Frontline Council staff more likely to be cut

By Laura Kvigstad, Auckland Council reporter. Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ On Air.

Auckland Council’s chief executive says staff cuts from the mayor’s budget proposal are more likely to fall on frontline workers than higher salary earners.

At the Governing Body meeting on May 23, chief executive Jim Stabback said council’s latest reduction of 160 full time employees would have long term savings benefits.

“We have been really diligent in our recruiting practices and not filling roles that have been becoming vacant, especially non-customer facing roles,” Stabback said. Cr Angela Dalton asked for an estimate of salary for those that had lost their job at council so far.

“Maybe you could tell me if they were closer to the lowest earners?” Dalton asked.

Stabback said the salaries of those who had lost their jobs were mixed but council was more frequently replacing frontline workers.

He went on to say that the next round of job cuts, if Mayor Wayne Brown’s Annual Budget 2023/2024 proposal is approved, would more likely be lower salary earners.

“It is more than likely that the people who will be losing their jobs will be on the lower salary bands,” he said.

Cr Dalton asked whether those cuts could impact Māori and Pasifika workers at council more significantly but Stabback said it was still too early to tell the impacts on different groups.

Cr Julie Fairey said the details in staff cuts would be important for councillors when making their decisions on the budget.

“We do have certain obligations in terms of being a rainbow tick employer and things like joining Age Friendly Cities,” Cr Fairey said.

She was also interested in knowing how many women and part time employers could be impacted in the budget proposal.

“I think a lot of our community are not expecting frontline cuts, they are expecting back- office cuts.”

Councillors were due to make their final budget decisions on June 8, after this paper went to print, and the budget is expected to be adopted by June 29.

Cr Chris Darby said the budget setting process was multifaceted, complex and challenging.

“Threatening rhetoric does not remotely contribute to successfully resolving our financial predicament,” he said.

At the Audit and Risk committee on June 2, Financial Strategy and Planning general manager Ross Tucker said no legal, tax or audit risks for the sale of the shares were apparent but stressed the uncertainty of the sale price.

“Share prices are inherently uncertain –there are no guarantees,” Tucker said. Councillors debated the budget proposal on June 8, after this paper went to print. Regarding the shares, the options before them were a partial or complete sale, or no sale at all. The budget is to be adopted by Council on June 29.

Have your say on growth

Auckland Council is asking for feedback on how Auckland should grow over the next 30 years, with public consultation now open until 4 July. The Council’s draft Future Development Strategy (HM May 29) recommends that most of Auckland’s future growth occurs in existing urban areas. It also proposes delaying or stopping development in specific greenfield areas (undeveloped land) that have previously been identified for future urban development, due to natural hazard risk, impacts on our ability to halve emissions and the high infrastructure costs associated with development. It also maps out the urban areas that are most constrained by natural hazards. Submissions opened on June 6 and close on July 4 at: akhaveyoursay.nz/ futureauckland

Wayne Walker, Hibiscus & Bays Councillor wayne.walker@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz

Challenging times

Recent storms have added to the budget pressure Council is under.

Like many households Council is also weathering higher interest costs and inflation; and in addition extra costs of damage to infrastructure and land from slips and water damage.

On the Coast there were many homes directly affected by flooding and slips. Both locally and elsewhere across the Albany Ward I have been out with stormwater experts bringing issues to their attention and understanding the complexity of the issues involved. Operational and maintenance attention has lifted with more regular cleaning of the catch pits in roads that block, stormwater inlet grills like those at Stanmore Bay and stream monitoring and maintenance. