Tauranga Mayor Stuart Crosby is welcoming the new accountabilities and responsibilities for Mayors ahead of the 2013 Local Government Elections on October.

'While I have always accepted that 'the buck stops with me” on matters concerning the council as my time as Mayor, the changes to the Local Government Act 2002 have made it very clear that Mayors must lead from the front and be responsible and accountable to their ratepayers and communities in that leadership role,” he says.

In summary, Stuart says the new Role and Powers of Mayors include providing leadership to other members of the Territorial Authority and to its people and leading the development of plans, policies and budgets.

A new Mayor must appoint a Deputy Mayor and establish the committees of council and the Chairpersons of those committees.

The Mayor is a member of each committee and cannot delegate any of these powers.

'It is also important to note that a majority of council may override the proposals of the Mayor at any time if they wish.”

It is therefore imperative that the Mayor has the support and backing of the majority of the Elected Members concerning their proposals, says Stuart.

'Some may argue that nothing has really changed, but the changing of the legislation is giving a very clear signal from the Government that they expect change or they would not have changed the law concerning the powers of the Mayor.”

If re-elected as Mayor after October this year, Stuart says he will be proposing to the new council a number of changes.

His changes include offering all elected members a leadership role in some shape or form in the new Governance Structure.

The Deputy Mayor will take a more proactive role in day to day activities and addressing council issues from a Governance perspective. This will allow the Mayor to allocate more time on high level current and future issues and opportunities while indorsing the agreed vision and direction of Tauranga.

Stuart will also be proposing a new committee ‘Audit and Risk'.

'That committee will have detailed overview of council finances, Council Controlled Organisations, currently Bay Leisure and Events Limited, which will own and operate the council's facilities and aquatic network.”

Stuart is also proposing that current CCO Tauranga City Investments Limited be disestablished with BLEL instead reporting directly to elected members by the Audit and Risk committee or full council.

'I will also propose that at least two external members are appointed to the Audit and Risk committee with particular experience in Local Government Auditing and Accounting and commercial experience.”

The current council, Strategy and Policy, Projects and Monitoring, and Hearings panel committees will remain.

The current Tangata Whenua/Tauranga City Council committee will be reviewed in the context of another mandatory group having to be formed as a result of Treaty Settlements.

'In discussion with the elected members I will be seeking to rationalise many of the other sub-committees, Steering and Advisory Groups, Internal Groups and Special Committees which currently numbers 19.”