Licensing Trust meets senior staff
THE Clutha Licensing Trust (CLT) expects to make an announcement on the future of its businesses during the coming week, following a meeting with senior staff yesterday.
The publicly owned trust owns and operates five hotels and one liquor store in Clinton, Balclutha, Owaka and Milton, and employs about 80 staff.
In August, it began a consultation process to determine its future, citing the possibility of increased returns to the community if it were to leave the hospitality business, and become a financial trust alone.
The process drew criticism from staff who said they felt ‘‘degraded and helpless’’ due to a lack of communication from trust operators.
Trust president Steve Morris would not give precise details of what was discussed during yesterday’s meeting, but said it related to the resignation of longstanding trust general manager David Kenny on Friday, and the trust’s proposal to sell its hospitality businesses.
‘‘We’ll be letting the public know which way we’re going to go, and making an announcement on how we adjust management moving forward,’’ Mr Morris said.
In an email circulated to staff and associates last week, Mr Kenny advised recipients he would be leaving the trust after 25 years.
He said he was confident CLT would ‘‘grow in strength, and move forward and prosper’’, despite the ‘‘regular challenges’’ being faced.
He said he had ‘‘yet to establish an employment path forward’’.
Asked by the Otago Daily
Times whether the proposed changes had influenced his decision to resign, Mr Kenny denied any connection.
‘‘It’s nothing to do with the changes, although there’s always uncertainty around any proposal like that. From my point of view I still see great potential in running the business as it stands, but that’s a decision for the trustees.’’
An employee at one of the trust’s businesses, who did not wish to be named, said the latest developments had only served to further unsettle staff.
‘‘Staff morale is so low at the moment. Several people have already resigned due to the uncertainty, and just the unprofessional way things seem to have been handled.’’
The employee said it remained unclear whether the trust did in fact intend to sell its businesses.
‘‘There’s a rumour now that, after all the upset, they may not even sell up, after all. I think there’ll be a lot of people questioning what’s been going on after being put through this roller coaster.’’