Environment BOP has sworn in Tai Eru As replacement for now deceased councillor Hawea Vercoe. Hawea held the Okurei constituency seat, but died after a tussle at a bar in Whakatane last year.
Tai will hold this seat on the regional council until October when the next local government elections are scheduled to take place.

Tai Eru.

Environment BOP chairman John Cronin says Tai will be an asset to the council.
'Tai has many years of council experience, both at a regional and district level, which will be valuable to us as we head towards the election later this year,” says John.
Tai is keen to develop the region's economy, but is must be done sustainably.
'To achieve this we need to harmonise and balance commercial interests with the best scientific inputs, with the wisdom developed over centuries by the original Maori carers of the land,” says Tai.
'But please, do not expect that to happen over a few meetings. The Maori way is a consultative process that cannot be hurried to meet an artificial ‘milestone programme'.”