Jobs may go at Waikato SPCA
A $393,000 loss at the Waikato branch of the SPCA has sparked an intervention from head office in order to cut costs.
It’s understood 12 paid staff positions could be lost.
And it’s uncertain how many paid staff there are because repeated requests for comment went unanswered.
The $393,000 loss is recorded in the 2015 annual report posted on the Waikato RNZSPCA website. A year earlier, according to the 2014 annual report, the organisation posted a profit of $24,000.
The 2015 annual report shows an income of $1.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2015.
While it moved into a new building that calendar year – in Northway Street, Te Rapa – the building was donated free and unencumbered to the Waikato SPCA from the Waikato Animal Welfare Foundation (WAWF).
Also according to the 2015 annual report, a $100,000 loan was granted by Westpac bank, but it is unclear what the money was used for.
Expenses for the organisation in the 2015 report show that two new vehicles were purchased for almost $60,000, after new-vehicle purchases were also recorded in the 2013 and 2014 reports; wages increased by $174,000; and legal fees increased by $26,000 from $7800 in calendar 2014.
No local person involved in the Waikato SPCA would comment on the annual report or the financial statements. The only person who was prepared to comment was the national organisation’s chief executive, Ric Odom.
Odom said that Waikato SPCA executive officer Sara ElliottWarren ‘‘is on leave’’. When asked why she was on leave, Odom replied, ‘‘That’s a matter I can’t really comment on.’’
Several messages left for Elliott-Warren on her cellphone, asking for comment, went unanswered.
Odom stressed the Waikato SPCA is its own entity and responsible for its own financial accounts and is only supported by the national Royal New Zealand SPCA.
Odom’s thoughts on the 2015 financial statements were clear. ‘‘They are not good, are they? ‘‘I can’t confirm or deny if any jobs have been lost, but you can draw your own conclusions,’’ Odom said.
‘‘We are working through a process in reducing costs. There’s no easy way to put that. We have to look at every aspect of the organisation because of the size of the deficit.
‘‘The actions are somewhat more robust than what we would normally take.’’
He has sent some of his staff to help out the beleaguered charity.
Defending the organisation, he said it was not unusual for charities’ earnings to go up and down as they rely on donations from the public, much of which could not be predicted, just estimated.
He said extra staff had been hired for the new centre, and there were greater operational costs in the move to the new building than first thought.
‘‘They have just spent more than they have earned.
‘‘They were probably a bit slow in realising that.
‘‘Yes, it’s a difficult situation, but I can assure you the service will continue in the Waikato. ‘‘That’s not going to stop.’’ Volunteer Hayden Watts said staff have been told that paid employees will find out on Thursday whether they will keep their jobs.
Chartered accountant Linda Cooper was listed in the 2015 annual report as Waikato RNZSPCA chairwoman. She stood down in March at the Waikato SPCA annual general meeting, Odom said.
Cooper would make no comment on the Waikato group’s status, her personal assistant said when contacted on Monday.
Jan Thomson has moved into the position of chairwoman, Odom said. Thomson is also chairwoman of the WAWF, according to the New Zealand Charities Register.
Several messages left for Thomson on her home phone and cellphone voicemail went unanswered.
Thomson relayed through Waikato SPCA funding events and marketing officer Catherine Fletcher, whose call she did answer, that all of the issues the organisation faces are a national body matter.
Treasurer Raywin Balderston has also left, replaced by Alecia Wright, according to the 2015 annual report.
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