Eastern Bay Energy Trust – planning for the future

Working more collaboratively with other funding bodies; strengthening its relationship with Horizon Energy; investigating future technologies; and reviewing investments were just some of the topics covered by the board of Eastern Bay Energy Trust in a wide-ranging strategic planning day held last week (Thursday 27 October 2016).

Manager Rawinia Kamau says the Trust puts the highest importance on planning as a mechanism to achieve its obligations to the community.  “The strategic plan ‘sets the scene’ and in part is the way Trustees communicate their expectations of the staff.  I follow through with an operational plan that achieves the high level goals that the Trustees set.”

We engage an external facilitator to work with us to ensure that the Trust is clear in its direction and have worked with Phil Baldey in that role for a number of years.”

“Strategic planning starts five months out from the end of the current financial year, which enables the Trustees to reflect on how the preceding seven months has run, and to identify areas needing attention for the rest of the year, as well as what the future may hold,” Mr Baldey explains.

He says that in addition to reviewing its suite of strategic planning documents, Trustees look at funding distribution, changing need within the community, communication, and compliance with the Trust Deed.

Eastern Bay Energy Trust acting chairman David Bulley says Trustees ‘covered a lot of ground and enjoyed an energetic discussion’ during the planning workshop.

“It’s very healthy for an organisation to take a good hard look at what’s working and what might not be working and to set goals to achieve identified outcomes.  It’s even more important for an organisation like ours that manages a large fund of money for the long-term benefit of our community.”

“Our new funding distribution mechanism was developed through our strategic planning last year and has proved highly effective in directing support to the community.  The planning session provided us with an opportunity to review how effective the new distribution streams worked and we re-affirmed that we will continue with the same approach moving forward. We also discussed the positive developments resulting from our full ownership of Horizon Energy. “

The strategic planning workshop followed on from the business of the Trust’s October meeting.  A list of the grants approved is as follows:

  • Hahuru Marae ($40,000 for a walk-in chiller and oven);

  • Edgecumbe Development & Improvement Team ($17,359.39 for display lighting, equipment and electrical supply);

  • Woodlands School ($10,465.00 towards the installation of a pool heating system);

  • Quota International of Whakatane ($996.70 for the purchase of a portable PA system);

  • Probus Whakatane Central ($3,234.50 for the purchase of a sound system, projector and screen);

  • Opotiki District Council ($7,077.00 for Christmas lighting and $4,500.00 towards sound and lighting system hire for the 2017 Lantern Festival);

  • Te Parahia Trust ($4,500.00 towards Whakatane Christmas in the Park 2016);

  • Rotary International District 9930 ($4,500.00 towards sound, video and lighting system hire for the 2017 District 9930 Conference being held in Whakatane);

  • Eastern Bay Primary Health Alliance ($1,302.03 towards sound and lighting system hire for a Kawerau event).

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