Running towards a fresh challenge
Barbara McKerrow took over the management of Wellington City Council just three weeks before lockdown. It was the first of many challenges, reports Damian George.
Barbara McKerrow reckons there are parallels between running marathons and running a city council. And she would know, because she’s done both.
The Wellington City Council chief executive has forged a track record in local government spanning almost 40 years – and in the early years of that stint also carved out a career as a champion marathon runner.
She was so successful, in fact, that she was gifted Australian citizenship in 1985 so she could represent the country at the World Marathon Cup in Japan.
‘‘The connection between my working career and [marathon running], I think, is that I’ve learned over time that I have endurance and determination,’’ McKerrow said. ‘‘You’ve got to be resilient to be a senior leader in local government.’’
McKerrowwas selected to run for the Victorian women’s team while living in Melbourne in 1982, havingmoved there earlier that year with husband Barry.
She went on towin the Australian championship in Brisbane in a time of 2hr 50min 28sec, and three years laterwas chosen to represent Australia at the 1985World Marathon Cup in Hiroshima.
Citizenshipwas fast-tracked, and McKerrow finished 25th out of more than 60 competitors. She was the first Australian or New Zealander home, in 2:44:23, beating 1992 Kiwi Olympic Games bronze medallist Lorraine Moller, who did not finish.
McKerrowwent on to win the 1987 Christchurch marathon in a personal best time of 2:43:50, and recorded several other top-three finishes before her careerwound down in 1995.
The call of home beckoned after a few years in Australia and in 1986 McKerrow returned to New Plymouth, beginning a 31-year stint at the New Plymouth District Council that started as a librarian and ended as chief executive.
‘‘I’d gone all the way to the top in that council, and I was really clear that I didn’t want that to be the start and finish of my career.’’
McKerrow had earlier worked for the council in 1980 as a library assistant before completing a postgraduate diploma in librarianship in Wellington in 1981. She worked in libraries while living in Melbourne.
‘‘My days of working as a librarian are a very long time ago, but I always talk about it as a wonderful time in my life where I really came to appreciate what it is to work for a city, or a community ... and, of course, libraries are relatively popular services in a council.’’
McKerrow looks back fondly on her time in New Plymouth, where she held the roles of librarian, Puke Ariki Library and Museum manager, community services manager, general manager of customer services, and chief executive from 2008 until 2017.
‘‘I had this amazing time in New Plymouth being able to contribute strongly to the evolution of that community ... from probably what was seen at the time as a relatively quiet provincial centre, into a place today that’s recognised as a great place to live in terms of its lifestyle, and to visit in terms of its arts and culture, environment, amenities, and events.’’
McKerrow was involved in the Puke Ariki and coastal walkway developments, and led the development of the Len Lye
Centre, a contemporary art museum.
In 2016, shortly before McKerrow left for Wellington,
Lonely Planet named New Plymouth the second-best region to visit in the world.
‘‘It became a pretty amazing place and I enjoyed being a part of the team that helped create that.’’
But, after 31 years, McKerrow was looking for a new challenge, and Wellington popped up. She initially joined the city council as chief operating officer in 2017 before being appointed chief executive in November, 2019.
‘‘Barry and I decided that if we were to live in a city in New Zealand, Wellington was our preferred place, becausewe knew it from the old days, we had networks here, and I think it’s a great city, and we really enjoy living here.’’
McKerrow took over from outgoing chief executive Kevin Lavery in March, just three weeks before the coronavirus lockdown.
‘‘There were a lot of quite challenging things at the time but, as I said, you’ve got to be resilient in these roles, so I expected a challenge.’’
There have been, at times, well-documented disagreements between elected members over the past year, and McKerrow said she had tried to manage thosewithout overstepping her mark.
‘‘You’ve got to be acutely aware of your place in building a relationship that is an effective one between the entire organisation and all of your electedmembers, including the mayor.’’
She was focused on developing a long-term plan that addressed building resilience and a plan for Te Nga¯kau Civic Square. She alsowanted to further lift the council’s customer service, and improve its relationship with central government and other local councils.
‘‘In the role of chief executive, you don’t own the vision for the city ... the mayor and councillors are the leaders of the city, and ultimately they determine the vision and the priorities.’’