Grey District Council

{{Short description|Territorial authority in New Zealand}} {{Use New Zealand English|date=April 2024}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2026}} {{Infobox legislature | name = Grey District Council | native_name = | native_name_lang = mi | legislature = | coa_pic = File:Grey District Council coat of arms.png | coa_res = | coa_alt = | coa_caption = | logo_pic = File:Grey District Council logo.svg | logo_res = | logo_alt = | logo_caption = | house_type = Unicameral | houses = Governing Body | jurisdiction = Grey District | term_limits = None | foundation = {{Start date|1989|03|06|df=yes}} | preceded_by = | new_session = | leader1_type = [[Mayor of Grey|Mayor]] | leader1 = {{NZ officeholder data|Grey District Mayor|y||}} | leader1_term = | party1 = | election1 = | leader2_type = | leader2 = | party2 = | election2 = | leader2_term = | seats = 9 (1 mayor, 8 ward seats) | house1 = | committees1 = | term_length = 3 years | voting_system1 = | first_election1 = | next_election1 = | motto = | meeting_place = | website = {{URL|greydc.govt.nz}} | footnotes = }} '''Grey District Council''' is the [[territorial authorities of New Zealand|territorial authority]] for the [[Grey District]] of [[New Zealand]].<ref name="aboutcouncil">{{cite web |title=About Grey District Council |url=https://www.greydc.govt.nz/our-council/about-council/Pages/default.aspx |website=greydc.govt.nz |publisher=Grey District Council}}</ref>

The council is led by the [[Mayor of Grey]], who is currently {{NZ officeholder data|Grey District Mayor|y||}}. There are also eight ward councillors.<ref name="aboutcouncil" />

The council operates five departments: Executive Office, Operations, Corporate Services, Community, Economic Development & Regulatory Services.<ref name="aboutcouncil" />

== Councillors ==

* Her Worship Mayor {{NZ officeholder data|Grey District Mayor|y||}} * Deputy Mayor Allan Gibson * Eastern Ward: Deputy Mayor Allan Gibson, Cr Robert Mallinson * Central Ward: Cr Jack O'Connor, Cr Tim Mora, Cr Peter Davy * Northern Ward: Cr Kate Kennedy * Southern Ward: Cr Paulette Birchfield, Cr Rex MacDonald<ref name="councillors">{{cite web |title=Grey District Council Mayor & Councillors |url=https://www.greydc.govt.nz/our-council/mayor-and-councillors/Pages/default.aspx |website=greydc.govt.nz |publisher=Grey District Council |access-date=6 February 2021 |archive-date=27 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210127093616/https://www.greydc.govt.nz/our-council/mayor-and-councillors/Pages/default.aspx |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==History== The council was formed in 1989, replacing [[Greymouth Borough|Greymouth County Council]] (1868–1989)<ref>{{cite web |title=Greymouth |url=https://teara.govt.nz/en/1966/greymouth |website=Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand |access-date=31 March 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241226031139/https://teara.govt.nz/en/1966/greymouth |archive-date=26 December 2024 |date=1966 |url-status=live}}</ref> and [[Runanga, New Zealand|Runanga County Council]] (1912–1989).<ref name="FraserB">{{cite book |last1=Fraser |first1=B |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=idTNAAAACAAJ |title=The New Zealand Book of Events |date=1986 |publisher=Reed Methuen |location=Auckland|isbn=978-0-474-00123-9 }}</ref>

In 2020, the council had 78 staff, including 10 earning more than $100,000. According to the right-wing [[New Zealand Taxpayers' Union]] think tank, residential rates averaged $1,739.<ref name="RatepayersReport">{{cite web |title=Ratepayers Report |url=https://www.ratepayersreport.nz/ |website=ratepayersreport.nz |publisher=Taxpayers' Union}}</ref>

In December 2021, the council replaced four senior management roles during a restructure following a critical review.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Naish |first1=Joanne |title=All senior managers leave after Grey District Council restructure |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/127206114/all-senior-managers-leave-after-grey-district-council-restructure |access-date=31 March 2025 |work=[[Stuff (website)|Stuff]] |date=7 December 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240418001110/https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/127206114/all-senior-managers-leave-after-grey-district-council-restructure |archive-date=18 April 2024}}</ref> In late October 2022, Council chief executive Paul Morris proposed eliminating 17 executive and middle management roles in favour of creating nine new positions.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Naish |first1=Joanne |title='Lean and efficient': Grey District Council proposes to disetablish 17 roles, create nine new ones |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/130286165/lean-and-efficient-grey-district-council-proposes-to-disetablish-17-roles-create-nine-new-ones |access-date=31 March 2025 |work=[[Stuff (website)|Stuff]] |date=27 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240530025302/https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/130286165/lean-and-efficient-grey-district-council-proposes-to-disetablish-17-roles-create-nine-new-ones |archive-date=30 May 2024|url-status=live}}</ref>

On 7 March 2024, Morris resigned as the Council's chief executive, effective immediately.<ref>{{cite news |title=Council boss quits abruptly after turbulent time |url=https://www.odt.co.nz/regions/west-coast/council-boss-quits-abruptly-after-turbulent-time |access-date=31 March 2025 |work=[[Otago Daily Times]] |date=8 March 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240403230152/https://www.odt.co.nz/regions/west-coast/council-boss-quits-abruptly-after-turbulent-time |archive-date=3 April 2024|url-status=live}}</ref> On 13 March, the Greymouth Council appointed former chief executive Paul Prestorius as interim chief executive until a new chief executive could be recruited.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Mulford |first1=Meg |title=Ex-council chief executive to fill in after resignation |url=https://www.odt.co.nz/regions/west-coast/ex-council-chief-executive-fill-after-resignation |access-date=31 March 2025 |work=[[Otago Daily Times]] |date=13 March 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240406160600/https://www.odt.co.nz/regions/west-coast/ex-council-chief-executive-fill-after-resignation |archive-date=6 April 2024|url-status=live}}</ref>

On 15 May 2024, the Council announced that it would be withdrawing from [[Local Government New Zealand]], the representative body for local councils in New Zealand. [[Mayor of Grey]] Tania Gibson cited disagreement with the representative body's handling of the previous [[Sixth Labour Government of New Zealand|Sixth Labour Government]]'s [[Three Waters reform programme]] as a reason for leaving the organisation.<ref>{{cite news |title=Latest council to pull out of LGNZ says it has failed |url=https://www.odt.co.nz/regions/west-coast/latest-council-pull-out-lgnz-says-it-has-failed |access-date=31 March 2025 |work=[[Otago Daily Times]] |date=15 May 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240619193342/https://www.odt.co.nz/regions/west-coast/latest-council-pull-out-lgnz-says-it-has-failed |archive-date=19 June 2024|url-access=subscription}}</ref>

In late September 2024, Joanne Soderlund was appointed as the Grey District's new chief executive. As the first female chief executive, Soderland had previously served as the chief executive of the [[Shire of Tammin]] in [[Western Australia]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Naish |first1=Joanne |title=New council CEO ready for small-town community |url=https://www.thepress.co.nz/nz-news/350429027/new-council-ceo-ready-small-town-community |access-date=31 March 2025 |work=[[The Press]] |date=27 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240927061710/https://www.thepress.co.nz/nz-news/350429027/new-council-ceo-ready-small-town-community |archive-date=27 September 2024|url-status=live}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * [https://www.greydc.govt.nz/ Grey District Council]

[[Category:Grey District]] [[Category:Politics of the West Coast Region]] [[Category:Territorial authorities of New Zealand]]