Mayor, Community Board chair to Le Quesnoy

Waipā mayor Susan O’Regan and Cambridge Community Board Chair Jo Davies-Colley will represent the district at the opening of the New Zealand War Memorial Museum and Visitor Centre in France in October.

Council approved travel today for both officials, authorising staff to book economy class air travel as soon as an opening date is confirmed.

The Museum and Visitor Centre is based in Le Quesnoy which has been a Sister City to Cambridge for the last 23 years. The Sister City link has its foundation in the liberation of the French town by New Zealand troops on 4 November, 1918. The relationship is actively nurtured by the Cambridge Le Quesnoy Friendship Association and the Le Quesnoy Sister City Working Group of the Cambridge Community Board.

In 2018, Council granted $150,000 towards the building of the Museum and Visitor Centre, the only centre in Europe sharing stories of New Zealand’s participation in both World Wars.

In a report to today’s Council meeting, staff advised there was an expectation from Le Quesnoy officials as well as the New Zealand Memorial Museum Trust, that Waipā officials attend the opening.

Travel costs will only be covered for the mayor and Community Board chair. Any other Waipā elected members who wish to attend must pay their own costs.