A Bay of Plenty Regional councillor who has spent nearly one-third of his life representing the region's ratepayers is stepping down to let new people with fresh ideas be elected.

BOPRC councillor Ian Noble MF 001-003: Katikati dairy farmer Ian Noble is leaving local government politics after 24 years as a Bay of Plenty Regional councillor. Photo by Merle Foster.

'Government has signalled there is to be changes to councils and RMA processes. With change comes opportunity and my hope is that this can lead to greater efficiencies and opportunities for local participation and involvement,” says Katikati dairy farmer Ian Noble, who is not seeking re-election this October.

'It's [also] an opportune time for a new dynamic with new people and new vision – not shackled by the past.”

The move ends his 24-year career on the regional council – from its inception in 1989 – which includes a three-year stint where he dual-served on the Western Bay of Plenty District Council to 1992.

Ian's political career began after he 'fell into it” when leaving his five-year role as Federated Farmers Bay of Plenty provincial president.

'A group of local people said to Joyce and I – 'you should stand in the regional council because you have some experience in these things”. I couldn't think of a compelling reason to turn them down because regional council was a new concept in 1989,” says Ian.

The same people came back to Ian when discovering no-one was standing for the Western Bay of Plenty District Council – persuading him once again.

Elected to both councils in 1989 – Ian served one term as a Western Bay and Bay of Plenty Regional councillor. 'That was a significant learning curve,” says Ian. 'The ways of council are different from anything else you will find in the world.”

Merging 25 organisations, Ian says the council's introduction offered challenging times.

'A lot of different, diverse organisations were all lumped together – we took over rabbit boards, as back then every bit of New Zealand had to have one. A lot of elected groups were closed and responsibility was given to this council, so first-term decision making was very significant to the on-going pattern that the council worked.”

Ian admits there was opposition, with people losing employment – 'but the reality was we had the statutory, the obligation and the duty to pick up responsibilities and mould them into one council”.

By 1992, Ian says the Minister of Local Government decided he didn't like double-dippers – 'so I decided to say with the regional council and I'm very grateful for the many people who have supported me and cheered and encouraged me over the years”.

Ian has served the regional council in a number of capacities – chairing Operations and Rural Services, Regulation and Resource Monitoring, Strategic Policy and Finance, and Governance committees – 'all of which are pretty significant”.

He's also a Rotarian, former Dairy Suppliers' Representative and a New Zealand arbitrator for Ministry of Economic Development on trees and powerlines legislation for 23 years.

'I came to understand the Resource Management Act and the process of hearings, of which I have chaired many. It has been a captivating, rewarding journey for me.”

Asked why voters have supported him for more than two decades, Ian says he'd only be speculating, but says he's stepping back 'because I just don't want to have my life run by a diary”.

He also thinks there is opportunity for someone without his experience to look at things differently – but says he has listened to a large number of election speeches, during the years, of candidates saying: ‘I'm going to do this and I'm going to do that'.

'The reality is it not that simple because the processes are long and complex, of hearings and public consultations and court hearings, which can be very expensive, and those decisions bind a council – and the way they deal with that type of situation into the future for years. When someone says ‘I'm going to change that', you say: 'Good luck mate”.”

He believes the future challenges of the council lie in re-assessing its functions; and ensuring continued involvement by people and good governance remains.

'What's different about a council is that the customers cannot go somewhere else – they're captive – so proficiency isn't there from competition – so from a personal view there is need for a re-assessment of who does what where,” says Ian. 'I have major concern over the level of debt in some councils but this concern most definitely does not apply to BOPRC.”

Ian says he's privilege to have worked with many with fellow councillors, with special mention to past Western Bay councillors Nancy Merriman, Barry McNaughton, Jim Pringle and current councillor Jane Nees, along with dedicated staff, for the betterment of the Bay of Plenty.

'I'm not regretful in any way – I've worked with and been involved with some magnificent people.”

Ian is now looking forward to spending more time with wife Joyce, his son, three daughters and eight grandchildren. 'Joyce and the family have been amazingly supportive, as have numbers of great people. However, I feel it is time to move on, to have my own time and not such a commitment.”