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Summary of decisions from Mackenzie District Council meeting 23 June 2026

At the Council Meeting on 23 June the elected members made a number of key decisions.

Code of Conduct Investigation

Councillors received the independent investigation report into an incident that occurred at MDC offices on 16 April 2026 involving Councillor Frank Hocken and three members of Council staff.
Council considered the recommendations in the report and approved the actions to be taken. These included:
  1. That Council consider and determine what actions will be taken. The recommended actions as a result of the review finding highlighted in paragraph 41 to 45 of the investigation report.
  2. That Cr Frank Hocken provide an apology to the Chief Executive and the two senior managers involved in the incident.
  3. That the matter be referred to the Council committee responsible for health and safety oversight and recorded as an aggressive incident / health and safety event.
  4. That, in the interests of health, safety and wellbeing, communications between Cr Frank Hocken and Council staff be channelled through the Mayor or Deputy Mayor.

Community Development Role

Following the recent resignation of the Team Leader: Community Development, Council directed that the position should be disestablished, the Annual Plan 2026/2027 Budget  be reduced by a further $80,000, and the subsequent rates requirement for 2026/27 to be amended.

They also asked the Chief Executive to make the required operational decisions to manage the consequential changes to staff structure and work programme in the Community Development team.

Land Sale for St John Station Twizel

Council approved in principle, to sell 2 Glenbrook Crescent, Twizel, for use as the site for a St John Ambulance facility and retirement units.

Headstart Decision

Council made several decisions relating to the Government’s Head Start pathway for Local Government Reform.

They confirmed that they want to proceed with a proposal for reform under the Government’s Head Start Pathway and that they want to work with Mackenzie’s neighbours to develop an outline proposal by 9 August 2026.

Because the timeframe is too short to allow for a full public consultation, they will undertake a targeted, time-limited consultation process and the results  will be presented to council for a decision in an extraordinary meeting in August 2026.