James gough

CHRISTCHURCH CITY COUNCILLOR

Now serving his fifth term as the City Councillor for the Fendalton Ward, James Gough brings a wealth of experience in governance, commercial strategy, and long-term investment thinking. Renowned for applying a business lens with a people focus, James is widely respected for his pragmatic, outcomes-driven approach.

James was first elected to the Community Board in 2007 and has served continuously since then. His time on Council has included a range of senior leadership roles — most recently as Portfolio Lead for Central City Revitalisation and Deputy Chair of the Chief Executive Performance and Employment Committee. He has also chaired the Development Forum, the Health, Safety & Wellbeing Committee, and the Strategy & Planning Committee. Throughout, James has been a consistent advocate for financial discipline, core service delivery, and the revitalisation of Christchurch’s central city.

Alongside his public role, James is a seasoned commercial director with strong private sector experience. He currently chairs Civic Building Ltd (the Council’s joint venture with Ngāi Tahu Property) and serves as a director of The Terrace Christchurch Ltd, Transwaste Canterbury Ltd, and Gough Corporation Ltd. He is also an independent director of Canterbury Rugby and Te Rūnanga o Waihao Holdings Ltd, and acts as an independent advisor to Development West Coast.

James previously served for over eight years as a director of Christchurch City Holdings Ltd - the Council’s $5 billion investment arm - and has held numerous governance roles across a diverse range of organisations. These include Chair of Venues Ōtautahi Ltd, board member of the Canterbury District Health Board and the Christchurch Central City Business Association, as well as a former director of Countrywide Residential Ltd, Aether Pacific Pharmaceuticals Ltd, and Canterbury Development Corporation Ltd.

James’s roots run deep in Christchurch. He served on the board of Gough Group Ltd - a major privately held machinery and transport business founded by his great-grandfather in 1929 - which held the Caterpillar dealership for New Zealand and employed over 1,000 staff across 50 locations in New Zealand and Australia.

In recognition of his contribution to governance in both the public and private sectors, James was awarded the status of Chartered Fellow by the New Zealand Institute of Directors in 2022.

Beyond the boardroom, James has contributed extensively to the community and charitable sectors, including fundraising and governance roles with organisations such as Keep Christchurch Beautiful Inc., the Bone Marrow Cancer Trust, the Diabetes Research Institute Trust, the MacLean Institute Trust, the Canterbury Earthquake Children’s Trust, and serves as Patron for the Christchurch North Community Patrol.

Grounded, forward-thinking, and deeply committed to Christchurch, James and his wife Jasmine raise their three young children in the city they love, which continually shapes his drive to help build a brighter, more resilient future for the next generation. He believes Christchurch’s best days are still to come - and remains focused on helping create a city where opportunity thrives, heritage is honoured, and communities are proud to call home.

bridget williams

DEPUTY CHAIR OF THE COMMUNITY BOARD

“Together we can nurture fresh development, respect tradition while embracing community compassion.”

Bridget has lived in Christchurch all her life and is a fifth generation Cantabrian.

This is her third term on the Fendalton-Waimairi-Harewood Community Board. After her work as President of the Student Volunteer Army, it was a natural step to apply her passion and commitment to the community by standing for the Community Board.

Bridget brings a mix of experience and enthusiasm, along with a legal background to the Board to continue making a positive change where it counts whether it's maximising creativity, encouraging local talent, or pushing your values into action.

Being one of the younger representatives she brings a youthful perspective complimented by three previous terms on the Board and her local knowledge.

David Cartwright

COMMUNITY BOARD MEMBER

This is David’s third term as a Fendalton Ward Community Board representative. He is the current Chair of the Fendalton-Waimairi-Harewood Community Board.

David is committed to his local community and those who live in it. The next few years will continue to be important for the development of Christchurch, and a strong community voice is needed to ensure we make the most of every opportunity.

He wants to see a straightforward and common-sense approach to the governance of Christchurch, with clear and open communication between all stakeholders. He believes we need to be able to do more with less

His background is in hospitality and general management and as a father of two teenage boys, he wants to see the best for our city now and in the future.

David’s community involvements combined with his other governance roles provides him with the opportunity to talk with people from a variety of organisations and interest groups; providing a broad perspective on what is happening across our city, and a sound base from which to advocate on different issues.