Community Board Conference 2011

Over the weekend I went with two other members of the Tirau Community Board to a conference in Rotorua.
It was the New Zealand Community Boards' Conference 2011  titled The Changing Face of Community Governance held from Thursday 5th May to Saturday 7th May, 2011 and we travelled daily from Tirau.
Although it seemed to focus a lot on the change in governance for the Auckland boards it still had topics of interest and information totally new for me and at times was full on.
I wont bore you with all the details on governance, politics and other facts but let you see some of the high-lights.

Some of the workshops I attended were

• Mobile Communication and Community Engagement
• Legal Issues Affecting Community Boards
• Aging Population 
• Empowering New Community Board Members

Thursday Night was the opening with a powhiri and dinner

I had a seared Asian style duck breast, Bok Choy and Chinese cabbage salad with a ginger, lime and sweet soy glaze, Entree




My Main (sorry no pic) was baked chicken breast supreme filled with mushroom and ricotta cheese, glazed with spiced plum sauce on potato gnocchi, seved with a roast vegetable tart and micro greens.




Dessert was a zingy lemon tart, mascarpone and creme fraiche, marinated fig stew and orange custard sauce.

Rodney Hide The Minister of Local Government
was a speaker.











Myself, Geoff Poole and Nora Martedlletti (Tirau Community Board Chair Person)






 

For me there was a lot of learning and a greater understanding of not only what we as a board here in Tirau can and can't do, but also hearing and meeting new people from other boards all over New Zealand.

The next conference is in two years time in Wanaka.