Tararua council boss stepping down

Wednesday, 14 May 2025

Tararua District Council chief executive Bryan Nicholson has resigned to take up a new post in Australia.

Nicholson will finish in August after five years in the role to become general manager at King Island Council in Australia. King Island lies in the Bass Strait, between Tasmania and Victoria.

The Tararua council in March announced it had extended Nicholson’s contract until November 2027.

Mayor Tracey Collis said she regretfully accepted Nicholson’s resignation at the beginning of this week.

“During Bryan’s time as chief executive, the Tararua community has weathered more than our fair share of challenges. Through these challenges we have grown stronger as a council and this is a testament to Bryan’s leadership.”

After a tenure that included the Covid-19 pandemic, Cyclone Gabrielle, and significant government reform, including two successive water services delivery options, Nicholson said now felt like the right time to move on.

“It will be a new challenge for me in a completely different environment, one that I know my role with Tararua District Council has prepared me well for.

“Tararua District Council is in a far stronger position than we were five years ago thanks to the hurdles we have overcome together. Nowhere has this been truer than with our partnership with iwi which has flourished through both Covid and Cyclone Gabrielle, treaty settlements and a Crown apology.”

He said the council had developed strategies to plan for the future, better understand its assets and build a team dedicated to serving the community.

“Our one-team approach has been key to delivering these significant outcomes; fostering collaboration and resilience across the organisation.

“I am deeply proud to have worked alongside such a dedicated team, and I am confident that the organisation is well placed for continued success.”

Collis said she was pleased Nicholson would remain in the job while they planned for his replacement.