At an extraordinary meeting today, the Whakatāne District Council unanimously adopted all of the recommendations in a report updating Councillors on recent decisions involving Toi-EDA, the Eastern Bay of Plenty’s economic development agency.
Those decisions confirm the withdrawal of funding and will see a process undertaken to formally remove the Council as a ‘settlor’ of the trust which governs Toi-EDA. However, the Council noted the importance of collaboration on sub-regional and regional economic development, and key staff will continue to be involved in discussions on future development opportunities and initiatives.
Mayor Tony Bonne says that in part the decisions reflect the evolving relationship between the three Eastern Bay of Plenty District Councils and the Bay of Plenty Regional Council since Toi-EDA was established in 2005.
“That relationship has grown and matured through the formation of the Eastern Bay of Plenty Joint Committee, which will have an oversight role in future decisions on economic development strategies and initiatives,” he explains. “At the same time, the Whakatāne District Council has strengthened its focus on the economic wellbeing of the community, and we have put in place the internal capability required to promote economic development in our District.”
In August last year, the settlors of the Eastern Bay of Plenty Regional Development Trust agreed to wind-up Toi-EDA by the end of December 2013. In November, that process was delayed until March this year to allow discussions on alternate approaches to a sub-regional economic development. Since then, the Ōpōtiki and Kawerau District Councils have decided to continue their support for Toi-EDA, and the Bay of Plenty Regional Council has undertaken to consult through its 2014/15 annual plan on the allocation of a further $50,000 to establish a new, independent sub-regional economic development organisation.
The Whakatāne District Council’s budgeted contribution of $191,000 a year to Toi-EDA ceased in December, with the funds reallocated to Council-led economic development initiatives and District promotion activities. That reallocation will be formalised though the Council’s draft Annual Plan 2014/15, which will be notified for community consultation on 21 March.