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Council-controlled organisations

A Council-controlled organisation (CCO) is an organisation in which the council controls 50% or more of the votes or has the right to appoint 50% or more of the directors or trustees.

Council and its CCOs work in partnership to successfully deliver quality outcomes for our community and contribute to Tauranga Moana becoming a vibrant city that attracts businesses, people and visitors, is well planned, connected and inclusive.    

Our CCOs deliver a range of great offerings for Tauranga’s residents and visitors, including leisure, aquatic, arts, events and cultural activities. 

The benefits of CCOs include:

  • Independently managing Council initiatives and facilities.
  • Providing business and community expertise that Council may not have in-house. 
  • Being able to focus on achieving the best outcome for their particular organisation, rather than focusing on the many activities of a council.
  • Attracting some of their funding from sources other than rates. 

Applications open for the Aspiring Directors Programme 

Applications for the fourth intake of Tauranga City Council’s Aspiring Directors Programme for its Council-Controlled Organisations (CCOs) is now open.

The programme aims to expand the number of people with governance experience while enhancing the diversity and depth of the governance talent pool available to organisations in Tauranga and the Bay of Plenty region. 

This is a valuable opportunity for aspiring directors to gain hands-on governance experience by interning with one of the following CCOs:

  • Bay Venues Limited – Guardian of over 20 community facilities in Tauranga Moana, including Mercury Baypark and the University of Waikato Adams Centre for High Performance.
  • Tourism Bay of Plenty – Jointly owned by Western Bay of Plenty District Council, this organisation leads the sustainable growth of the visitor economy across the coastal Bay of Plenty.

For further information about the Aspiring Directors Programme, please download the full job ad. 

Aspiring Directors Programme job advert (184kb pdf)

Non-disclosure and conflict of interest declaration form (55kb pdf) Please sign and email to Council - instructions in the job ad.

Applications close at 10am on 24 October 2025. 

Interviews will be held in Tauranga on 11 and 13 November 2025. 
 

Council cover reports

2025

2024

Resources

Latest news

New Tauranga Art Gallery Trust and Tourism Bay of Plenty board trustees appointed

Tauranga City Council is pleased to announce it has made new appointments to the Tauranga Art Gallery Trust (TAGT) and Tourism Bay of Plenty (TBOP) boards.

Passionate contemporary visual arts leader, Zara Stanhope, has been appointed to the TAGT board, and respected local mana whenua representative, Charlie Rahiri, has been appointed to the TBOP board, with approval from Western Bay of Plenty District Council, as a joint TBOP shareholder.

City Development & Partnerships General Manager, Gareth Wallis, says Zara and Charlie bring with them a wealth of expertise and experience to the council-controlled organisations (CCOs), and will help ensure both boards continue to deliver great community outcomes, events, and activities for Tauranga locals and visitors.

“I’d like to acknowledge the mahi from our current council-controlled organisation board members and welcome the new trustees for Tauranga Art Gallery Trust and Tourism Bay of Plenty. We’re delighted to have such high calibre, respected, and experienced people joining these boards,” says Gareth

“It strengthens what is already a great platform for decision making and shaping an engaging, inclusive, and vibrant city full of opportunities for everyone to enjoy.”

About the new trustee members

Zara Stanhope

Zara Stanhope

Currently Director of the Govett-Brewster Art Gallery | Len Lye Centre in Ngāmotu, Zara has served as an aspiring trustee on the Tauranga Art Gallery Trust board since 2021 and comes strongly endorsed by the current board for her contributions to date. Zara has an extensive career history in the local, national, and international art and academia realms. She holds a PhD plus tertiary and postgraduate qualifications in art history, accounting, and communications.

Charlie Rahiri

Charlie Rahiri

Endorsed by Te Rangapū Mana Whenua O Tauranga Moana Committee, Tourism Bay of Plenty is pleased to now have mana whenua representation on their board. This will improve decision making at governance level, by enabling tangata whenua participation and improving relationships with mana whenua across Tauranga Moana. Charlie holds qualifications in Te Reo Māori, leadership, Māori mentoring, communications and health promotion, and has a wealth of governance experience as a Chair, trustee, and committee member. Charlie has a notable career history in advisory and management roles, particularly in Māori development, partnerships, and education.

The Tauranga Art Gallery Trust is a council-controlled organisation of Tauranga City Council, and Tourism Bay of Plenty is a joint council-controlled organisation with Western Bay of Plenty District Council. The new appointments commenced from Thursday, 1 and Friday,16 December 2022 respectively, for a three-year term.

For more information about CCOs, please visit Council Controlled Organisations.

Posted: Jan 19, 2023,

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