SOLD OUT - Community Plan Forum

Kath is a highly experienced local government leader and manager, with 25 years’ experience in local and central government, including regional (Northland), city (Wellington) and district (Masterton and Far North) councils, the Environment Agency (England and Wales) and a stint at LGNZ. She is a passionate, dedicated public servant that has led teams covering the full range of local government responsibilities, including: strategic and district planning and policy; finance, risk, infrastructure and asset management; governance; communications, events and marketing; and community, social and economic development.

Kath holds a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) and a Bachelor of Arts (History and Politics) from Victoria University of Wellington and a Post Graduate Diploma in Environmental Law and Management from the University of Wales.

Raymond re-joined Taituarā in June 2014 as Sector Improvement Manager, before commencing his current role as Chief Advisor at Taituarā. He has spent most of the last 20 years in local government related roles, most recently with the Department of Internal Affairs.

He describes his job as two-thirds providing assistance to the local government sector and one-third providing advice to central government on local government matters. His ambition is to help develop a Local Government Act that doesn’t require changes every 18 months. He asks that you wish him well with this task.

Katina Conomos started her career in the arts industry, working as an orchestra and tour manager with leading arts companies in Australia.After gaining her Masters of Business Administration, Katina has worked in a range of government environments in Australia, at both the federal and state level in major event delivery and in the local government sector in New Zealand.

Katina specialises in strategic and corporate planning, project planning, working with governing bodies, as well as strategy and policy development.As both an employee and later as a contractor, Katina has worked on several council’s Long Term Plan and Annual Plan projects and worked closely with elected members and senior management teams to develop council strategies and policies.

Simon has held a range of policy, planning and management roles in and consulting to local and central government in Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch over 30 years, and has worked offshore in relation to local government best practice.

He has 20 years executive team experience in medium-large Councils and an academic background in social science and urban planning.

Simon has extensive experience with councils and communities in diverse community engagement projects, and shares in national and international awards through this experience.

He is a Chartered member of the New Zealand Institute of Directors and an Associate member and former Board member of Taituarā.

Simon Markham Consulting Ltd was (re)established in 2021. A key focus of SMC’s consulting services is on assisting councils and central government agencies shaping and engaging with the local government sector, at a time of major structural change and reform.

David Murphy began his planning career in 2001 at NZ Forest Managers. In 2004 he joined the planning team at Palmerston North City Council where he has worked on a wide variety of city planning projects. In 2009 David he was appointed City Planner, a role where he initiated and completed a full sectional review of the District Plan. In 2021 he joined the Council’s Executive Leadership Team after being appointed Chief Planning Officer.

David provides strategic leadership on city planning, strategy and policy development, long-term planning, urban design, climate change, economic development and transport planning. He works closely with the Mayor and Councillors to help develop strategies and plans for Palmerston North and is passionate about the role of city planning in helping communities to achieve their vision.

Kathy has been recognized throughout New Zealand for more than 18 years as leading asset management practice through her work with industry groups such as IPWEA and Taituarā developing best practice guidelines and delivering industry training. She worked closely with Treasury on implementing Asset Management as a business change process in Central Government. Kathy is a member of the NAMS Group board, NAMS Council Australasia, and the IPWEA training committee. Kathy is also the former CEO of the National Asset Management Support (NAMS) Group, was a member of the Ministry of Education Infrastructure Board for seven years, including Chair from 2014- 2017.

Kathy has 15 years’ experience as a Local Government Infrastructure Manager, with a strong background in Parks and Community Facilities. For the past 10 years Kathy has worked as an independent asset management advisor with a focus on the delivery of training, coaching and mentoring, the development and review of organisational performance management frameworks and undertaking asset management peer reviews.

Nick Robertson is a Senior Consultant at BERL. He draws on more than 10 years’ experience in New Zealand and the United Kingdom, specialising in economic and social research, particularly the evaluation of the impacts and outcomes of interventions.

