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The elected Council is made up of the Mayor and 15 Councillors. They are responsible for determining local legislation and defining the overall vision for the city. The Mayor and Councillors appoint a chief executive to manage Council operations and lead the Council's administrative organisation. The chief executive has statutory powers granted by the Local Government Act and other powers granted at the discretion of the elected Council.
The chief executive is responsible for:
• Advising the Mayor and Councillors on policy matters.
• Ensuring any policy adopted by Council is correctly implemented.
The chief executive performs these responsibilities by delegating tasks and authority to a senior management team and other Council staff.
First elected as Mayor in November 2017. Full voting member of all committees of Council unless specific legislation provides otherwise.
Mayor Sandra Hazlehurst is the Chair of Council and an ex officio member of all Council's committees.
Sandra was born and raised in Hastings. She is a company director and manages several businesses alongside her husband Mark. In 2006 she was elected Chair of the Hastings City Business Association, a role she held for four years. During that time, Hastings City Business Association employed Sandra to attract new business to Hastings by promoting the city both regionally and nationally. This role led her to stand in 2010 for Hastings District Council.
Sandra had been a Councillor for six years where she held a number of governance and community leadership positions. She was elected Mayor in a By-election in November 2017, and re-elected Mayor in October 2019. Sandra is the first female Mayor for Hastings.
As a Councillor her most proudest achievements have been the development of the William Nelson Skate Park and the Havelock North Village Green Park development. She was behind the introduction of City Assist to keep Hastings safe.
As Mayor, through her love of arts and culture and passion for youth development, she is a member of the Edible Fashion Awards Trust and a strong advocate for the Toitoi HB Arts & Events Centre. The opening of the Opera House will be one of the highlights of being Mayor to date.
Sandra has a real passion for the Hastings city centre and the wider district. She is a genuine Hastings District Council Brand Champion and is #hastingsproud.
She is the proud mother of two daughters, Alexandra and Beatrice. Her most enjoyable recreational activities are to get out on her bike and enjoy our wonderful cycleways and to walk through our very beautiful Te Mata Park.
First elected: 2008
Strategy & Policy Committee
Performance & Monitoring Committee
Risk & Assurance Committee
Chair of Hastings District Licensing Committee
Deputy Chair Hearings Committee
District Development Subcommittee
Hastings District Rural Community Board
Rural Halls Subcommittee
Hastings District Holdings Ltd Director & Chair
Hawke's Bay Civil Defence Emergency Management Joint Committee
Te Komiti Muriwai o Te Whanga (Ahuriri Estuary Committee)
Chair Waipatiki Reserve Management Group
Alternate Hawke's Bay Regional Council - Clifton to Tangoio Coastal Hazards Strategy Joint Committee
First elected: 2022
Deputy Chair: Strategy & Policy Committee
Performance & Monitoring Committee
Environmental Resilience Subcommittee
Community Wellbeing Subcommittee
Rural Community Board
Rural Halls Subcommittee
HDC:Tangata Whenua Wastewater Joint Committee
Ōmaranui Refuse Landfill Joint Committee
Napier-Hastings Future Development Strategy Joint Committee
Community Arts Council (Creative Hastings) - Liaison
Safer Hastings
Te Mata Park Trust Board
First elected: 2022
Strategy & Policy Committee
Performance & Monitoring Committee
Hearings Committee
Chair District Development Subcommittee
Deputy Chair District Planning & Bylaws Subcommittee
Environmental Resilience Subcommittee
Community Wellbeing Subcommittee
Rural Community Board
Rural Halls Subcommittee
HB Medical Research Council
First elected: 2019
Strategy & Policy Committee
Performance & Monitoring Committee
Risk & Assurance Committee
Hearings Committee
Chair District Planning & Bylaws Subcommittee
District Development Subcommittee
Environmental Resilience Subcommittee
