Council abandons advisory role

Tauranga City councillors are putting an end to Mayor Stuart Crosby's plans of hiring an executive officer claiming discussions are premature during annual plan proceedings.

In a statement council advise the advertised position for ‘executive officer-mayoral suite' will no longer proceed after applications for the position closed on April 11.

Tauranga City councillors have opposed Mayor Stuart Crosby's plans for an executive officer.

The job description for the position was set to provide high level advisory support services to Stuart and deputy mayor Kelvin Clout in relation to a wide variety of council matters, such as community engagement, relationship management, economic development and process excellence.

The job would also entail seeking to identify opportunities to enhance the profile of Tauranga City Council's Mayoral Suite and contribute to ensure the new city vision is successfully imbued within the community.

But behind closed doors councillors backtracked on the decision citing concerns about the timing and scope description of the position, during an annual plan budget process and before the upcoming ten year plan processes which will clarify if further resources are required.

Instead the new team will offer their skills and time to help Stuart with political duties he is unable to undertake because of time constraints.

Councillor Matt Cowley believes this is an appropriate and smart move from council given the new councillors are still finding their feet but the position will not be revisited by council in the future.

'We are a new council only six months in to it and fortunately the community have elected people with quite complimentary skill sets so we are still trying to find out where we fit in and where our strengths lie,” says Matt.

'We are going to wait for the 10 year plan to come out and as we develop our strategies we can help him out from there.”

Councillors do concede the current level of one full time and one part time administration positions to support the Stuart, Kelvin and chief executive Gary Poole and themselves will need to be reviewed by Gary and set at an appropriate level.

Stuart says he is encouraged by the willingness of councillors to offer more support to his role as mayor and it is indicative of a new culture amongst the new council to work as a team.

When the potential role was first announced last month it drew backlash from former councillor Murray Guy labelling the position as a "spin doctor and back watcher for the Mayor” at ratepayers' expense.

position as a spin doctor and back watcher for the Mayor at ratepayers' expense. - See more at: http://www.sunlive.co.nz/news/69214-mayor-spin-doctor-role-refuted.html#sthash.qR8IBqJz.dpuf

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9 comments

Wings Clipped???

Posted on 25-04-2014 12:41 | By FunandGames

It looks that at last we have a council who hold the mayor accountable and don't simply rubber stamp.


Does it take a spin doctor to know one?

Posted on 25-04-2014 12:48 | By Councillorwatch

There is no need for further staff at council. The new councillors could set a good trend by being at council 9 to 5, unlike previous councillors I guess. As for Murray Guy, he had years to sort out the bureaucracy along with the others who've gone now. Does it takes a spin doctor to know a spin doctor??


Executive Decision

Posted on 25-04-2014 12:58 | By EyeSplice

Great to see some backbone in the Council. Poor Stuart will have to do his own research & instead of sitting at the top and expecting everything to be handed to him on a plate. What a shame - LOL. Well Done Council.


Some Sense at Last

Posted on 25-04-2014 13:15 | By tabatha

Poor Stuart he is getting his come upins! Stuart needs to realise he is an elected person and MUST gain the respect of all electors, even those who voted against him. I just hope he now gets to work and forgets about spending extra money the council has not got. People will hurt more with the Reserve Bank announcement yesterday. Stuart all i ask respect to your fellow ratepayers please.


Yes, more please!

Posted on 25-04-2014 13:32 | By nerak

Now we're cooking. Great to see some consensus forming, good decisions being made with ratepayers in mind. Just need Gary to understand whose purse he will be diving into. I have confidence some of our new councillors have much to offer the mayor, after all, that's a good part of why they were elected.


I should think so

Posted on 25-04-2014 13:36 | By The Sage

While you are at it clip the wings on Priority One and make them a commercial business, not a Council funded one. That would certainly put all they state they do to the test.


Yes!

Posted on 25-04-2014 20:24 | By Raewyn

So glad to see our new Council speaking their minds ,we have elected a new Council who all have great qualifications to deal with the tasks they have taken on! keep up the good work of representing the ratepayers!


do not be fooled!!!

Posted on 26-04-2014 10:43 | By Sambo Returns

they may yet employ 2 x mid management helpers, for the same salary, thinly disguised as "researchers", how would we know?, is this a ploy to make new Councillors look good? someone should make a reality T.V show about the T.C.C, imagine "shorty" street, followed by "The Strangling of a City", life inside the T.C.C.


Please, now pull the funding ...

Posted on 27-04-2014 22:33 | By Murray.Guy

Critical now Councillors is to ensure the budget allocation is pulled from the draft budget 'YOU' approved, I suspect sight unseen. A read through the draft budget will identify $millions of unexplained line items with significant increases. An extra $330,000 plus to Smartgrowth, $140,000 in the CEO's department, huge increases in Strategic Planning areas, $850,000.00 for staff training and the list goes on. It was assumed the new 'financial wizards' would see through this smoke and mirrors! While you at it, slash those staff numbers as identified by and CEO Ken Paterson & independent consultants reducing the rate requirement by at least 3% and reinstate our basic levels of service. PS: Councillorwatch, it must have skipped your notice, I tried, but needed majority support!


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