3.1 Role and responsibilities

Elected members have different roles and responsibilities. They are elected to represent communities in their area and make decisions for and on behalf of those communities. In practice, this can include dealing with queries and issues from constituents, exploring the impacts of a particular proposal, developing policy and plans, reviewing council decisions, working with other elected members, chairing committees, representing the council’s view to central government, engaging with the public, iwi, other stakeholders, making decisions on the use of council land, and agreeing on budgets and council priorities.
Members are active within the communities they represent. This includes belonging to community organisations and owning property. When making decisions as elected members, they must take care that they are acting, and are perceived to be acting, in the interests of their community and the public, not their own interests.