The elected Council meets on a six-weekly cycle and is responsible for community leadership and setting the policy direction for Upper Hutt City. In undertaking its democratic activities the Council strives to have a fully informed community, the majority of which is satisfied with the elected Council’s performance.
All recommendations made by standing committees must be confirmed at a Council meeting which is attended by the Mayor and all of the Councillors. Some matters are only discussed at Council meetings, including adopting of Annual and Long Term Plans, the review of the rating system, the levying of rates, and matters relating to the employment of the Chief Executive.
Council's Terms of Reference(PDF, 277KB) set out the principal areas for which Council maintains overall responsibility. They also set out the delegations of Council functions, duties and powers to Council committees, panels and groups.
The Standing Orders(PDF, 2MB) for meetings of Upper Hutt City Council outline the rules and procedures for meetings of committees. Local authorities must adopt Standing Orders for the conduct of their meetings. Standing Orders reflect the requirements of the Local Government Act, the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act, and other legislation concerning the conduct of meetings.
Council has five standing committees. Membership of a committee is not restricted to Councillors.
City Services Committee: Mayor Guppy, Councillor Wheeler (Chair) and Councillor Ultra (Deputy Chair) and Councillors Bentley, Carey, Hammond and Holderness.
- The purpose of the City Services Committee is to monitor Council’s performance in promoting the on-going growth, redevelopment and improvement of the City.
Finance and Performance Committee: Mayor Guppy and all members of Council, Councillor Bentley (Chair) and Councillor Holderness (Deputy Chair).
- The purpose of the Finance and Performance Committee is to assist Council to execute its financial and performance monitoring obligations.
Policy Committee: Mayor Guppy and all members of Council, Councillor Newell (Chair) and Councillor Griffiths (Deputy Chair)
- The purpose of the Policy Committee is to assist Council to monitor the development of strategies, policies and bylaws that meet the needs of community.
Risk and Assurance Committee: Mayor Guppy, Councillor Carson (Chair) and Deputy Mayor Swales (Deputy Chair) and Councillors Bentley, Griffiths, Newell and Independent Member Sara Brownlie (appointed December 2022)
- The purpose of the Risk and Assurance Committee is to oversee the effectiveness of Council’s risk management, internal control practices, statutory compliance, external audit and health and safety.
Council's Terms of Reference(PDF, 277KB) set out the functions and purpose of Council's Committees.
It is essential upon all standing committees:
- to ensure that Council policy is observed and Council decisions are complied with
- to make recommendations to Council when necessary as to the interpretation of policy or as to the need to depart from the policy in specific instances
- to make recommendations to Council on all matters where authority has not been delegated to the committee or where the decision required is beyond any delegation granted
- to consider the public interest in, and the public's response to, matters within their jurisdiction
- to investigate, consider and make recommendations about functions assigned to them, according to established procedure and any delegation by the Council, once the Council has made a decision regarding the policy
Council workshops are an informal forum to provide opportunities for elected members to discuss particular matters, receive briefings and provide guidance for staff. Workshops are not used to make decisions or reach agreements without the opportunity for meaningful debate at a formal meeting.
Workshops are not open to the public or livestreamed. To increase transparency for the public, the Council will publish workshop material as soon as practicable on this page Meeting agendas and minutes. Sometimes workshops will deal with sensitive, commercial or confidential information. These agenda items will be identified as public excluded and the reason for public exclusion will be listed as per section 7 of the Local Government and Official Information Act 1987.
Hutt Valley Services Joint Committee: (biennially administered by Upper Hutt City Council and Hutt City Council) Terms of reference
Councillor Griffiths - UHCC (Co-Chair), Councillor Stallinger - HCC (Co-Chair), Mayor Guppy - UHCC, Councillor Carson - UHCC, Councillor Newell - UHCC, Councillor Dyer - HCC, Councillor Parkin - HCC, Councillor Shaw - HCC. Deputy Mayor Swales - UHCC and Councillor Brown - HCC are alternates for this committee.
- The purpose of the Hutt Valley Services Joint Committee is to oversee the shared services affecting the Hutt Valley as a whole, particularly regarding the waste disposal services.
