John Cronin BOP Regional Council Chairman www.envbop.govt.nz

Mary-Anne MacLeod, the council's current group manager strategic development, is appointed as the new chief executive of the Bay of Plenty Regional Council.

This is an important appointment and we are delighted that we were able to make an internal appointment within a full and open selection process with over 30 applicants.

Mary-Anne is only the third CEO of our council since the formation of regional councils in 1989. She is also our first woman CEO and is the only woman CEO of the regional or unitary councils in New Zealand.

I noted in Tauranga City Councillor Bill Faulkner's article last week of the importance of the appointment of their new CEO, Ken Paterson, and I fully agree with his views.

I know Ken, and I am certain that Tauranga has made a good choice.

It is important that our councils work together:

One of the strengths of the Bay of Plenty has been the ability of all the councils to work together. There are six territorial councils and the regional council. Of these we have three new CEOs; Tauranga, Whakatane, and regional.

In the Western Bay, both Tauranga, and the regional CEOs are new, with Glen Snelgrove, CEO of the Western Bay of Plenty Council, the most experienced.

New initiatives:

With the appointment of two new CEOs comes the opportunity for new initiatives. Last week I attended the Local Government New Zealand conference in Wellington along with most of the mayors, and regional chairs, with a full attendance from the Bay of Plenty.

It is quite clear to me that councils (all of us) are now overly bureaucratic and that we can and should be able to deliver what is required to you – the ratepayers – and community better.

Some reform is needed and we need to initiate such and hopefully working together we will.

I watched the TV last Monday night and on Close Up there was a segment about Kawerau and its youth problem. While this may be more of a parental problem, perhaps we as leaders in your councils could do more to provide an economic climate in our own communities that may then lead to job growth and that then to youth employment, but would you consider that part of our function as a council?

If you have a view on this, or any other local government issue, I will be pleased to receive your comments. I invite you to e-mail me johncrinin@xtra.co.nz.