5 November 2021
Media: Local Democracy Reporter
Topic: Organisational realignment
Enquiry
*NOTE: This enquiry, received 4 November, follows two others relating to this topic, responded to on October 21 and 22
Following on from this I have some comments to provide to the council for its right of reply.
Please let me know as soon as possible if the council wishes to respond to these comments - if so, the deadline is midday tomorrow, Friday November 5.
COMMENTS:
Curtin University adjunct research fellow and local government expert Dr Andy Asquith said the [organisational realignment] changes “didn’t do much good” for the public’s trust in the council.
“It’s moving the deckchairs around on the Titanic [and] having new business cards printed.
“I can’t see how it’s going to improve the performance of the council. It beggars belief. I can’t see any justification for what they’re doing. It doesn’t stack up.
“How will this impact the wellbeing of the homeless person, the solo mum … this won’t do one jot of that.”
He said he didn’t object to high salaries for public servants as they paled in comparison to their private sector counterparts.
Regarding the seven deputies not having job descriptions almost seven months after their appointment, Asquith said: “So much time has passed, what are they doing?”
He said a lot of good will had been built up for the public service due to Covid-19, as people could see the value it provided in their lives.
“Stunts like this in Rotorua undermine all the good will. It’s not helped by things like this.”
Asquith, whose research has included local government change management, said there was “no logic” to what he viewed as an “imbalance” between the deputies’ budget and personnel responsibilities, and he didn’t understand how the organisational realignment resulted in better outcomes.
“It seems like a lot of money has been burned without justification.
“Why do they have to be called deputy chief executive to do their job?”
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Holland Beckett partner and employment law expert Christie McGregor said employment agreements should ideally have a description of the role’s duties and responsibilities as “a matter of good practice”.
She said it provided clarity around the role’s requirements and authority, particularly if there were later questions around performance in the role or disputes about the expectations of the role.
She said while position descriptions traditionally outlined the duties and responsibilities of a role, those things could be found outside of a purpose-built document, such as what the role has traditionally done, or in policy.
An employer wasn’t required to set key performance indicators (KPIs) or performance expectations but it was good practice.
“For a larger or more sophisticated employer, this is relatively standard, with performance being reviewed on regular occasions and feedback being provided on performance against expectations/KPIs.”
She noted the Local Government Act stated a local authority should act as a “good employer” and said normally a job description was crafted at the time employment was offered, or when an employee was changing roles.
“It would be unusual to have someone work for seven months in a senior role, particularly for a larger or more sophisticated employer, without having a position description in place.”
McGregor said there was “definitely” a risk a dispute could arise where an employee wasn’t clear on what their responsibilities were or if an employer couldn’t measure performance, and it became more difficult the longer there was “a lack of confirmation”.
She said the absence of a position description should not in itself mean an employer could not give feedback on or act on non-performance, but it created uncertainty.
“The situation could be salvaged, provided the employer is clear in its communication and engages in good faith with its affected employees around the responsibilities and duties that have not been discussed/agreed or being performed.”
She said job descriptions for the deputy chief executives’ former roles were “comprehensive” and what she would expect to see for such roles.
McGregor said the council’s final functional groupings were not job descriptions as would be expected, as they did not contain descriptions of the duties to be performed and expectations of the individual role, but the measures of success for each deputy chief executive’s team.
“While, arguably, the deputy chief executive is performing well if their team is performing, I don’t consider that this document provides a good outline of the role, duties, or KPIs as expected. This does not provide good parameters of individual expectations or performance to manage the deputy chief executives.”
Response
From CE Geoff Williams:
As I’ve said previously, the DCEs are very clear about what they need to achieve and we have had expert external HR guidance, and internal HR guidance, throughout to ensure a proper and robust process.
Our priority and focus as an organisation is getting on with the work that needs to be done for our community, rather than having a debate in the media with external commentators who have not been party to our internal process.
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Media: Local Democracy Reporter
Topic: Bilingual road signage rules review
Enquiry
Is the mayor around? Wondered if she might like to comment on the below from NZTA?
Debate around it started here last year in a committee meeting and of course she'll remember the Minister made the announcement in her office this time last year - so now it's starting to happen:
If so would love some comments by 3pm latest please.
Response
From Mayor Chadwick:
I am delighted. It’s great to see progress on this and I’m sure it will get support from our community.
Rotorua supports, encourages and promotes the everyday use of te reo Māori as part of our ReoRua aspirations.
Both Council and our partnership board Te Tatau o Te Arawa lobbied for the rules around bilingual road signage to be changed as a way to further encourage and enable the growth of bilingualism, so it’s really pleasing to see work towards this now getting underway.
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Media: Rotorua Daily Post
Topic: Vaccination rates
Enquiry
Reporter provide the following data about vaccination rates in the Lakes DHB region and sought comment from Mayor Chadwick.
