Palmerston North City Council

Palmerston North City Council

Te Kaunihera o Papaioea
Palmerston North coat of arms
Coat of arms
Palmerston North City Council brand logo
Brand logo
Type
Type
Term limits
None
History
Established1 November 1989 (1989-11-01); 36 years ago
Preceded byPalmerston North City Council
New session started
18 October 2025
Leadership
Grant Smith[1], Ind.
since 12 February 2015
Deputy mayor
Debi Marshall-Lobb, TPM
since 26 October 2022
Waid Crockett
since 7 November 2022
Structure
Seats16 (including mayor)
Graph of the party split among 16 seats.
Political groups
  •   Independent (12)
  •   Green (2)
  •   Labour (1)
  •   Te Pāti Māori (1)
Elections
Single transferable vote
First election
14 October 1989
Last election
11 October 2025
Next election
14 October 2028
Motto
Palmam qui meruit ferat
("Let him, who has earned it, bear the palm")
Meeting place
Palmerston North civic administration building
32 The Square
Website
pncc.govt.nz

Palmerston North City Council (abbr. PNCC; Māori: Te Kaunihera o Papaioea) is the territorial authority for the city of Palmerston North, New Zealand. It serves as the city's local government alongside Horizons Regional Council as the regional council.

A borough council for the area was formed in 1877, and was granted city status in 1930. Following the 1989 reforms to local government, that city council was dissolved and the current authority established.

The governing body of the council has 15 councillors and is chaired by the mayor of Palmerston North (currently Grant Smith since February 2015).

History

Predecessors

Local government in Palmerston North began with the formation of a town board and a local board within Wellington Province in 1876,.[2] When the provinces were dissolved in 1876, Palmerston North became part of the newly established Manawatū County.

An independent borough council for Palmerston North was proclaimed on 12 July 1877, splitting from Manawatū County.[3] The first borough council consisted of nine councillors, and George Matthew Snelson was elected unopposed to be the first Mayor of Palmerston North on 9 August 1877.[2]

It went on to be raised to city-status on 11 August 1930,[3] becoming New Zealand's 7th city.[4]

The boundaries of the city went on to be expanded to include parts of Awapuni (in April 1953),[5] Highbury (in April 1961), and Amberley, Aokautere, Kelvin Grove, Milson and further parts of Awapuni (in September 1967).[6]

1989 reforms

Following the local government reforms of 1989, the city council's boundaries were again extended to include Ashhurst, Linton and Turitea through amalgamation of parts of the former Kairanga County, Oroua County and Ashhurst Town Council.[7][8]

Expansion since 1989

On 1 July 2012, Bunnythorpe, Longburn, part of the area around Kairanga and an area around Ashhurst were transferred from the Manawatū District to Palmerston North City.[9][10]

Composition

The elected mayor and councillors provide governance for the city by setting the policy direction of the council, monitoring its performance, representing the city's interests, and employing the Chief Executive.

Mayor

One mayor is elected at-large; they chair meetings of the governing body and act as the head of local government in the district.

Current composition

The current members of the governing body of council are:[11][12]

Role Portrait Name Affiliation Ward
Mayor Grant Smith Independent At-large
Deputy Debi Marshall-Lobb Te Pāti Māori Te Pūao
Councillor Bonnie Kuru Independent Te Pūao
Councillor Billy Meehan Independent Te Hirawanui
Councillor Brent Barrett Green Te Hirawanui
Councillor Hayden Fitzgerald Independent Te Hirawanui
Councillor Karen Naylor Independent Te Hirawanui
Councillor Kaydee Zabelin Green Te Hirawanui
Councillor Leonie Hapeta Independent Te Hirawanui
Councillor Lew Findlay Independent Te Hirawanui
Councillor Lorna Johnson Labour Te Hirawanui
Councillor Mark Arnott Independent Te Hirawanui
Councillor Orphée Mickalad Independent Te Hirawanui
Councillor Rachel Bowen Independent Te Hirawanui
Councillor Vaughan Dennison Independent Te Hirawanui
Councillor William Wood Independent Te Hirawanui

Wards

In 2017 the council voted to create a Māori ward, but the decision was overturned by a city-wide referendum in May 2018.[13]

In 2021, Palmerston North City Council again voted to establish a Māori ward following the passing of the Local Electoral (Māori Wards and Māori Constituencies) Amendment Act 2021.[14]

Elections

The local elections of 1962 returned the first woman and first Māori councillors to the city council.[6]

