TCC has finally decided to change the money hungry TCVL to something new, better and leaner, or have they?
With Director Fees at least doubled and the Mayor said 'no staff will lose their jobs …” the signs are ominous for any meaningful change in the future when the wage costs are about 36% of all costs how then can any significant savings in rates be made?
The plan is to 'fine tune” user fees revenue by increasing it by 10%, to reduce operating costs (mostly wages) and administration costs by 8% and 10% respectively.
The huge dilemma facing the new Director's is how to 'save $1.8m/pa in less than three years” … with significant limitations in what is allowed to be done? Perhaps only by demoting middle/upper management to the frontline so reducing the huge administration salaries (e.g. CEO $180,000pa x2) but what Council has ever done that?
The TCC staff review revealed that the manager/staff ratio is 1:4, other Councils are 1:10 so it is obvious where the real savings can be made. But sadly only front line staff have been affected, the staff review is a feeble attempt at a staff audit that failed.
Currently about 15% of every ones annual rates goes in and it is not coming back out ever!

I Stevenson, Tauranga.