Green Light For Matakohe Cemetery Trustee Appointment Process
The number of trustees administering Matakohe Cemetery is set to grow after Kaipara District Council agreed to proceed with a trustee appointment process.
The decision allows Council to fulfil its statutory requirements under the Burial and Cremations Act 1964, to appoint and remove trustees for the management of the cemetery.
“Matakohe Cemetery is currently managed by a small community group who have looked after the cemetery well,” says Operations Team Leader, Donna Powell. “However, there is no record of a formal appointment process for the current trustees in line with the Act.”
Council will advertise a notice calling for expressions of interest for the trustee roles, along with more information about the process and criteria once confirmed.
Thereafter, a hearing panel comprised of Mayor Craig Jepson, Councillor Ron Manderson and Councillor Mark Vincent will conduct interviews and recommend five trustees to Council for appointment.
The decision, made at the August Council Meeting, also increases the number of trustees from three to five, meaning the workload can be spread more evenly. Council will introduce a Terms of Reference for the cemetery, giving trustees clear guidance for their activities.
The notice for expressions of interest will be advertised on the Kaipara District Council website and in the Kaipara Lifestyler.
More information
Matakohe Cemetery is a historic rural cemetery situated on Crown land, located off Church Road in Matakohe.
The cemetery is not owned or administered by Kaipara District Council, however, the Governor-General has delegated Kaipara District Council (previously Otamatea County Council) the powers to appoint and remove trustees for the management of this cemetery, as required by the Burial and Cremations Act 1964.
For the appointment of Trustees by the Council to be legally valid, a Council resolution to appoint the Trustees, including public notice of the appointments in the district where the cemetery is situated is required.
View the discussion about this decision on a recorded livestream of the August Council Meeting from 4:24:05.