At its first meeting this week, the Pokeno Community Committee appointed local business owner Helen Clotworthy as chair. Helen Clotworthy chaired the Pokeno community group that operated prior to the establishment of a formalised community committee.
Kris Hines was appointed as deputy chair and Tricia Graham as secretary from among those elected to the committee last month.
The committee chose to adopt the code of conduct used by Waikato District Council community boards as being consistent with the committee’s values.
Waikato District Council General Manager Strategy & Support, Tony Whittaker, who was in attendance, said the committee received a presentation by Colin Botica from the Pokeno Land Consortium to provide an update on their development in Pokeno and share their vision for the work they are doing.
The committee also received a report from the Waikato District Council on the Annual Plan for 2016-17 outlining the increased level of services that the Council is providing the area and the general and targeted rates increases that will be required to fund these services.
Tony Whittaker said a general rates increase of 2.84% for 2016-17 and increases in targeted rates for water, wastewater and refuse and recycling had already been detailed in the Council’s Long Term Plan and shared with the community in a series of meetings last year, and reflected the investment that the Council was making to allow for Pokeno’s rapid growth.
