Joint boards for reserves management
Subject to the Whanganui land settlement negotiation being finalised, the council and Tapakau Whariki would enter into a joint board – Ngā Tūtei a Maru Statutory Board – to manage specific reserves for the benefit of all the community.
The Reserves Act
Under the Reserves Act, the administrator of a reserve is responsible for managing and protecting the land for the public’s benefit. Their role is to ensure the reserve is used and maintained according to its purpose, such as recreation, conservation, or cultural heritage. The Reserves Act sets out all the powers and restrictions of the administrator of any reserve. Access for everyone is guaranteed under the Reserves Act.
The role of the administrator
The administrator is not the owner of the land, because reserves are generally held by the Crown or a local authority on behalf of the public. The land is also subject to the Reserves Act 1977. This means the land remains public property, meaning it is protected for everyone's enjoyment and cannot be sold or privately owned like ordinary land. In terms of access, nothing would change – the reserves will continue to be reserve land and would be open to locals and visitors as usual. The administrator acts as a caretaker, not as an owner.
What is the statutory reserves board?
In this proposal, the role of the administrator is shifting from the council to a statutory board, where the council and hapū/iwi will have equal representation on the board. The board will administer the reserves.
The Crown has the ultimate power to decide who the administrator of any reserve is but all the parties want the council to be an informed and willing participant in the proposed change.
The reserve board is proposed to be jointly governed by trustees appointed by the council and Takapau Whariki Trust (the post-settlement governance entity). This will mean collaborating to look after important public reserves for the benefit of the whole community, in a way that gives life to the relationship agreement - Te Tomokanga ki Te Matapihi and its values.
The health and wellbeing of the land and lakes is paramount for Whanganui Iwi, Hapū, and the communities of the Whanganui district. Whanganui Hapū and Iwi are proposing to bring the reserve land under the management of a newly established statutory board called Ngā Tūtei a Maru Statutory Board. This translates as "The guardians of the domain of Maru,” similarly to ’kaitiaki’, tūtei are scouts or guards, while Maru is the atua/god of freshwater.
This has been brought to the settlement’s negotiation table because it’s important that Hapū and Iwi are involved in managing this treasured whenua (land). In terms of public access to reserves, nothing would change – the reserves would continue to be reserve land and would be open to locals and visitors as usual as guaranteed under the Reserves Act.
Board structure
The reserve board would be made up of three members appointed by Takapau Whariki and three members appointed by the council.
What is the council being asked to do?
Dependent on the council's agreement to participate, and subject to the Whanganui land settlement negotiations being finalised, the statutory board will be established by the Crown when parliament passes the Whanganui Land Settlement legislation.
The board will manage the land, with the council continuing to carry out day-to-day care of the reserves, like mowing lawns. Any buildings on reserve land will remain under council ownership and control.
The names of some reserves are proposed to be changed through the Treaty settlement. These name changes will be undertaken by parliament, with support of the council, and at no cost to ratepayers.
You can find more detail on the list of reserves and maps here(PDF, 415KB)
Over time, and through engagement with the community and/or the Crown, the council and Takapau Whariki may decide to add other reserves to this list of reserves administered by the Statutory Board.
Which areas are included?
The areas that will be managed by the statutory board are:
Pākaitore/Moutoa Gardens Historic Reserve
This reserve is currently administered by a statutory board with Iwi, Council and Crown representation.
Map(PDF, 3MB)
Pukenamu-Queen’s Park
Buildings and amenities on this reserve, such as the libraries and Te Whare o Rehua Sarjeant Gallery will remain in council ownership.
Map(PDF, 3MB)
Gonville Domain/Tāwhero
Specific sections at Mōwhānau Village.
Map(PDF, 3MB)
Financial costs
The Takapau Whariki Trust will contribute to the costs of establishing the Board.
Operationally in the immediate term, there will be no changes to the council’s costs for reserve management. In future, reserve management planning will flow into the council’s long-term and annual budgeting processes, as it currently does.