Meet Kaipara’s new Chief

 

BY JULIA WADE

A passion for community connection, building relationships and enthusiasm to make a positive difference are qualities Kaipara’s new chief executive brings to the council and district. 

Kaipara District Council’s (KDC) new CE, Louise Miller officially took up office on September 24 after her five year appointment was announced by mayor Jason Smith on May 15.
 
Relocating from Tauranga where she worked within the city council, the British born highly experienced executive was attracted to not only elements of the job position but Northland itself, saying the region feels ‘a bit like an undiscovered gem’.

“Northland feels like an up-and-coming area, one still with its challenges and strong community aspects which is where my passion is,” she says. “I loved my role in Tauranga but I was quite a distance from the decisions I made to the community outcomes. Coming here as CE, it feels like the decisions I advise and make with council could be more connected to real community outcomes… feels like I could make more of a difference.”
Kaipara’s troubled past with revolving mayors, CE’s and commissioners, also held an appeal to Miller as she felt that the organisation and region was ready for some stability and someone who was community focused.

“Because of the journey the council has been on… the elect members were hoping for someone who is a people person and about relationships… things I really enjoy,” she says. “With my focus and background in community development… it all just aligned, feels like a good fit.” 

Family holidays to Northland also weighed in with Millers decision to ‘throw her hat in’ for the job, as her two boys, 10 and 12 years, enjoyed the sense of freedom the region offers, ‘it feels like a bit more of a community for a lot of reasons’ she says. 

Miller first moved to New Zealand with her husband and sons in 2013 to take the position as General Manager for Community Services with Tauranga City Council. Called back to England due to her mother-in-law’s sudden illness, the family returned again to Tauranga 18 months later and was ‘lucky enough’ to be appointed again with the council as General Manager for People Capability which ended in July this year. 

In the UK she has an impressive CV of previous corporate and council positions involving social services, housing, customer and community services, and health and wellbeing initiatives. She has been a consultant with the Metropolitan Police Authority managing performance improvement projects for high risk local authorities, and employed also by UK's Audit Commission as a performance specialist.  

Currently renting in Mangawhai, Miller’s family time is split between Tauranga and Kaipara until her sons finish off the school year. 

“They’re looking forward to coming up and fishing off the jetty, playing on their boogey boards and swimming. We also have a little mirror dinghy, a small sailing boat which we like to potter around on,” she says. “I really enjoy walking, it’s a great way to get to know a place so I’ve have been wandering around exploring the different streets… and coastal walkways.” 

Miller will also be splitting her working time between the Mangawhai office, Dargaville and to ‘have a presence’ in Northland Transportation Alliance (NTA) in Whangarei, a collaboration between Northland councils and NZ Transport Agency. 

“It’s important to me that if we want to build a cohesive Kaipara District Council, we need to be across all areas. Kaipara has got real variety, what one community wants will be different to another, one solution will not fit all, our role is to make all communities thrive.” 

Although early days, challenges Miller sees ahead besides working on building consistency and stability, is to raise KDC’s profile in central government, ‘making sure we’re not ignored being a smaller district’.

Since taking up her position, the last two weeks has seen Miller busy connecting with KDC employees from libraries, council office and NTA staff. From now to December her time will be concentrated on meeting key community representatives and Iwi leaders, getting to know ‘their journey with KDC and their inspirations’.

“First few months there will be a lot of time listening and reflecting which I think is important being new to the role and new to the area,” she says. “There will be times when people ask things of council that unfortunately we’ll have to say ‘no’ to because of budget or priorities. But I think when you’ve got relationships, people will understand that we’re coming from a good place and not trying to be difficult, that there will be reasons… for me it’s all about building relationships.”

Kaipara’s new chief executive, Louise Miller, says her first few months will be about introductions, listening to people and starting to build relationships.

“Northland feels like an up-and-coming area, one still with its challenges and strong community aspects which is where my passion is.”