The receipt of a review into progress on governance issues at Invercargill City Council, which was due this week, has been postponed.

The Council’s six-month review of progress to address governance issues raised in the Thomson Report was due to be received by Councillors in a Risk and Assurance Committee meeting on Thursday 19 August, but has been delayed because of a nationwide COVID-19 Alert Level 4 lockdown.

The review will consider the steps the council has taken to address governance matters raised in late 2020 in response to concerns raised by the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA).

Council unanimously adopted the findings of the Thomson Report and an Action Plan to address the issues raised in November last year.

Bruce Robertson, Risk and Assurance Committee Chair and governance advisor to Council, said the uncertainty around the COVID-19 lockdown period had impacted the timing around the Thomson review report.

“Until we know more about the situation with COVID-19, it is more appropriate to postpone the receipt of the report,” Mr Robertson said.

“This is one of those times when an in-person meeting is preferable.”

Mr Robertson said it was hoped an alternative time, subject to people’s availability, could be found in the near future to meet and discuss the review report’s findings.

“We continue to stay abreast of the COVID-19 situation and we will reevaluate when we have more information.”

The review has been undertaken by Richard Thomson, author of the original report, and will assess progress to date on the Council’s Action Plan, comments on the progress and recommendations going forward.

For more information on the Governance Review, visit icc.govt.nz/governancereview