Otago Peninsula Community Board
MINUTES
Minutes of an ordinary meeting of the Otago Peninsula Community Board held in the Portobello Bowling Club, Sherwood Street, Portobello on Tuesday 16 June 2026, commencing at 06:30 p.m.
PRESENT
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Chairperson |
Paul Pope |
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Deputy Chairperson |
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Members |
Stacey Kokaua-Balfour |
Cheryl Neill |
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Hugh O'Neill |
Emma Strybosch |
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Cr Mickey Treadwell |
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Governance Support Officer Lauren Riddle
1 welcome
Paul Pope welcomed the OPCB Youth Scholarship Award 2025-26 finalists to the meeting for the Board to consider their presentations and award the scholarship.
Stacey Kokaua-Balfour spoke of the high standard of the applications received for the 2025-26 year and how proud the Board were of the calibre of the young people residing on the Otago Peninsula.
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Moved (Paul Pope/Cr Mickey Treadwell): That the Board: Accepts the apology from Hoani Langsbury for absence.
Motion carried (OPCB/2026/041) |
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Moved (Chairperson Paul Pope/Cr Mickey Treadwell): That the Board:
Confirms the agenda without addition or alteration.
Motion carried (OPCB/2026/042) |
Members were reminded of the need to stand aside from decision-making when a conflict arose between their role as an elected representative and any private or other external interest they might have.
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Liesel Tolson the Academic Youth Scholarship Award winner from the 2024-2025 year spoke to her experiences over the past year, supported by the funding received from the award.
Liesel spoke of her time rowing for the Dunstan Club over the 2025/26 summer period, to continue with her six year passion for rowing. She advised the club went to the South Island championships and competed in the finals at the nationals.
She advised the scholarship was used to contribute to her university costs together with other scholarships received from as NCEA and the Otago and Canterbury universities. She is currently studying at the University of Otago for a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Management and Renewable Energy. She expressed her interest in geographic research, 3D mapping and surveying.
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5 Project Fund - Youth Scholarship Award 2025-2026 |
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The report provided information on OPCB Youth Scholarship Award for the 2025-2026 financial year. The balance in the Project Fund available for allocation for the current financial year (2025/2026) was confirmed as $1,000 for the Board’s annual Youth Scholarship Award. The finalists for consideration of the Award were confirmed as: Anika Biggin, Ciara Coffey, Alexander Hattrell and Samuel Moore. |
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Paul Pope presented each of the finalists with a Certificate of Achievement as a finalist for the 2025-2026 Youth Scholarship Award.
The Board acknowledged receipt of an apology from finalist Ciara Coffey who was unable to attend the finalists presentations to the Board.
Each of the finalists in attendance spoke in more detail about the reason for wanting the scholarship and responded to questions from the Board. A summary of the presentations and discussion with each finalist, as follows:
Anika Biggin Anika Biggin spoke of her desire to complete the King’s Scout Award, the highest youth honour in the Scouting movement across the Commonwealth. She shared her experiences through Scouting, her interest in completing an Outward Bound Course and her contributions to the local community through her volunteer work.
Alexander Hattrell Alex Hattrell spoke of his main focus of his life as single scull rowing and his desire to take the sport as far as he could, including competing at Commonwealth or Olympic level.
Alex spoke of his selection to the Rowing New Zealand National Under 19 development team, of which he was the only South Island representative. He advised he would use the scholarship to assist with his training and his fundraising to attend the 2026 International Rowing Challenge in Michigan, USA where teams from USA, Canada, Mexico, New Zealand and Australia would compete.
Samuel Moore Sam Moore spoke of his passion for climbing and his desire to attend as many National Indoor Bouldering events as he was able. He advised the Youth Nationals would be held in Hamilton in September 2026 and he would use the scholarship to support him attending the event, compete, network and learn new techniques. He advised he would like to work toward getting into the New Zealand team. He expressed his desire to explore the broader aspects of climbing.
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The Board adjourned the meeting at 7:35 p.m. to deliberate and returned at 7:55 p.m. |
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Stacey Kokaua-Balfour thanked each of the finalists for their attendance and the sharing of their passions and plans for the future.
Paul Pope as Chairperson spoke to the calibre of the finalists before them and that the Board considered they all had very bright futures ahead of them.
The Board also offered to provide the finalists with references from the Board if they desired.
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Moved (Chairperson Paul Pope/Cr Mickey Treadwell): That the Board:
a) Considers the finalists to the 2025-2026 Otago Peninsula Community Board Youth Scholarship Award. b) Awards the 2025-2026 Otago Peninsula Community Board Youth Scholarship Award to Alexander Hattrell Motion carried (OPCB/2026/043) |
The meeting concluded at 7:57 p.m.
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CHAIRPERSON