Another shake-up for Venture Timaru board

Thursday, 27 February 2025

Just two months after Timaru District councillor Allan Booth resigned from the board of the council-controlled economic and tourism agency, Venture Timaru, he has been reappointed.

In December, Booth told The Timaru Herald he had stood down from his role as a director, after more than five years on the board, as he had done his time.

Booth, who originally joined the board in November 2019, had been a council-appointed director. His resignation left five directors, chairperson Anthony Brien, Logan Hanifin, Tony Howey, Erin McNaught and Stacey Scott.

However, according to Companies Office records, Booth was reappointed to the role as of February 5 with records updated and his name added as a director on February 12.

His reappointment follows the resignation of former chairperson Anthony Brien.

On Wednesday, Brien told The Timaru Herald he had resigned effective January 31 as he had a new role which required him to be in Abu Dhabi from time-to-time and that started on February 1.

“In early January 2025, I accepted an Adjunct Professor position at a university in Abu Dhabi. This is an extension of my professional and permanent appointment at Lincoln University.

“… I reviewed my external commitments. As such, I believed that I could not give the necessary time commitment to Venture Timaru as is needed.”

Asked what he was most proud of in his four years on the board, Brien said it was the board’s focus on the future, and subsequent development of the 2050 strategy.

“This is a living strategy that will evolve over time and one which belongs to those who currently and in the future live in the Timaru District.”

He said the biggest challenge to that would be growing the population of the district.

“The Timaru District must grow its population if it is to remain a vibrant and sustainable district. This will involve attracting new businesses to the district who will bring new workers and their families.”

The Timaru District Council discussed the appointment of directors to Venture Timaru and Timaru District Holdings Ltd, and the associated directors’ fees, behind closed doors in the public excluded section of the general council meeting on December 10.

On February 11, The Timaru Herald asked whether the council had made any plans to recruit for directors for vacancies on either board and when it would advertise and fill these.

“A report will come to council on April 9 outlining our future plans for the vacancies on the VT and TDHL Boards,” the council’s group manager corporate and communications, Stephen Doran, replied.

In light of Brien’s resignation and the reappointment of Booth, the council was asked again to provide an update on Tuesday.

On Wednesday morning, Doran replied and said: “We’ve got a report to council coming to this for Tuesday’s meeting, we’ll be able to speak to you[r] points then.”