On 1 November, I had the privilege of attending the 81st Reunion of the Pahiatua Polish Children and welcoming the new Polish Ambassador, Patryk Błaszczak, on his first visit to Pahiatua.

The story of the Pahiatua Children remains close to our hearts thanks to those who continue to share it. Eighty-one years ago, 733 Polish children and 105 caregivers, displaced by the devastation of war, found refuge in Pahiatua.

Those children, some of whom were present at the reunion, found safety, hope, and community here. They brought with them their culture, language, and determination, enriching New Zealand in countless ways. Many remained here, and their legacy continues to shape our communities for the better. My thanks go to the Pahiatua Museum for organising such a meaningful and well-run event.

It’s been a busy and inspiring start to this new Council term. On Wednesday, Council formally adopted our new committee structure. Council committees are groups that are tasked with monitoring specific areas of Council business and will play an important role.

We’ve done things a little different from previous terms. Committees will be smaller but will be more focused while allowing the workload to be shared. We will also be introducing specific interest areas as portfolios. In the coming months committee chairs and portfolio leads will give you an update on their work and goals in this column. If you’d like to see which committees and portfolios each councillor is involved in, you’ll find that information on the opposite page, and there will be further appointments to community boards and committees as well as regional groups soon.

The role of the elected council is to provide direction and ensure that community priorities are clearly understood and met, and a strong governance structure is key to achieving that.

As we move through our induction period, I am also committed to ensuring every councillor has the knowledge and tools needed to perform well. Training will help fill any gaps, but learning is more than that.

As an example, we were delighted recently to host the mayor and councillors from Central Hawke’s Bay in our council chamber, which was a great opportunity to share ideas and challenges. We plan to meet again with them and do the same with other neighbouring councils over time, building strong relationships and sharing experiences. The issues we face are often similar, and by learning from one another, we can find better, faster, and smarter solutions for the Tararua District.

Another important milestone this month was the Department of Internal Affairs’ approval of the joint Wairarapa–Tararua Water Services Delivery Plan, which sets out how our councils will collaborate to manage water, wastewater, and stormwater services under the Government’s Local Water Done Well programme. We will be working closely alongside our neighbours to achieve the best outcomes for our district.

Ngā mihi nui, many thanks.