Neil has served the Rotorua District as both a Rotorua District Councillor for 15 years and now 9 years as a BOP Regional Councillor. Throughout this time Neil has been actively involved in the cleanup of Rotorua's lakes. He is presently a BOPRC appointee on the Rotorua Te Arawa Lakes Strategy Group and was an RDC appointee on its predecessor. He has held positions as Chairman of RDC’s Finance Committee, BOPRC’s Operations and Regulations Committee and the Special Projects Committee set up to address Rotorua lake issues. Neil chaired the Lake Okareka Action Plan Committee and was a BOPRC appointee on the Lake Tarawera Action Plan Committee. Presently he is the BOPRC appointee on the Rotorua catchment Stakeholders Advisory Group.