Council boss role made permanent
By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter
Jeff Millward is ‘‘pretty rapt’’ to make the chief executive role permanent.
Millward has been the Waimakariri District Council’s acting chief executive for the past 10 months and has been confirmed as the new boss.
‘‘The last 10 months have given me a really good insight into the role,’’ he said.
‘‘I’ve acted in the past, so I put my hand up this time and went for it.’’
He said the last 10 months had been a challenging time with Covid, high inflation and staff recruitment challenges.
Millward now has one major appointment to make - finding a new finance and business support manager, a role he has filled for 14 years.
He has been with the council for 38 years.
‘‘It is really good to represent the community and the council I have worked for, for the last 38 years.’’
Mayor Dan Gordon said Millward stood out among ‘‘a range of exceptional applicants’’.
‘‘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. Jeff 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.’’
Poll: Should drivers retake the theory test every 10 years?
Drivers get where they need to go, but sometimes it seems that we are all abiding by different road rules (for example, the varying ways drivers indicate around a roundabout).
Do you think drivers should be required to take a quick driving theory test every 10 years?
Vote in the poll and share any road rules that you've seen bent! 😱
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48.1% Yes
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50% No
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1.9% Other - I'll share below
Here's Thursday's thinker!
I am lighter than air, but a hundred people cannot lift me. What am I?
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Hero
“I was born and raised in war. To be honest, those are not good memories.
I really like Iran, and I really miss it, but I couldn’t be myself there. Even though my family didn’t like my decision, I left Iran. I promised myself that I would do whatever I can for all communities, especially for the kids, so they do not have the same experience I had.
I studied software engineering in Iran and left in 2006. I went to Malaysia and stayed in Kuala Lumpur for seven years. I was admitted to Lincoln University to do my PhD here, but unfortunately, I couldn’t afford the expenses. I requested a scholarship, but they told me I had to be there for six months first. So, I stayed in Malaysia and did my PhD in network security. In December 2013, I came to New Zealand with a work visa.
It took me a while to connect with the Iranian community here. I volunteered with the Multicultural Council, SPCA, and community patrol, and I established the Christchurch Iranian Society in 2017. Before that, I started working on Radio Toranj, the only Farsi-language radio show in New Zealand.
One of the reasons I started organizing cultural events was to showcase Iranian culture. I wanted to show people that we have delicious food, colorful dresses, traditional customs, and our own instruments. My hope was to show people that we are not what you see in the media.
I am working to involve all the communities that celebrate Nowruz, the Persian New Year, in the Nowruz festival in March 2025. We want to share this celebration not only with our community but with the public as well. It’s better when it’s shared.
I remember the first time someone from Dunedin called me and asked, Hero, can you help? Something happened, and they keep declining Iranian visa applications. When I heard that, I felt insulted. We are still human, so how can they do that?
Through this journey, I’ve learned a lot. Every single day, people with different cases call me, and I try to share my knowledge and guide them as much as I can.
I have received several awards, including the Christchurch Civic Award and an Award of Recognition for my contributions to the community during the pandemic. In 2021, I established Canterbury Kia Ora Academy, a charitable trust. Through this charity, I can help other communities as well, not just the Iranian community.”
- Hero
View more stories, or nominate someone: @humansofchch
www.humansofchch.org......
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