Regional Transport Committee: (administered by Greater Wellington Regional Council) Terms of reference
Councillor Staples - GWRC (Chair), Councillor Pontor - GWRC (Deputy Chair), Mayor Baker - PCC, Mayor Caffell - MDC, Councillor Edwards - HCC, David Gordon - Kiwi Rail, Mayor Guppy - UHCC, Mayor Holborow - KCDC, Hon. Mayor Mark - CDC, Councillor Pennett - WCC, Emma Speight - NZTA.
- The purpose of The Regional Transport Committee is to adopt policy, review delivery plans, speed limits, rail infrastructure and transport responsibilities in accordance with the Land Transport Management Act 2003.
Te Awa Kairangi/Hutt River Valley Subcommittee: (administered by Greater Wellington Regional Council) Terms of reference
Councillor Connelly - GWRC (Chair), Councillor Duthie - GWRC (Deputy Chair), Councillor Laben - GWRC, Councillor Lee - GWRC, Councillor Edwards - HCC, Deputy Mayor Lewis - HCC, Councillor Hammond - UHCC, Mayor Guppy - UHCC, Caleb Ware - Te Rūnanga o Toa Rangatira Inc, Benjamin Wynyard-Terry - Port Nicholson Block Settlement Trust.
- The purpose of Te Awa Kairangi/Hutt River Valley Subcommittee is to over see the creation, implementation and review of floodplain management plans.
Wellington Region Civil Defence Emergency Management Group: (administered by Wellington Region Civil Defence Emergency Management Group) Terms of reference
Mayor Whanau - WCC (Chair), Hon. Mayor Mark - CDC (Deputy Chair), Mayor Baker - PCC, Mayor Barry - HCC, Mayor Caffell - MDC, Mayor Connelly - SWDC, Mayor Guppy - UHCC, Mayor Holborow - KCDC, Councillor Pontor - GWRC.
- The purpose of the Wellington Region Civil Defence Emergency Management Group is to identify and mitigate hazards, respond to emergencies in partnership and in accordance with the Civil Defence Emergency Management Act 2002.
Wellington Regional Leadership Committee: (administered by Wellington Regional Leadership Committee) Terms of reference
Darrin Apanui - Rangitāne Tū Mai Rā Trust (Chair), Councillor Pontor - GWRC (Deputy Chair), Mayor Baker - PCC, Mayor Barry - HCC, Mayor Caffell - MDCD, Mayor Connelly - SWDC, Mayor Guppy - UHCC, Mayor Holborow - KCDC, Hon. Mayor Mark - CDC, Mayor Whanau - WCC, Mayor Wanden - HDC, Denise Hapeta - Raukawa ki te Tonga, Helmut Modlik - Te Rūnanga o Toa Rangatira Inc., Huia Puketapu - Port Nicholson Block Settlement Trust, Di Rump - Muaūpoko Tribal Authority Inc., Marama Fox - Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa Tāmaki-a-Rua Settlement Trust.
- The purpose of the Wellington Regional Leadership Committee is to take responsibility for key collective matters of regional importance, specifically the Wellington Regional Growth Framework, Regional Economic Development, and Regional Recovery.
Wellington Water Committee: (administered by Hutt City Council) Terms of reference
Mayor Barry - HCC ( Chair), Councillor Connelly - GWRC (Deputy Chair), Mayor Baker - PCC, Mayor Whanau - WCC, Mayor Connelly - SWDC, Mayor Guppy - UHCC, Lee Rauhina-August - Taranaki Whānui ki te Upoko o te Ika, Helmut Miodlik - Te Rūnanga o Toa Rangatira Inc.
- The purpose of the Wellington Water Committee is to oversee the planning, delivery and management of water services to communities serviced by Wellington Water Limited.
Wellington Region Waste Management and Minimisation Plan Joint Committee: (administered by Wellington City Council) Terms of reference
Councillor Pannett - WCC (Chair), Councillor Mitchell - HCC (Deputy Chair), Councillor Hayward - PCC, Deputy Mayor Swales - UHCC, Councillor Halliday - KCDC, Councillor Duthie - GWRC, Councillor Gray - SWDC, Deputy Mayor Cretney - CDC, Councillor Hullena - MDC. Councillor Duncan - WCC (alternate member).
- The purpose of the Wellington Region Waste Management and Minimisation Plan Joint Committee is to oversee the implementation of the Wellington Region Waste Management and Minimisation Plan and its statutory review.
