Taranaki Regional Council media release

Council Elects New Chairman

The Taranaki Regional Council today elected David MacLeod as its new Chairman.

Councillors elected Mr MacLeod at their first meeting since this month’s local body elections when the previous Chairman, David Walter, retired.

Mr MacLeod says the Taranaki Regional Council is held in high regard nationally “and it’s important to me that this momentum continues”.

“To achieve this, good governance at the Council level is essential and I’m confident the elected team is up to the task.

“There is a lot of experience sitting around the table and along with the excellent staff led by Basil Chamberlain, the region can look forward to good progress being made in delivering exceptional environmental results.”

Mr MacLeod, who has affiliations to a number of Taranaki iwi, has been a member of the Taranaki Regional Council since 2000, when he was elected in a by-election following the death of Councillor Ralph Latta.

He has been Deputy Chairman of the Consents and Regulatory Committee since 2001 and has also served on the Council’s Policy and Planning Committee. He was appointed a director of the Council-owned Port Taranaki Limited in 2001.

Born and bred in South Taranaki, Mr MacLeod is the owner of Greaves Electrical. He is married with three children.

He says he has enjoyed his three terms on the Council so far and is enthusiastic about his future role.

His priorities include ensuring the Taranaki public have meaningful and adequate input into Council decision-making, clear accountability in the use of public funds, and contributing to the sustainable progress of Taranaki.

Mr MacLeod’s deputy is former New Plymouth Mayor and long-serving Regional Council member David Lean, who was also elected by Councillors today.
There were no other nominations for either Chairman or Deputy Chairman.

Mr MacLeod and Mr Lean head a Council of 11 members, one more than the previous Council after the addition of a fifth seat in the New Plymouth Constituency to reflect population growth.

New faces on this Council include former Stratford mayor Brian Jeffares (Stratford Constituency), Mike Davey (North Taranaki), Peter Horton (New Plymouth) and Michael Joyce (South Taranaki).

Re-elected members include Mr MacLeod and Neil Walker (South Taranaki), Roger Maxwell (North Taranaki) and Mr Lean, Tom Cloke, Moira Irving and Barry Marsh (New Plymouth).

Council committee memberships and chairmanships will be announced next week.

ENDS

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