Whakatane District Council has approved the reappointment of the Eastern Bay District Licensing Committee for a further four years.

The Licensing Committee is a shared committee of the Kawerau, Opotiki and Whakatane Councils, set up under the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012 to make decisions on liquor licence applications and manager certificates, and all three Councils make independent decisions on the membership of the committee.

The last appointment was made in December 2013, for a four-year period. Current members of the committee are commissioner Russell Orr, deputy commissioner Jenny Mahoney, Russell Chase, Anita Moore, Shona Browne, Memory Mio and Michelle Heath.

The commissioner makes many decisions under delegated authority, but should hearings be required, three members of the committee are involved.

Planning, regulatory and corporate services general manager David Bewley says the District Licensing Committee is currently working well 'under the leadership of an experienced and knowledgeable Commissioner” and there is no reason to suggest it should be modified in terms of structure, function or composition.

'Given the experience of current members, there are few risks in reappointing the current list members and providing the required delegation.”

The reappointed District Licensing Committee's new term will commence on December 18, subject to approval by the Kawerau and Opotiki District Councils, and continue until December 18, 2021.