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Ken Paterson, Chief Executive Officer of the Northland Regional Council, says as proposed, the Whangarei District Council, Northland Rugby Union and the Northland Chamber of Commerce have each nominated two people for the trust.  The seventh member of the yet-to-be-named trust has been nominated by the Northland Regional Council.

Mr Paterson says the trust’s proposed make-up and deed were specifically designed to ensure it qualified for charitable status and the Inland Revenue Department had recently confirmed that was the case.

The events centre concept has been devised by the Northland Rugby Union (NRU), but is also being supported by the Northland Regional and Whangarei District Councils.

Four organisations have put forward seven names as proposed trustees;

• Businessman Shayne Heape and Surveyor Bryce Woodward (nominated by NRU)
• Businessman Bill Shepherd and Accountant Don Hewitt (nominated by WDC)
• Architect Phil Higham and Organisation Development Consultant Richard Engdahl (nominated by the Northland Chamber of Commerce)
• Lawyer Peter Macauley (nominated by NRC)

Mr Paterson says six of the seven nominees met with the Chief Executive Officers of the two Councils and the Rugby Union in Whangarei last night (Wednesday 02 May) to discuss the trust deed.

The Northland Regional Council has already agreed to fund a $13 million stake in the centre and the Whangarei District Council to contribute $2.5 million, with the intention that the trust will plan, build and manage the Okara Park-based facility.

However, proposed trustees have been told that funding is conditional on them putting together a proposal that meets three criteria:

• There will be no further funding burden on ratepayers either during the facility’s construction or during its ongoing operation
• The facility must be multi-use
• It must be independently managed

Mr Paterson says the appointment of the seven is expected to be confirmed on Monday 14 May when the two Councils, the Rugby Union and the nominees are scheduled to meet again.

Mr Paterson says assuming the trustees meet the funding criteria, it will be up to them to lead the project, including a timetable for the events centre’s construction.