Did you know Mayor Holdom has signed New Plymouth up for a group called the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy ?
We see our Mayor Neil Holdom, and the NPDC, belong to a group called the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy. (GCoM)
Neil and 5 other Mayors in NZ have signed up for this international group. There are 67 Councils in NZ.
We’ve attached a link to the website for this group. Also attached are 2 links to a Bio Page about Mayor Holdom, and the New Plymouth page, on the GCoM website.
And an Urban Transitions chart put out by the Global Covenant of Mayors is attached as a photo (to the right).
We came across New Plymouth with the Global Covenant of Mayors sort of accidentally. We see there were a few short news items on Stuff about the GCoM back in 2019, but it is a group we didn’t know about as the Alliance until fairly recently. We suspect many other ratepayers and renters in New Plymouth will be the same.
- We’ve had a look at the NPDC website Climate Change page – no mention of the GCoM’s.
- There is an Emissions Reduction Plan 2023 document on the NPDC Climate Change page – no mention of GCoM.
- We’ve had a look at the 2022 Long Term Plan – with the Climate and Adaptation section to consult on – no mention of the GCoM’s.
We see on Neil’s GCoM page he has committed the people of New Plymouth to undertaking 9 “badges”. 4 of these badges have been completed. That would leave us another 5 “badges” to go.
There is very sketchy information on Neil’s GCoM page to tell us what a “badge” is, or what all the 9 “badges” for New Plymouth are.
These are “badges” for Climate and Energy. There is a box on the New Plymouth GCoM page with 3 headings and a couple of lines on a chart. There is no actual detail of what is planned for us in New Plymouth, or detail of what has been completed.
This made us wonder is the Devon Street West to Morley Street Cycleway one of those badges ?
Are the traffic changes at New Plymouth Girls High another one of those badges ?
When the majority of feedback was against these traffic changes right from the start, and this was totally ignored by the NPDC, was this because these traffic changes had been committed as some sort of “badge” to an international organisation ?
When Neil Holdom signed NPDC up for this Global Covenant of Mayors why did he not tell the people of New Plymouth what he had committed us to ?
If he was proud of what he had undertaken on our behalf:
- Why wasn’t this front and centre on the NPDC Website and Facebook pages ?
- Why wasn’t this a feature article in the newsletter that comes out with the rates bills ?
- Why wasn’t there regular updates as each "badge" was being completed ?
Why didn’t Neil Holdom proudly tell us what he was doing on behalf of the people of New Plymouth ? Why was this a secret ?
Who else at the NPDC knows 9 “badges” are being implemented for New Plymouth as part of the Global Covenant of Mayors ?
We have written to all the Councillors and the Executive Management team to ask them. We’ll let you know what we hear back.
We’ve also written to Mayor Holdom and asked him what the 9 “badges” are and what the 4 completed ones are. We’ll let you know if we get more details about this.
The biggest thing about this situation:
Can you trust someone who is your Mayor if they belong to an organisation you know nothing about ? And as part of belonging, they are implementing actions on your behalf as ratepayers, but you have no idea what those actions are ?
Where is the transparency ?
Are these the characteristics the people of New Plymouth are looking for in their Mayor ?
- So many of our community are asking why aren’t our council listening to us ?
- Why does our council charge on implementing things we don’t want or don’t support ?
Is it because commitments have been made that the community hasn’t been told about ?
Would you like to contact Mayor Holdom and ask him what these badges are and why YOU didn’t know about them ? E-mail:
Please share this story far and wide.
Do the people of New Plymouth want to belong to an organisation they have never heard of, and have decisions made for them they know nothing about ?
Links to the New Plymouth Pages on GCoM
https://www.globalcovenantofmayors.org/cities/oceania/new-zealand/new-plymouth/
https://www.gcom-oceania.org/members/new-plymouth
Link to the GCoM’s website
Posted: Sun 13 Apr 2025