New top bosses at city council
Christchurch a new, City larger, Council executive has leadership announced team after a shuffle of senior managers and recruitment from outside.
The executive leadership team – which has been through a tumultuous 12 months – is growing from five to nine positions.
Former Timaru council chief executive and chartered accountant Bede Carran is the new chief financial officer.
Carran, who also previously led Waimate District Council, finished as Timaru council boss in December after eight years in the role.
He oversaw multiple staff restructures and in September was accused of being “tone deaf” and failing to deal constructively with the PSA by union organiser Adrian Mealing.
A year earlier he was forced defend the council’s $35 million spending on consultants over five years.
He explained at the time that there was a national shortage of qualified planners, and consultants were used to manage workloads and work on specialist issues.
However it prompted Timaru mayor Nigel Bowen to call for an urgent review of its spend on contractors and consultants.
Mary Richardson, Christchurch City Council’s interim chief executive, said the council was very fortunate to have someone of Carran’s calibre join the team.
Richardson – who has ruled out running for the top job permanently despite her popularity among staff
– will become the general manager of city infrastructure once the council appoints a new chief executive.
Local government stalwart Jane Parfitt is filling in as city infrastructure manager in the meantime. Yesterday Richardson expressed gratitude for Parfitt staying on during the transitional period.
The position also used to involve being the head of planning and regulatory services.
That is now a separate general manager position and will be held by John Higgins, the current head of planning and consents.
Head of parks Andrew Rutledge will continue as general manager of citizens and community, while Lynn McClelland becomes general manager of corporate service.
Also joining the executive leadership team is Helen White, the council’s head of legal and democracy services, and Pari Hunt, Te Aporei Whakawhanaunga a Tiriti/principal adviser on Treaty relationships.
The head of the renamed people and capability team will also sit on the executive leadership team, but a person has not yet been appointed.
Richardson said the larger structure would spread the workload and introduce more skills and functions, which will make the team more accessible and visible to staff.
She said they would provide stability and certainty while the council awaits a new chief executive officer, which is expected to take a few more months, though there is no timeline for it.
McClelland and Richardson are the only executive leaders who survived the last 12 months.
Two former leaders, Jane Davis and Helen Beaumont, abruptly went on leave in February last year, officially resigning several months later.
Former chief financial officer Leah Scales and former chief executive officer Dawn Baxendale both tendered their resignations in November.