Management team

Gisborne District Council's elected Council has one employee, the Chief Executive, Nedine Thatcher Swann who is responsible for implementing and managing Council’s policies and objectives within the budgetary constraints established by the Council.

Council's leadership team is referred to as the Central Organising Rōpū (also referred to as COR). Council has a total staff of 384, which includes permanent, casual, fixed-term and part–time staff, who provide advice to the Council to make decisions and carry out the day-today operations of the activities. 

Chief Executive

Nedine Thatcher Swann

Phone: DDI (06) 869 2414 
Email Nedine.Thatcher-Swann@gdc.govt.nz 

The Chief Executive is supported by 5 directors and a chief financial officer, whose hubs reflect the range of activities that Council undertakes in order to contribute to the social, cultural, environmental and economic outcomes of our communities. The hubs and their directors are:

Director Community Lifelines - David Wilson 
Director Internal Partnerships - James Baty 
Director Transformation & Relationships - vacant
Director Liveable Communities - Andrew White 
Director Environmental Services & Protection - Helen Montgomery 
Chief Financial Officer - Pauline Foreman

Director Community Lifelines

David Wilson

Phone: DDI (06) 869 2356
Email: David.Wilson@gdc.govt.nz

Community Lifelines is responsible for the effective management of Council’s capital and infrastructure assets and the provision of all associated services. David is responsible for:

♦ Journeys (Local Roads) 
♦ 4 Waters - Drinking Water, Wastewater, Stormwater, Rivers & Land Drainage 
♦ Civil Defence Emergency Management

David's Hub provides strategic direction for the future needs of our community in these essential lifelines.  Providing professional and integrated activity planning to ensure the capital works and maintenance programmes meet the infrastructural and service level needs of the community as determined by Council.

Director Environmental Services & Protection

Helen Montgomery 

Phone: DDI (06) 869 2862 
Email: Helen.Montgomery@gdc.govt.nz

Environmental Services and Protection's purpose is to promote the sustainable management of the physical and natural resources of the district as well as contribute to the wellbeing of people and the built environment.  Helen is responsible for:

♦ Consents - Building, Resource Consents 
♦ Compliance - Environmental Health, Animal & Stock Control, Parking 
♦ Compliance Monitoring & Enforcement
♦ Environmental Risk
♦ Harbourmaster   

Helen's Hub undertakes service delivery, policy and regulatory activities to promote a vibrant, wealthy, safe and healthy environment. 

Director Transformation & Relationships

Transformation and Relationships Hub support the Mayor, Councillors, Chief Executive and Central Organising Roopu in achieving the high-level objective of promoting and advancing community wellbeing (social, environmental, economic and cultural) throughout our district.
Responsible for:

♦ Community Engagement - Communications and Customer Service 
♦ Strategic Planning 
♦ Planning & Performance  
♦ Environmental Science & Monitoring 
♦ MAR project

This Hub delivers community planning such as the Ten Year Plan, Annual Plan, Annual Report and Community Outcomes as well as supporting performance management, policy and cross-portfolio strategy development across the organisation. They provide specialist skills in strategy and policy, community relations, community programme funding and delivery, multifunction project management and/or economic development. 

Director Liveable Communities

Andrew White

Phone: DDI (06) 869 2721 
Email: Andrew.White@gdc.govt.nz

Liveable Communities contributes to the ongoing transformation of Council into a customer focused organisation that supports its unique community. Andrew is responsible for:

♦ Liveable Spaces (Aquatic Services, Amenity and Horticulture, Cemeteries) 
♦ Cultural Activities (Theatres and Library) 
♦ Community Assets & Resources (Solid Waste, Asset Management) 
♦ Integrated Catchments (Soil Conservation, Biosecurity
♦ Community Projects

Andrew's Hub provides professional and integrated activity planning, ensuring the effective delivery of the community facilities to meet the community’s needs at the strategic level  through managing safe, fun and engaging places and spaces.

Director Internal Partnerships

James Baty

Phone: DDI (06) 869 2881
Email: James.Baty@gdc.govt.nz

Internal Partnerships drives the positive culture of Council and contributes to the ongoing emphasis of being a customer focused organisation across a range of support services. James is responsible for:

♦ People & Capability - HR, Health & Safety, Organisational Culture 
♦ Democracy & Support Services - Elections
♦ Legal Services 
♦ Information Services - IT, Information Management, Land Information, Business Solutions & Business Analytics 
♦ Risk & Assurance

James's Hub provides professional and customer-focused support services based on specialised knowledge, best practices and technology to serve our internal and external customers.

James believes Tairāwhiti is an incredible place - with its natural beauty, friendly people and relaxed lifestyle. To effect change he believes the community needs a coordinated and collaborative approach and that Council plays a significant role in leading this direction. 

Chief Financial Officer - Finance & Affordability

Pauline Foreman

Phone DDI (06) 869 2899 
Email: Pauline.Foreman@gdc.govt.nz 

Finance and Affordability deliver a high performance culture, superior customer services, and integrated services in accordance with our vision and values in order to “Lead and support the social, cultural, economic and environmental development of our communities – Mō tātou te Tairāwhiti”. Pauline is responsible for:

♦ Finance 
♦ Internal Audit 
♦ Risk Support

Pauline wants to make a difference to our Gisborne community.  I want people to feel that they can live and enjoy their life, and that I can help to make that sustainable for their families and our future generations.