This week the Thames-Coromandel District Council endorsed a Project Board Governance Model for the Coromandel Great Walks project.

The board, which covers the whole district, will be made up of two council representatives, one Department of Conservation representative and one tangata whenua representative.

A Project Board Governance Model for the Coromandel Great Walks project was approved at this weeks full meeting of the Thames-Coromandel District Council. Photo: File

The council's representatives on this new board will be the mayor and Economic Development Committee chair.

Council's project executive Garry Towler says the board will be able to make decisions on council's behalf as the project progresses, and will report back to council at key milestones for the project.

'This fosters a flexible and creative environment to progress projects within timeframes, but provides council with the ability to approve major project variances,” explains Garry.

Garry adds a link with the Economic Development Committee is critical, given the expected significant economic benefits to the region that is expected.

Other stakeholders will have the ability to engage with the project either directly through Council or the Project Board.

Individual representatives on the board may, and will, change as different Walks are established around the Coromandel.

Community groups will also be contacted early to ensure appropriate representation from the community and for their input at the beginning of the next Great Walk as it moves around the district.

For the First Great Walk, when fully complete, will link Hot Water Beach, all the way through to Whitianga and potentially further north to Kuaotunu.

The Governance Directors for the first Walk will be made up of TCDC, DOC and Mercury Bay iwi Ngati Hei. Reporting to the directors is a project executive, project manager, key stakeholders and key users. This structure is based on the council project management system Prince2.

Project Board meetings are held regularly and a representative from the Hahei Stakeholders and Ratepayers Group and the Chair of the Mercury Bay Community Board are invited to all these meetings and have speaking rights.

Other stakeholders will be brought if needed as the project develops.

The Project Board Governance Model was one of two decisions relating to council's Coromandel Great Walks Project.

To learn more visit the Thames-Coromandel District Council's Coromandel Great Walks Project webpage.