Rural Halls Subcommittee
Cape Coast Community Group
Hawke's Bay Regional Council - Clifton to Tangoio Coastal Hazards Strategy Joint Committee
Waipureku Waitangi Trust
Liaison Etu Whakatū Liaison
First elected: 2013
Strategy & Policy Committee
Performance & Monitoring Committee
Chair Civic Development SubcommitteeHawke's Bay Crematorium Committee
Joint Alcohol Strategy Advisory Group
Creative Communities Local Funding Assessment Committee
Hawke's Bay Museums Trust Joint Appointments Panel (to appoint the Chair of HB Museums Trust)
Hawke's Bay Museums Trust Joint Working Party
Hawke's Bay Regional Council - Clifton to Tangoio Coastal Hazards Strategy Joint Committee
Te Mata Park Trust Board
Lead Councillor Zone 3 representatives
First elected: 2022
Strategy & Policy Committee
Performance & Monitoring Committee
Risk & Assurance Committee
Civic Development Subcommittee
District Planning & Bylaws Subcommittee
District Development Subcommittee
Environmental Resilience Subcommittee
International Advisory Group
Hawke's Bay Museums Trust Joint Working Party
Heritage Trails Committee
Historic Places Hawke's Bay
Keirunga Gardens Arts & Crafts Society Incorporated
First elected: 2016
Strategy & Policy Committee
Chair Performance & Monitoring Committee
Risk & Assurance Subcommittee
Civic Development Subcommittee
District Development Subcommittee
Community Wellbeing Subcommittee
Chair Active Transport Group
Hastings City Business Association
Liaison Havelock North Business Association
Regional Active Transport Joint Committee
First elected: 2022
Strategy & Policy Committee
Performance & Monitoring Committee
Civic Development Subcommittee
Community Wellbeing Subcommittee
Lead Councillor Flaxmere Futures Working Group
HDC: Tangata Whenua Wastewater Joint Committee
Community Liaison Group - Hawke's Bay Prison
Liaison Flaxmere Planning Committee
Alternate Regional Active Transport Joint Committee
Elected: 2022
Civic Development Subcommittee
District Development
Civic Development Subcommittee
District Development Subcommittee
Environmental Resilience Subcommittee
Community Wellbeing Subcommittee
Flaxmere Futures Working Group Lead Councillor
HDC: Tangata Whenua Wastewater Joint Committee
Ōmarunui Refuse Landfill Joint Committee
Liaison Flaxmere Planning Committee
Elected: 2018
Chair Strategy & Policy Standing Committee
Hearings Committee
Deputy Chair Hastings District Licensing Committee
District Development Subcommittee
Environmental Resilience Subcommittee
Community Wellbeing Subcommittee
Elected: 2022
Civic Development Subcommittee
HDC: Tangata Whenua Wastewater Joint Committee
Lead Councillor Camberley Futures Working Group
Liaison Camberley Planning Committee
Regional Sports Council
Liaison Youth Council
Elected: 2010
Deputy Chair Risk and Assurance Standing Committee
Chair Civic Development Subcommittee
District Planning and Bylaws Subcommittee
HDC: Tangata Whenua Wastewater Joint Committee
Hawke's Bay Crematorium CommitteeŌmarunui Refuse Landfill Joint Committee
Joint Waste Futures Project Steering Committee
Joint Alcohol Strategy Advisory Group
Heavy Traffic Forum
Elected: 2016
District Planning and Bylaws Subcommittee
Chair Environmental Resilience Subcommittee
Rural Halls Subcommittee
Chair Ōmarunui Refuse Landfill Joint Committee
Joint Waste Futures Project Steering Committee
Clifton Reserve Society
Cape Coast Community Group
Farndon Park Domain Committee of Management
Hawke's Bay Regional Council - Clifton to Tangoio Coastal Hazards Strategy Joint Committee
Waipureku Waitangi Trust
Liaison Etu Whakatū
Elected: 2017
Hearings Committee
Civic Development Subcommittee
District Development Subcommittee
Chair Community Wellbeing Subcommittee
Hastings City Business Association
Liaison Havelock North Business AssociationLiaison Positive Ageing Trust Hawke's Bay
Safer Hastings Older Persons Focus Group
Advisor Youth Council
Elected: 2001
Civic Development Subcommittee
District Planning and Bylaws Subcommittee
Community Wellbeing Subcommittee
Chair International Advisory Group
Joint Alcohol Strategy Advisory Group
Infrastructure Monitoring Working Group Lead Councillor
Creative Communities Local Funding Assessment Committee
Heavy Traffic Forum
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