President’s Report 2002/2003 NEW ZEALAND SOCIETY OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT MANAGERS 8th Floor, Local Government Building, 114-118 Lambton Quay, PO Box 5538, Wellington Ph 04 494 6251, Fax 04 494 6259, Email
[email protected] Website www.solgm.org.nz Principal Sponsors PRESIDENT’S REPORT INTRODUCTION When I present this report at the AGM on 8 September, I will have been President for just over two months. Accordingly, I must acknowledge and thank my predecessor, Warwick Bennett, for his excellent leadership and contribution as President during 2002/2003. I also need to thank the members of the former Executive Committee for their positive contribution to SOLGM’s governance during the past year: • Tony Marryatt (Vice President) • Praful Rambhai (Northern Branch) • David Kelly (Midlands Branch) • Phillippa Wilson (Central Branch) • Wes ten Hove (Wellington Branch) • Bob Dickinson (Top of the South Branch) • Athol Stephens (45 South Branch) I also welcome and look forward to working with the newcomers to the Executive Committee: • Ross McLeod (Northern Branch) • Toby Hall (Central Branch) • Malcolm Thomas (Wellington Branch) Relationship with Local Government New Zealand I want to particularly compliment my predecessor, Warwick Bennett, for his work during his Presidency, to not only consolidate, but strengthen considerably the working relationship that SOLGM has with Local Government New Zealand. During 2002/2003 the two organisations worked cooperatively on a number of issues. The Local Government KnowHow venture with Local Government New Zealand, the Department of Internal Affairs, and SOLGM, was perhaps the prime example of our collaborative work. This was a project which delivered considerable benefits to the sector in providing guidance on a wide range of topics relating to the implementation of the new Local Government Act 2002, and its companion Act, the Local Government (Rating) Act 2002.