List

Council

  • 1989
  • 1992
  • 1995
  • 1998
  • 2001
  • 2004
  • 2007
  • 2010
  • 2013
  • (2015)
  • 2016
  • 2019
  • 2022
  • 2025

Mayoral

  • 1989
  • 1992
  • 1995
  • 1998
  • 2001
  • 2004
  • 2007
  • 2010
  • 2013
  • (2015)
  • 2016
  • 2019
  • 2022
  • 2025

Civic symbols

Coat of arms

Palmerston North City Council was granted an official coat of arms in 1989,[15][16] incorporating elements of the council's previous unofficial coat of arms which had been in use since 1885. The arms contain several visual puns on the name of the city. A description of the arms is:[17][18]

Coat of arms of Palmerston North
Crest
On top of a mural crown, the crest is a red lion passant with blue tongue and claws holding a scallop shell (taken from the badge of a palmer) in its right paw, framed by palm fronds.
Escutcheon
The shield of the coat of arms of Palmerston North is gold on the left and blue on the right and having a bordure which is blue on the left and gold on the right. On the left side of the shield is a blue eagle with its wings displayed, having a red tongue and claws, and wearing a gold crown. On the right side of the shield is a gold tower.
Supporters
For supporters, on the left side is a Māori chief (modelled on Te Peeti Te Aweawe)[19] representing the tangata whenua and on the right is a European woman in early to mid-19th Century domestic working dress representing the European settlers.[20]
Motto
Palmam qui meruit ferat ("Let him, who has earned it, bear the palm") (the motto of Lord Nelson)

Flag

Flag of Palmerston North

The flag of the Palmerston North City Council consists of the coat of arms on a white field. There have been suggestions to change the flag to better represent the city.[21]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "2025 local elections results". Palmerston North City Council. Retrieved 17 October 2025.
  2. 1 2 "1870s". pncc.govt.nz. Palmerston North City Council. Archived from the original on 23 June 2016. Retrieved 21 August 2024.
  3. 1 2 McLintock, A. H.; Bailey, Susan. "PALMERSTON NORTH". teara.govt.nz. An Encyclopaedia of New Zealand. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
  4. ↑ "1930s". pncc.govt.nz. Palmerston North City Council. Archived from the original on 19 April 2016. Retrieved 21 August 2024.
  5. ↑ "1950s". pncc.govt.nz. Palmerston North City Council. Archived from the original on 20 April 2016. Retrieved 21 August 2024.
  6. 1 2 "1960s". pncc.govt.nz. Archived from the original on 19 April 2016. Retrieved 21 August 2024.
  7. ↑ "Palmerston North City Council". archivescentral.org.nz. Archives Central. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
  8. ↑ McKinnon, Malcolm. "Manawatū and Horowhenua region – Government". teara.govt.nz. Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
  9. ↑ "Local Government (Manawatu District and Palmerston North City) Boundary Alteration Order 2012". gazette.govt.nz. New Zealand Gazette. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
  10. ↑ "City takes 1100 properties". Manawatu Standard. Stuff. 4 May 2012. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
  11. ↑ "Elected members". www.pncc.govt.nz. Palmerston North City Council. Retrieved 25 February 2026.
  12. ↑ "Declaration of results of election and poll". www.pncc.govt.nz. Palmerston North City Council. Retrieved 25 February 2026.
  13. ↑ Lawrence, Kirsty (20 May 2018). "Palmerston North mayor disappointed Māori wards rejected". Manawatu Standard. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
  14. ↑ "Māori wards". www.pncc.govt.nz. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
  15. ↑ ""Armorial Bearings of the city of Palmerston North"". manawatuheritage.pncc.govt.nz. Palmerston North City Library. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
  16. ↑ "Coat of Arms Grant". archivescentral.org.nz. Archives Central. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
  17. ↑ "Arms (crest) of Palmerston North". www.heraldry-wiki.com. Heraldry of the World. 9 March 2020. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
  18. ↑ Rankin, Janine (9 March 2023). "Mystery surrounds how a symbolic woman lost her boot". www.stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
  19. ↑ "CULTURE & SPORT COMMITTEE MEETING" (PDF). palmerstonnorth.infocouncil.biz. 13 September 2023. pp. 19–21. Retrieved 3 November 2024.
  20. ↑ "CULTURE & SPORT COMMITTEE MEETING" (PDF). palmerstonnorth.infocouncil.biz. Palmerston North City Council. 8 March 2023. p. 9. Retrieved 3 November 2024.
  21. ↑ Rankin, Janine. "Palmerston North could adopt green and white theme for a flag". www.stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
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