WESCT consists of six Trustees. The next election that all beneficiaries can vote in will be in March 2025.
For three (3) Trustees March 2025.
The Trustees whose term ceases on 31 March 2025 are Cathy Prendergast of Arohena, Erin Wirihana of Te Kūiti, and Guy Whitaker of Te Kūiti. Beneficiaries will elect three Trustees by a combination of postal and electronic voting. The Trustees elected to these positions have a term of 1 April 2025 to 30 of September 2028.
For three (3) Trustees September 2026.
The Trustees whose term ceases on 30 September 2026 are Janette Osborne of Waitomo, William Oliver of Te Kūiti, and Yvette Ronaldson of Aria. The Trustees elected to these positions have a term of 1 October 2026 to 30 September 2030.
Election Dates
- The next election date for three Trustees is March 2025.
- The following election date for three Trustees is September 2026.
Trustee Eligibility
Rule 9 of Schedule 1 of the Trust Deed lists the following eligibility criteria for WESCT trustees:
9. Cessation of Trusteeship
A Trustee shall cease to hold office if such Trustee:
- has served for the term prescribed herein as a Trustee, provided however that at each election a Trustee may seek re-election.
- by notice in writing to the secretary of the Trust or if there is no secretary to the then chairperson, resigns his or her office.
- becomes mentally incapable.
- becomes bankrupt or enters into a composition or assignment for the benefit of his or her creditors.
- is absent without leave from three consecutive ordinary meetings of the Trustees.
- is convicted of any indictable offence.
- is employed by the Company. Note: ‘The Company’ in this case is the Lines Company Ltd. Any staff or directors of the Lines Company Ltd would need to resign from their employment or director positions before taking up a Trustee position with the Waitomo Energy Services Customer Trust.
Section 25 of the Local Electoral Act 2001 states:
25. Candidate qualifications
- Every parliamentary elector is qualified to be a candidate at every election to be held under this Act if that person is a New Zealand citizen.
- This section is subject to section 58.
Section 96 of the Trusts Act 2019 states:
96. Who may be appointed as trustee
- Any person may be appointed as a trustee of a trust unless the person is disqualified.
- The following persons are disqualified from being appointed as a trustee:
a. a child:
b. an undischarged bankrupt:
c. a person who lacks the capacity to perform the functions of a trustee:
d. a body corporate that is subject to an insolvency event. - Despite subsection (2)(b), an undischarged bankrupt may be appointed as a trustee with the consent of the court.
- For the purposes of subsection (2)(c), and without limiting that paragraph, a person lacks the capacity to perform the functions of a trustee if the person—
a. is subject to an order appointing a manager under section 31 of the Protection of Personal and Property Rights Act 1988; or
b. has a trustee corporation managing the person’s property under section 32 or 33 of that Act.