The Thames-Coromandel District Council is pleased to announce that Allan Tiplady will be the new area manager for the Mercury Bay.

Previously Allan was council's Mercury Bay programme manager and responsible for all capital works projects, as well as overseeing operating services like ensuring maintenance of parks and reserves.

New Mercury Bay area manager Allan Tiplady. Photo: TCDC

Before moving to Whitianga, he spent seven years working for the Berkshire's Wokingham Borough Council, about 60km east of London which has a population of approximately 164,000 people.

Allan says he was employed as an area manager and oversaw the partnerships between the borough council and the 17 town and parish councils.

'Which you could compare to our community boards here,” he explains. 'My job was managing relationships with the town and parish councils for all council functions including open spaces, libraries, sports and leisure facilities.”

He says the challenge was ensuring the borough council engaged and consulted with the town and parish councils so a 'top-down model” wasn't being imposed on all the very different communities.

'One of the best things for me is building relationships with people and that involves not just working with staff, but our community board and the wider community to develop partnerships. We are all on the same team wanting to achieve the same goals.”

In the past nine months since working with the Thames-Coromandel council, Allan has been largely involved in the construction of coastal erosion walls, plans for the Whitianga Town Centre upgrade and establishing relationships with groups across Mercury Bay.

He lives in Whitianga with his wife Jenny who is involved in both early childhood and respite care.

"I'm here to help deliver improvements to the lifestyles of both our permanent residents and those who have second homes here,” adds Allan.

Allan takes over as area manager from Sam Marshall, who's left to pursue business opportunities in the South Island.

To contact new Mercury Bay area manager Allan Tiplady email: at allan.tiplady@tcdc.govt.nz or call 07-868-0200 to be put through to his office.