From the Chair

Here we are in October already. It will be Christmas before we know it! On that note, the Board have committed funds to each of the hapū, to assist them in the arranging of appropriate festivities for Christmas. Margaret Bond (Tarakaipa) and Barbara Greer (Puaha Te Rangi) are co-ordinating the activity, so if you have any ideas as to how that might be celebrated, feel free to feed them in (contact the office as an alternative and they will pass them on).

On behalf of the Board, I extend a formal and warm welcome, to Kirk MacGibbon, who has now taken over the communications role from Shane Huntley. Kirk’s role will also cover Engagement and he will carry on the great work that Shane and Butch have done in the communications area. One of the things we are always looking for, is items for the pānui, and Kirk will now assist in that process, gathering stories and spreading the word. If you know of any things or events that have occurred, contact Kirk and he will do an interview and work up a story.

Now that our office structures are largely in place, the Board has decided that it is the appropriate time to review our Governance structures. The Audit and Risk Sub-Committee, with support from Butch, will undertake this process over the next 6-8 weeks. The end result will be a recommendation back to the Board for consideration. If, at the end of that process, the Board decides that change is justified and beneficial, we will bring that out to you by way of Roadshow presentations. Any change to our constitutions will also require approval either at an AGM, or a Special General Meeting, before it is put in to place.

Finally, the other piece of work we now intend giving some urgency to, is the validating and collation, of our Whakapapa. We see the initial emphasis being at a hapū level, to co-ordinate the effort. It is planned to set up a small sub-committee for each hapū (of 3-4 people), to work through what we already hold and identify any gaps. The output from this will then be handed over to the Whakapapa person when they are appointed. If you are interested in being part of a hapū team, please advise the office in the first instance.

Until next month. Ngā mihi

Brendon Wilson
Chairman Ngāti Apa Ki Te Rā Tō Trusts