Executive management
Meet the Council's Executive Management team.
Chief Executive
Darren Edwards
Our Chief Executive is the principal administrative officer of the Kāpiti Coast District Council, solely responsible to the elected members for managing Council's affairs and all policy advice.
Darren started in this role in October 2022. He brings over 30 years' experience across the public sector in both central and local government, with more than seven years in senior leadership roles in local government.
Six group managers report directly to the Chief Executive; they're responsible for the successful management of the activities in their areas.
Group Manager – People and Partnerships
Janice McDougall
The People and Partnerships Group is tasked with keeping people at the heart of Council’s operations and does this through a collective of customer- and community-facing functions and internal advisory and support services.
The group is made up of five main teams:
- Iwi Partnerships
- Governance and Legal Services
- Communication and Engagement
- Customer Engagement
- Connected Communities.
Group Manager – Regulatory Services
James Jefferson
The Regulatory Services Group is responsible for animal control, building and resource consents, environmental health, liquor licensing and compliance monitoring of bylaws.
The group is made up of four teams: Customer and Business Support, Environmental Standards, Resource Consents and Compliance, and Building Control. These teams work collaboratively across our organisation and externally to provide effective regulatory functions that protect and enhance safe and healthy communities and a thriving Kāpiti environment.
Group Manager – Corporate Services
Mark de Haast
The Corporate Services Group is responsible for the Council’s financial management, digital infrastructure, corporate reporting and risk management across the organisation.
The Corporate Services whānau are focussed on delivering relevant, timely and fit-for-purpose tools and information to best support Council’s elected members, staff and key stakeholders. The group is made up of five teams: Finance, Business Improvement, Digital Solutions, Procurement, and Corporate Planning and Reporting.
Group Manager – Strategy and Growth
Kris Pervan
The Strategy and Growth Group is responsible for strategic oversight and advice around where the Kāpiti Coast is heading, including how it develops and grows into the future to meet community needs.
We also plan for and monitor our district's recovery from emergency events, including COVID-19, that affect the district to ensure resiliency and recovery through the short and medium term.
The Strategy and Growth Group includes the following nine functional areas:
- District Planning
- Housing
- Economic Development
- Property acquisitions and purchases
- Research and Policy
- Takutai Kapiti project (Coastal adaptation)
- Strategic Development (including developer facilitation)
- Strategy (including sourcing for external funding).
Acting Group Manager – Place and Space
Mike Mendonça
The Place and Space Group manages the Council’s key social and recreational assets, facilities and services that underpin the Kāpiti Coast District’s distinctive culture of active and passive wellbeing.
The Place and Space Group has five teams:
- Parks, Open Spaces and Environment
- Libraries and Cultural Services
- Property Facilities Maintenance
- Place and Space Marketing and Events
- Aquatics Facilities.
Group Manager – Infrastructure Services
Sean Mallon
The Infrastructure Services Group looks after the Council-owned assets across our district, including water, roading, stormwater and coastal assets, and wastewater and water treatment. It also includes the Operations team, and the water supply upgrading project.
The Infrastructure Services Group is made up of eight main teams:
- Water and Wastewater Assets
- Access and Transport
- Sustainability and Resilience
- Stormwater and Coastal Assets
- Wastewater and Water Treatment
- Operations
- Coastal Management
- Project Management Office.
