Our roles and responsibilities

We must:

• Provide directly or on behalf of central government, adequate, equitable and appropriate services and facilities for the community
• Ensure that the services provided are managed efficiently and effectively exercise community leadership
• Exercise its functions in a manner that is consistent with and actively promotes the principle of cultural diversity
• Manage, protect, develop, restore, enhance and conserve the environment
• Account for and manage assets for which it is responsible
• Facilitate involvement of councillors, member of the public, users of facilities and services and council staff in the development, improvement and co-ordination of local government
• Raise funds for local purposes by way of rates, charges and fees and investments, loans and grants
• Keep the local community informed about its activities
• Ensure that in the exercise of its regulatory functions it acts without bias
• Act as a responsible employer.

Tasman District Council is one of only five Unitary Authorities in the country.

There are two kinds of local government councils in New Zealand - the territorial authority and the regional authority. Each has different responsibilities. Most local governments in New Zealand are made up of a separate regional council with several territorial authorities (city or district councils) within its borders. The Greater Wellington Regional Council, for example, has nine local councils in its region.

A unitary authority is a territorial authority that also has all the responsibility of a regional authority - unifying both roles in one local government body which covers one geographical area.

Territorial Authority functions

• Fresh water
• Rubbish collection and disposal, litter control
• Sewage treatment
• Parks, reserves and leisure facilities
• Roads and streetlighting
• Control of land subdivision
• Building and resource consents processing
• Dog control
• Libraries and museums
• Food premises and alcohol licensing

Regional Authority functions

• Biosecurity/pest control
• Civil defence/emergency management
• River and flood control
• Environmental protection
• Regional land transport
• Water quantity and quality regulation
• Maritime navigation and safety
• Some building control and consents processing (for example, dams)

Functions of both types of Authority

• Elections and public meetings
• Local bylaw administration