The Bay of Plenty Regional Council has decided not to seek leave to appeal the Court of Appeal’s decision on the relocation of the Council’s head office.

Council considered at its meeting yesterday the option of appealing the latest decision to the Supreme Court as the window of opportunity to seek leave expires on Tuesday August 31.

Earlier this month, the Court of Appeal upheld the appeal by Whakatane District Council of the High Court decision allowing the Regional Council to relocate its head office from Whakatane to Tauranga.

Council has also decided that any further decision on this matter will be held over to the first practicable meeting of the new Council following the upcoming Local Government Elections, which will be held on Saturday October 9.

Until then, Council staff have been asked to gather information and seek legal advice for the report to be presented to the new Council on the options available to resolve the head office location matter.

Legal opinions received have indicated that the Regional Council must resolve this issue and that it cannot be left on the table.

Bay of Plenty Regional Council chair John Cronin said Council would take its time to consider and clarify its options.
Council’s vote at yesterday’s meeting on this matter was to pass the resolutions fully and without dissent.

Council’s decision and the Court of Appeal’s decision will not result in any staff being relocated from Tauranga to Whakatane, as previously Council had determined that it needed to build capacity in the Western Bay of Plenty.