Joint boards for reserves management

The Whanganui Treaty Settlement will see the Crown return land to Whanganui Hapū and Iwi. Some of this is currently managed by the council as reserves.  

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 their 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. 

The board will be jointly governed by trustees appointed by the council and Takapau Whariki (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 Te Tomokanga ki Te Matapihi and its values.  

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. Access for everyone is guaranteed under the Reserves Act.  

What is the council being asked to do? 

Subject to the Whanganui land settlement negotiations being finalised, the council and Takapau Whariki would agree to the establishment of a joint board that would manage reserves for the benefit of all the community. 

Dependent on the council's agreement to participate, the statutory board will be established when parliament passes the Whanganui Lands 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 areas that will be managed by the statutory board are Pākaitore/Moutoa Gardens Historic Reserve, Pukenamu-Queen’s Park, Gonville Domain/Tāwhero, and specific sections at Mōwhānau Village. 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 in the related documents.  

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. 

Financial costs 

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. The Whanganui Land Settlement Negotiations Trust will contribute to the costs of establishing the Board. 

Board structure 

The reserve board would be made up of three members appointed by Takapau Whariki and three members appointed by the council.