Estimations of COVID cases and outcomes in 2022 for Lakes DHB population
vaccination rate for the eligible population | Over 2022 year | Per week | ||||||
Cases in Lakes | Hospitalisations | ED attendances | Deaths | Cases in Lakes | Hospitalisations | ED attendances | Deaths | |
90% | 9800 | 600 | 1600 | 60 | 190 | 12 | 31 | 1 |
80% | 14000 | 1000 | 2800 | 100 | 270 | 19 | 54 | 2 |
The model assumes there will be some border controls in place although a number of cases will enter the country each day and public health measures including the management of cases and contacts will assist in reducing the number of cases and associated hospitalisations.
Response
From Mayor Chadwick:
If we want everything to open up again soon – which we need for the benefit of our wellbeing as well as our economy – we just need to get those numbers higher.
We need to try every possible method at our disposal. I understand that door to door contact will be undertaken in the Lakes area now, alongside other methods being used to get people vaccinated. That’s a good move because we’re at the really hard end of it now and hopefully we’ll see this having a positive impact on our numbers.
There are a lot of people, health professionals and organisations putting in a huge effort and I’d like to acknowledge their contribution to the vaccination drive. Those of us who have already been vaccinated can also play an important role in getting vaccination numbers up by encouraging, reassuring and supporting others.
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Media: Rotorua Daily Post
Topic: Emergency housing
Enquiry
I'm doing a story about the money spent on emergency housing in Rotorua, there are 15 motels that earned over $1 million between July 1, 2019 and June this year. One these earned $2.59m and another $3.44m.
In total in the Bay of Plenty, $62.9m was spent by MSD on emergency housing. I've noted: This did include suppliers outside the region which MSD has told me is likely to be for payments made in areas for a previous period of accommodation or payments for a future period. A number of clients may have recently moved, but their address details have not yet been updated.
Comments:
- Rotorua National MP Todd McClay said it was "irresponsible spending" of a "huge" amount of money and the Government needed to start building houses.
- He said Rotorua Lakes Council had land available at the airport where the Government could be building houses and needed to "stop making excuses".
McClay said increasing houses would be fairer to those left to "languish" in motels as well as the Rotorua residents who are "sick and tired of excuses".
Questions:
- Why is the council not doing anything about the crisis?
- When will council action changes to increase the housing supply?
- What is holding the council back from allowing houses to be built?
- Any other comments are welcome.
Response
You have assumed that Council is not doing anything to try and increase housing in Rotorua which is not the case. The information below outlines key housing-related work that is underway (information which has been provided to the Daily Post and BOP Times multiple times) and we have included some additional information addressing suggestions relating to land at the airport.
Let us know if you need anything further and please let me know if you need to go through any of this. I’m happy to give you a call.
Information provided:
As listed below and as previously provided to the Daily Post and BOP Times on multiple occasions, the council is doing a wide variety of work related to housing which is a key priority in our 2021-31 Long-term Plan and aligns to our housing strategy :
Rotorua Lakes Council does not own any readily available residentially zoned land where homes could be built. Any open spaces owned or managed by Council are usually designated as reserve land, or are gifted reserves designated for a particular purpose such as recreation, hospitals or cemeteries.
Re-zoning or re-designating land requires a formal process that includes formal community consultation as well as significant works to ensure the land is ready for homes e.g. roads and three waters services. A recent example of this is the privately-owned land on Pukehangi Road that went through a District Plan change to enable residential housing. To provide some context, the plan change process took more than a year (which is significantly faster than usual due to a new streamlined process that involves working with the Minister for the Environment) and work to develop the site so construction can happen is ongoing. You can read more about that Plan Change HERE and HERE (reported by NZME HERE)
The land that we think Mr McClay may be referring to (we don’t know exactly because you don’t stipulate in your enquiry where exactly he is referring to) is land that was purchased as part of the airport extension. That land is zoned residential but cannot be built on due to its proximity to the airport.
Enquiries and responses in the past month
- 26 October – Enquiry from NZME reporter and response HERE – corresponding article in Rotorua Daily Post HERE
- 20 October – Enquiry from NZME reporter and response HERE (scroll down) – corresponding article in Rotorua Daily Post HERE(please note I’ve copied this response below so you can easily have a read)
- 15 October – Enquiry from NZME reporter and response HERE (scroll down) – corresponding article in Rotorua Daily Post HERE
- 8 October – Enquiry from NZME reporter and response HERE – corresponding article in Rotorua Daily Post HERE
This information was provided to NZME on 20 October 2021:
The taskforce was established in March to address emergency housing and was reported on by NZME when the Government made the announcement about it https://www.nzherald.co.nz/rotorua-daily-post/news/government-makes-changes-to-rotorua-emergency-housing/JPJ6DLAPLNSZBVTQBLGLS56D5I/
We have a webpage that explains what it’s about and who is involved, see here: https://www.rotorualakescouncil.nz/our-city/community-development/rotorua-housing-taskforce
Work RLC is doing in relation to housing:
- RE: Council’s role in creating homes:
Housing is a key plank of the 2021-31 Long-term Plan adopted at the end of June. See pages 14 - 16 of the LTP HERE re actions relating to housing. As set out in the LTP, the target for building and developing new homes is 3000 in 5 years (6000 by 2030) and additional land available for 4000 residential sections.