Council has additional committees, decision making bodies, and focus groups to support Council in making decisions. They consist of elected members, experts, professionals, government employees, community representatives, or council staff. Council's Terms of Reference(PDF, 277KB) provide more information about Council's responsibilities, purpose and functions.
Chief Executive Committee: Mayor Guppy (Chair), Deputy Mayor Swales (Deputy Chair) and Councillors Carson, Newell and Wheeler
Community Grants Committee: Councillor Carey (Chair), Mayor Guppy and Councillor Newell
Creative Communities New Zealand Upper Hutt Arts Funding Assessment Committee: Councillor Holderness and Councillor Ultra - one iwi representative and seven community representatives are also appointed to this panel
District Licensing Committee: Mayor Guppy (Chair), Deputy Mayor Swales (Deputy Chair) and Councillors Bentley, Carey, Holderness and Wheeler
Emergency Committee: Mayor Guppy and all members of Council
Dissolved decision making bodies (2022 - 2025)
Economic Stimulus Panel: Chief Executive, Mayor Guppy (Chair), Deputy Mayor Swales and Councillors Bentley, Newell and Wheeler
Sustainability Stimulus Grant Disbursement Panel: Mayor Guppy (Chair) and Councillors Bentley, Holderness and Deputy Mayor Swales
As part of the Long Term Plan 2024 - 2034 consultation, Council have decided to close both the Economic Stimulus Grant and Sustainability Stimulus Grant.
Arts and Heritage Focus Group: Mayor Guppy, Deputy Mayor Swales and Councillors Carey, Holderness and Ultra
Business and Economic Development Focus Group: Mayor Guppy, Deputy Mayor Swales and Councillors Bentley, Carson, Hammond, Newell and Wheeler
Civic Awards Selection Panel: Mayor Guppy (Chair) and Councillors Hammond and Newell - two community representatives are also appointed to this panel
Contracts Group: Mayor Guppy (Chair), Councillor Carson, Deputy Mayor Swales - Councillor Bentley is an alternate for this group
Environmental Focus Group: Mayor Guppy, Councillors Carey, Griffiths, Holderness and Ultra
Sports Recreational Focus Group: Mayor Guppy, Councillors Carey, Carson, Griffiths, Hammond, Newell and Wheeler
Temporary Road Closures for Events Group: Mayor Guppy (Chair), Councillors Hammond and Ultra - Councillor Carey is an alternate for this group
Purpose
- to prescribe when an independent Commissioner must be used.
- to prescribe principles and guidelines to be used when; determining the composition, size, and membership of a specific Sitting of the Hearings Committee or a specific sitting of a Hearings Panel, and appointing the specific members of an Sitting of the Hearings Committee or Hearings Panel.
Independent Commissioner(s)
Council shall appoint one or more independent commissioner(s) to conduct hearings and make decisions or recommendations, arising from processes under the Resource Management Act, including direct referral requests under section 87D, when:
- the proposal or application is complex or controversial, or
- additional technical expertise will assist decision making, or
- the Council or a Council Controlled Organisation has or could be perceived to have a pecuniary interest in the decision, or
- the Council is perceived to be or could be perceived to be biased.
Membership and composition of Specific Sitting of Hearings Committees and Hearings Panels
When determining the size or composition of an Specific Sitting of Hearings Committees or Hearings Panel or appointing members the following shall be considered:
- Specific Sitting of Hearings Committees must have at least one Elected Member
- whether (for Resource Management Act Hearings only) an independent Commissioner(s) is required under the ‘Independent Commissioner(s)’ paragraph of this Policy.
- when an Specific Sitting of Hearings Committees or Hearings Panels is appointed for an Resource Management Act matter its composition must comply with the Resource Management Act accreditation requirements for persons who have hearing authority
- only Councillors who are members of the Hearings Committee may be appointed to an Specific Sitting of Hearings Committees or Hearings Panels
- the Hearings Committee and Hearings Panel Policies
- the complexity of the matter
- the experience and qualifications of the members
- whether technical assistance to deliberate and or write the decision is desired
- whether the nature of the matter means it would be more efficient for an individual, either a Commissioner or an Elected Member, to sit alone. For example, but consideration is not limited to these examples, the nature of the matter may be straight forward and not controversial or technical