, which also require some of my time, effort and commitment.

”Diligence is also not always reflected in attendance at workshops which are often only run to shape councillors’ opinions.

”I would be looking at how your councillors are voting on the bigger issues that are affecting our district. Are we listening to our ratepayers? Listening to the submissions and voting accordingly? I know I am.

”To suggest that our commitment to our public by others is somehow based on attending meetings is misleading and hurtful designed to discredit and damage and only serves own agendas.

”I hope that our incoming Mayor will be supportive, encouraging and a strong leader to their new council team.”

Carol Peters – commitment has not waivered

”My commitment inside and outside council to Whangārei citizens and communities has not waivered for the 30 years since I returned home from overseas and found injustice, poverty and homelessness occurred here in this land of plenty.

”As for meeting attendance, my life-partner Tim Howard has had a brush with death when I stayed with him in Auckland Hospital.

”In the last years I too have had unexpected health issues and two stays in hospital. I have since recovered and am committed to following through as a councillor with the work begun.

”The raw meeting attendance figures this year reflect health issues, but that does not mean they show any lack of effectiveness on my part.

”I have worked hard in meetings and elsewhere to help council work collaboratively, not just as a fragmented debating chamber.

”My focus has been on council being more compassionate towards others, and to our own councillors and staff – work which I will continue.

”A key measure of my effectiveness has been in getting housing onto the council agenda. When I entered council, both elected members and staff felt that housing was not an issue they wanted to address.

”I’ve worked hard, with others, to encourage council to now function as a collaborative team on housing.

”As a direct result, the council will now have a hapu and community-driven affordable housing strategy, extra money for pensioner housing, is collaborating with central government, hapu and communities on housing, and progressing streamlining of consents.

”My work begun on council and in the communities will continue beyond the elections.”