Work on an inner city plan is underway. Please note reference to CBD on p16 of the LTP document re proposed inner city incentives policy aimed at encouraging investment and development in the CBD, including accommodation and residential development. - RE: work being undertaken by RLC:
See below the various work RLC is undertaking, in collaboration with partners like Central Govt, iwi, developers and local leaders to help facilitate/enable/incentivise housing development:
- Housing Strategy (developed in partnership with Te Arawa and Central Government agencies): Actions in the strategy are underway in collaboration with the relevant parties/agencies; the plan aims to deliver short, medium and long-term housing solutions and RLC is also working closely with Central Government agencies, iwi and others to address emergency housing in Rotorua via the housing taskforce – as above. (a link to the housing strategy is on the Housing Taskforce page on RLC website if you want to see that)
- Rotorua Housing Taskforce: see info above and on taskforce page on RLC website
- Investment in infrastructure upgrades including wastewater, roading and stormwater is underway throughout the city: 30-year infrastructure plan adopted alongside the 2021-31 LTP outlines plans to invest $424m into core infrastructure (roading, stormwater, sewerage and water supplies) across the next 10 years to ensure safe, reliable infrastructure that is able to meet current demand and support future demand and housing development. RLC has applied to the Govt’s Infrastructure Acceleration Fund (IAF) which would enable some of these works to be brought forward (see Daily Post story HERE re IAF applications)
- Pukehangi District Plan Change to facilitate housing at Pukehangi: Fast-track Plan Change was approved by Government in March this year (reported by RDP HERE). RLC continues to work with the developers to support the progression of their housing development plans at Pukehangi. See more HERE
- Government funding opportunities
Where able, Council seeks funding for infrastructure or other housing related support as this is what often becomes a barrier for developers or development. For example: Council and Waka Kotahi received Govt CIP funding for roading and stormwater upgrades to support proposed housing at Wharenui (in eastern part of Rotorua city): Planning for this is progressing (reported by NZME HERE)- the funding provided will enable roading and stormwater upgrades that would otherwise be imposed on the developer making the development unfeasible.
Infrastructure Acceleration Fund – Council has applied to the Government seeking a total of $113 million to invest in critical stormwater infrastructure that will help to accelerate proposed housing developments across the city. You can read about his HERE (reported by NZME HERE) - Intensification Plan Change: A scope of works is under development to consider an intensification plan change. This will enable more housing, in a greater mix of typologies, and in appropriate locations. The plan change will also consider how we will ensure that we strive for a better quality in the urban form as the district grows up and out. In the inner city we could expect to see smaller housing typology over time in the form of apartments. By developing a plan to revitalise the inner city we anticipate the inner city will become more attractive for city living over time. Alongside the intensification plan change we will be focussing on a flooding plan change to ensure RLC manages its flooding hazards, as intensification increases in flood prone areas.
- CBD housing: below is some of the info provided to NZME reporter recently re CBD plans which include encouraging and enabling residential development:
A CBD plan is part of the Rotorua Economic Development Strategy Framework that was approved by Council last December and was identified as a key action by the CBD sector group that was established last year to consider economic recovery strategies (following the 2020 lockdown). For your reference, the Draft Economic Development Strategy is HERE
Key pieces of work that need to be completed before a proposed CBD plan can be developed are underway and include:
- working with mana whenua and Te Arawa on cultural foundations;
- development of an inner city design guide for urban development (the initial step for which is establishing the cultural foundations and Te Arawa values and principles that will inform the future form of the inner city);
- working on an incentives policy to encourage commercial and residential development in the inner city.
Meanwhile, our CCO Rotorua Economic Development Ltd (RED) is processing applications received through an expressions of interest (EOI) process seeking landowners and developers or investors who want to undertake projects in the inner city that support inner city living. There was a good level of interest and ideas from both local and out-of-town developers and due diligence and assessment of the expressions of interest received is being undertaken. (if you want to see all of what we provided to NZME reporters see this link on RLC website – scroll down to enquiry re commercial leasing and CBD) Also see corresponding articles from NZME HERE, HERE and HERE