Nick is a strong supporter of regional economic development, strategic infrastructure investment and making sure that the next generation has the tools to be productive global citizens.

Since joining BERL in 2019, he has led projects for central and local government incorporating wellbeing into economic analysis, decision-making and reporting. Nick previously worked in economic development and inward investment for the largest borough council in London and as a consultant for Grant Thornton UK. Here he developed economic strategies for local authorities and provided analysis of performance considering the socio-economic context, and service outcomes.

This year BERL is celebrating its 65^th Birthday. BERL takes pride in being a private economic consultancy, supporting central and local government, private companies as well as various Māori and iwi entities by providing a credible evidence base and economic analysis to support good decision-making.

Nick believes that economic development is a means to an end, and not the end itself. Economic development should support families and communities to grow and thrive.

Emily has worked in local government for over 10 years, the last seven being at Western Bay of Plenty District Council. She’s managed a diverse range of policy, planning and bylaw processes, including project managing the 2018 and 2021 Long Term Plans. She has a strong interest in community engagement and the use of innovative approaches to connect with harder to reach audiences. Emily values working in the District where she grew up, and for an organisation where there is an emphasis on place-based planning and community relationships.

Luke leads a communications and engagement team out to prove that ‘Council’ doesn’t equal boring, creating new opportunities that make it easier for people to connect with Council.

As a Council that wraps around one of the country’s biggest cities, Tauranga, and features several satellite communities, Luke believes nobody is impossible to reach, it just needs the right approach.

A former journalist and public relations specialist, Luke gets a kick out of plain English, and the odd pun, simplifying complex information with the reader in mind.

Mike is a partner in Simpson Grierson’s environment and planning group, based in Wellington. He specialises in local government and environmental law, with a particular focus on the regulatory functions and processes of local government (including under the RMA), and decision-making and governance obligations and requirements. He regularly represents local authorities in relation to RMA matters (including before the higher courts) and has appeared before many other specialist tribunals and council hearings on specific strategic and regulatory matters.

Kathryn is a Senior Associate in Simpson Grierson's local government and environment group in Wellington. She often helps councils respond to requests for official information or personal information, and to handle complaints made to the Ombudsmen and Privacy Commissioner. Kathryn also advises councils on a wide range of issues under the Local Government Act 2002, including decision-making and consultation, meeting requirements and Standing Orders, making and reviewing bylaws, elections, and CCO governance. She is also experienced in advising elected members on conflicts of interest, including bias and predetermination issues and disqualifying contracts. Kathryn really enjoys working with her council clients, helping them to help their communities.

Masooma joined Palmerston North City Council in September 2019, setting up and leading the Business Assurance division. She is responsible for giving Elected Members and Council’s leadership team independent and objective assurance and advice on organisational governance, risk management and internal processes. The scope of the division covers core elements of the organisational operating model, key change initiatives, fraud & whistleblowing policy and liaising with all external auditors. Masooma is a qualified Chartered Accountant and brings extensive experience in internal auditing and risk management.

Josh has 11 years of Corporate Planning experience in the Local Government sector. The first six in NSW at a large metro Sydney Council (City of Ryde). The last five years back home in New Zealand worked the on 2018 Long-term Plan project team at Rotorua Lakes Council before returning to his hometown of Tauranga to take up the role of Team Leader: Corporate Planning at Tauranga City Council and project manage the 2021 Long-term Plan.

Amanda joined the Office of the Auditor-General in April 2020. Her main responsibilities are local authorities and related entities in Manawatu-Whanganui and Hawke’s Bay regions. Amanda also manages the Office's relationships with entities in the Energy sector, and with the New Zealand Local Government Funding Agency.

Amanda is a Chartered Accountant. Before joining the Office Amanda was a Senior Audit Manager at the Commonwealth Bank of Australia. Prior to that Amanda worked at Ernst and Young and The Financial Conduct Authority in the United Kingdom.