5 directors for Ruapehu District

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 6, Issue 290, 13 June 1989, Page 3

5 directors for Ruapehu District

A management structure with five divisional directors has been proposed and approved by the Ruapehu District Transition Committee.

The structure wa s one of two alternatives put forward by District General Manager Cliff Houston.

The alternative accepted is "radical in concept and approach insofar as local government is concerned,"

as Mr Houston put it, but he said similar models can be found in private enterprise. The other alternative reflected "traditional line management thinking". The five directors will be responsible for works, planning, com-

munity serviccs, corporate services and finance respectively. The Works Director will be responsible for council works department operations; the Planning Director for district planning and the various council inspection services; the

Community Services Director for parks and reserves, cemeteries, housing, halls, swimming pools, civil defence etc; the Corporate Services Director would be responsible for administration and information systems, elections, service centre administration, personnel management; and the Finance Director for budgeting, accounts, wage and salary administration etc. Top heavy Transition Committee Chairman Garrick Workman told the Bulletin the initial reaction of the committee to the chosen alternative was that it would mean a structure that was too top heavy and too expensive. He said Mr Houston told the committee that the structure would cost just $6 more than at present and would mean savings at lower levels in the structure. Mr Workman cited the Waimarino District Coyrcil's case were Diftrict Manager John Murrihy has claimed 16 per cent savings in operations in the short time the council has been in existence. (These savings have been offset by the subsequent Ruapehu District amalgamation). "If the same savings can be made with this structure then I certainly feel comfortable with it as did the whole committee," said Mr Workman. Unanimous He said there had been some disagree-

ment on minor points but that the final decision to accept the structure was unanimous. The next step is to fill the positions and the committee has chosen to advertise them as soon as possible, a decision that was not unanimous. Mr Workman said some committee members felt they should appoint directors from existing staff provided Mr Houston was confident they were capable. Mr Houston suggested that if the committee decided to advertise the positions that an external applicant should only be chosen if they proved to be "demonstrably better" than internal applicants. Choosing an external applicant with only a slight advantage would create more problems, he said. Mr Workman said the whole committee will be involved in the interview process but that

the final decision will be the General Manager's. He said this was necessary because the council could not expect the General Manager to be accountable for the operating of the district council if he was not given the responsibility of choosing his staff; The committee will make recommendations to Mr Houston from the interview process. Mr Workman said initially just four directors will be appointed with the Works Directorship left vacant. This is due to the impending Transport Law Reform Bill which will have an impact on rural authorities "as great as that produced by the process of Local Government Reform," in the words of Mr Houston. The reforms will mean local authority works departments will have to be corporatised and tender for work along with private operators.