Jeff has just shy of four decades of experience in the local government sector and most recently has been Acting Chief Executive at the Council.

Before this he was the General Manager of Finance and Business Support for 14 years.

Waimakariri Mayor Dan Gordon said Mr Millward stood out amongst a range of  exceptional applicants and the Council are looking forward to officially welcoming him in his new role.

“Jeff stood out as someone who is diligent, strategic, focused and has a strong and genuine connection to the District, its people, and our Council. He was the unanimous choice.

“He believes in creating a strong team and working collaboratively on the problems facing the District and sector. While he has been renowned for his financial management, more recently, we have seen him demonstrate the breadth of his skillset as a leader.

“There is a lot of opportunity in Waimakariri and local government. Having a leader who knows the sector inside out is going to be important in realising this potential.

“The Council and I are excited to have selected Jeff and are looking forward to working with him in his new role that he starts immediately.”

Millward says he is looking forward to continuing to build strong partnerships across the community and playing a pivotal role in the ongoing growth of the District.

“Throughout my career I have seen how strong relationships are vital for an organisation and communities to be successful. I am looking forward to building on the relationships we have, creating new ones, and being a proud advocate for Waimakariri.

“There are challenges as well as great opportunities ahead for the District. I am proud to be leading a passionate team of people, who truly care about the community, in helping Waimakariri continue to be a great place to be.”

Waimakariri is one of only two councils nationwide with an AA rating from Local Government New Zealand’s excellence programme.

Standard and Poor’s also recently confirmed the councils AA/A-1+ credit rating.