Northland Ratepayers Alliance

18 September 2018

A new NZ Ratepayers Alliance is being established

This is an invitation to your Residents and Ratepayers Association to meet with other Committees of Residents and Ratepayers Associations from across the Northland Region, to forge a “Northland Ratepayers Alliance” (informally) as a foundation for representation of Northland at the inaugural meeting of a NZ Ratepayers Alliance.

The purpose of the inaugural meeting of Ratepayer representatives from across NZ is to agree what structure to use to formalise an Alliance, and to adopt whatever is required to enable that structure to be established. So, for example, if it is agreed to establish an Incorporated Society and to apply for ‘charitable entity’ status – then an appropriate Constitution will need to be adopted, and officers of the association elected. If a limited liability company is to be established, then steps will be agreed to enable that, or a Trust and so on.

If it is decided that it is premature to establish a formal entity, an informal alliance is likely to result – whereby those R&RA who chose to, can collaborate to further investigate issues, to determine common ground or shared interests, and to prepare an analysis of the options for achieving our shared objectives.

The Mangawhai Residents and Ratepayers Association, Dargaville R&RA, Paihia & Districts R&RA, and the Kerikeri RA have been liaising over the past year or so towards collaborating, and are keen to discuss this initiative with other Associations around Northland. Last week the Omapere-Opononi R&RA resolved to to liaise as an informal Northland alliance and to endorse the establishment of a NZ wide alliance.

You are cordially invited to send representatives of your Residents and Ratepayers Association to an inaugural meeting of the Northland R&R Associations in Kaikohe on the 14^th October (3pm, at the Kaikohe War Memorial Hall, Recreation Rd, Kaikohe).

Also, you are invited to send delegates to the inaugural Ratepayers of NZ convention and meeting to establish a NZ Ratepayers Alliance, that is to be held in Nelson on the 10^th and 11^th of November. The establishment meeting will be in the morning of the 11^th November (it helps with travel/accommodation expenses, to know that, in the event you have a member keen to attend just the formal proceedings to establish a NZ Alliance (rather than a day of ‘convention’ type activities the day beforehand as well).

If it is not possible for anyone from your R&R A to attend in Nelson, on behalf of your R&R Association, we will be discussing on the 14^th October if the Northland Alliance would like to mandate those who can attend, to represent others in forging a NZ wide alliance.

The format for our meeting on 14^th October will include:

• a brief introduction from those who have been leading this initiative to date;
• Break out, group discussion – to identify issues of common concern and our shared interests; and any interest (or reservations) about liaising as a Northland alliance of R&RAs;
• Report back to collate ideas for objectives for an alliance, and on priorities for action;
• Decide if/how to deliver ‘representation’ to the Nelson meeting on a NZ Alliance.

Please RSVP – to agentjane99@gmail.com with numbers/names of members attending (for the purposes of catering and preparing resources for circulation in the meeting).

Phone 021 973392 if you have any questions.