Hamilton mayor Paula Southgate has announced a three-pronged senior team to lead Council over the coming three years.

Southgate today confirmed six-term councillor Angela O’Leary as deputy mayor. O’Leary will also chair the Infrastructure and Transport Committee on Council. Three-term councillor Ryan Hamilton has been confirmed in a new role as senior chair, also providing support to the mayor. Hamilton will also chair the Strategic Growth and District Plan Committee.

Southgate said growth, infrastructure and planning were the most important and challenging issues facing the city over the coming triennium and that she, O’Leary and Hamilton were a “strong and experienced trio”.

“The city has huge potential and we need to ensure we capture and exploit that also while dealing with growth challenges and opportunities. These issues are coming at us in the face of unprecedented change in the sector with major reforms to work through. The pace of change will be relentless and we need strong and experienced leaders in key positions,” she said.

“A three-pronged approach will provide that, and I am grateful to have two resilient and experienced people in support, chairing critical committees on behalf of our city. I also need support from them in my role as mayor.”

Southgate said O’Leary and Hamilton would also be charged with providing support to other chairs in a revised structure which now accommodates 15 Elected Members as opposed to 13 in the last triennium. The two additional Councillors have come through the newly established Maaori ward.

At the first formal Council meeting on November 17, Southgate will formally propose six main committees:

• Infrastructure and Transport: Chair O’Leary, Deputy Chair Maxine van Oosten
• Strategic Growth and District Plan: Chair Hamilton, Deputy Chair Sarah Thomson
• Community and Environment: Chair Kesh Naidoo-Rauf, Deputy Chair Anna Casey-Cox
• Finance and Monitoring: Chair Maxine van Oosten, Deputy Chair Moko Tauariki
• Economic Development: Chair Ewan Wilson, Deputy Chair Geoff Taylor
• Regulatory and Hearings: Chair Mark Donovan, Deputy Chair Ewan Wilson

Three sub-committees are proposed: Community Grants Allocation, Dog Control Panel and Traffic, Speed Limit and Road Closure Hearings Panel. A Strategic Risk and Assurance Committee will continue to be chaired independently.

“There remain a number of other appointments to work through, including regional representation responsibilities so there’s still some work to be done and decisions made,” Southgate said.

“My intention is to consider the particular interests and skills of all councillors – including the six new councillors - and align those as much as possible. I need people to be hard-working and passionate because that is what our city deserves.”

Further appointments will be announced over coming weeks.

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