Council agrees on interim governance arrangements

Special arrangements are being put in place to ensure Christchurch City Council can continue to make decisions during the COVID-19 lock-down period.

“At an extraordinary Council meeting today we set up an Emergency Committee which I will chair and all Councillors will be members of to govern us through this COVID-19 Emergency Period,’’ says Mayor Lianne Dalziel.

“Two members of the Committee are required to be physically in a room together in order for there to be a quorum. The Committee will have the decision-making authority of the Council.

“However, because of the restrictions on delegations in the Local Government Act it won’t be able to do things like set a rate, make or amend bylaws, or adopt the Annual Plan,’’ the Mayor says.

“As long as these interim governance arrangements are in place, all scheduled Hearings, Committee and Community Board meetings will be cancelled.’’

The Mayor says the Council also agreed this afternoon to delegate decision-making to Chief Executive Dawn Baxendale, in consultation with the Mayor, if the Emergency Committee cannot be convened.

“I will be required under these circumstances to consult Councillors by way of a conference call before the Chief Executive makes her decision, unless exceptional circumstances apply.

“In all cases the public will be fully informed of the decisions make under this interim framework. If meetings cannot be live-streamed, recordings will be made available as soon as possible after the meeting has been held,’’ the Mayor says.