Keogh’s resignation ‘immediate’
Environment Southland chief executive Ciaran Keogh has resigned, effective today.
Mr Keogh said part of his agreement with the council meant he could not make any comment on his resignation.
When asked if his personal grievance against the council was going ahead, all Mr Keogh could say was that there had been ‘‘a resolution to all of that’’.
He said he would move back to Dunedin and had some ‘‘pretty positive’’ plans for the future.
Council chairman Ali Timms yesterday released a statement saying Mr Keogh had resigned.
The council recognised the significant contribution he had made to Environment Southland and thanked him, she said.
The parties had resolved the matters in relation to his employment, Ms Timms said.
In December she announced the council would not extend Mr Keogh’s contract when it expired in June, and would advertise the position.
The Local Government Act required the council to review Mr Keogh’s contract six months before its expiry and gave the council the choice of extending it for two years or advertising his post, Ms Timms said at the time.
It was then revealed Mr Keogh had lodged a personal grievance against the council, and a subcommittee had been formed to discuss what action would be taken.
After meeting last month the sub-committee decided to seek
me- legal advice. Last year there was a behind-doors dispute between Mr Keogh and the council, understood to have arisen because Ms Timms believed Mr Keogh had acted against her instructions about having a meeting with Environment Minister Nick Smith.
The dispute ended after diation.
Ms Timms said at the time of Mr Keogh’s contract review, the past dispute between the council and Mr Keogh had been disregarded for the contract review and it was just the overall performance that was looked at.
No further comment on Mr Keogh’s resignation made by the council.
Meanwhile, councillors will next week decide whether or not they will attend a training course on establishing and maintaining working relationships with chief executives.
In Wednesday’s council meeting agenda councillors are asked whether they would like to undertake Local Government New Zealand’s Knowhow course, with the option of travelling to Wellington in September or providing the course at Environment Southland.
Human resources co-ordinator Jan Brown, who organised staff
would
be training and put the item in the agenda, said the course was run regularly by LGNZ and the timing had nothing to do with the disputes.
None of the current councillors had undertaken this training, but two of the past councillors had, she said.
The cost of the course in Wellington would be $795 registration per person and at least $400 per person return airfares.
If the course was held at Environment Southland it would cost $7950 for a maximum of 13 people, she said.