I had the pleasure of chairing my first Board meeting last week where we welcomed new our new members Christina Robertson, Jim Ebenhoh, Jess Bould, and Andrew Henderson. Our new Board members were immediately up to speed with the operations of the previous Board and the Institute’s strategic direction, thanks to having a two month transition period between the completion of Board elections and the new Board taking office.
Our first Board meeting was held in Auckland and spread across two days, opening with a karakia. Part of an ongoing review and development of the Board’s governance processes has been to have a draft Code of Conduct ready for this first Board meeting. We will also be updating our Board Manual. The focus of Day 1 was a solid reminder of Governance and the Role of the Board. We covered the ‘officer’ duties that come with being on the Board and the various Acts we must comply with – all the fiduciary aspects being on the Board entails (but not often spoken about).
This was followed by a review of the Institutes Strategic Plan. The Strategic Plan sets the high-level goals we have for the Institute, like setting a destination in a GPS system when heading out on a journey. The Strategic Plan is enduring and while we identified some draft changes, the overall direction has not substantially changed. The Board is reflecting on the progress made and will be finalising the Strategic Plan soon. We also looked at the Board Workplan (or the operational plan), which can be thought of the driving instructions to get to the destination set in the Strategic Plan. We identified some new initiatives in Diversity and Inclusion and reconfirmed the importance of the on-going advocacy work being undertaken by the Institute. This is particularly significant given we expect ongoing resource management changes ahead.
Our 2-day meeting was jammed pack with all our regular standing items as well - confirming prior minutes and motions, open and recently closed actions, accounts, Chair and CEO report backs and updates from our Finance, Audit, and Risk Management Committee (FARM).
On operational matters I provided an update to the Board on my recent activities such as attending a Commonwealth Association of Planners (CAP) meeting and attending the Planning Institute of Australia Conference in Melbourne. While in Melbourne, I also attended the Institute’s Board Meeting, which has allowed me to see how others run meetings as part of the constant improvement we bring to the Board. I also met the incoming Australian Institute’s President and can see we will continue to work closely together during this term.
We discussed my recent travels, and how they have been pivotal for our international relationships with other planning institutes at a governance level. The sharing of knowledge and lessons has been amazing this early in the Board term. While in Minneapolis I attended the Global Planners Network Breakfast, the American Planning Association Presidents Welcome Event and their International Division Reception at the Humprey School of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota. It was inspiring to join with planners from around the globe who are determined to address our common issues of climate change, housing, natural hazards and more.
Our next discussion item was on the role of the NZPI spokesperson. The Board agreed last term that with increasing media requests for comments from the Institute and with the next busy programme of RM reform underway, the Board need to maintain a nominated spokesperson to address media on request. With changes in the Board, the nominated spokespeople are the Board Chair and Deputy, the co-chairs of the Resource Management Advisory Group (RMAG) and the NZPI CEO, with technical input when required from Emily Grace, our Principal Policy Advisor.
We had a Policy Update from our RMAG co-chairs. You’ll be aware that we’re in the middle of a very busy period of policy development as we engage with Government on Resource Management Reform. RMAG provide a regular update to the Board on our current and forecast policy work, and central government engagement.
We noted the significant actions in the policy space in the lead up to the Board meeting were the preparation of submissions and NZPI feedback on:
Our final afternoon was focused of strategic discussions and forward planning. These included:
Additionally, the Board has agreed it will next meet in person on September 5th and 6th in Christchurch and then on November 21st and 22nd in Wellington. In between these meetings the Board will continue their regular monthly virtual check ins.
Before I close, I would be remiss not to thank Beca for the use of their Auckland offices for our meeting.
I’d like to end this message with a Whakataukī that reflects the generous people who’ve come together for great work to be achieved by the Board and the team at NZPI.
E koekoe te tūī, e ketekete te kākā, e kūkū te kererū
The tūī squawks, the kākā chatters, the kererū coos (it takes all kinds of people)
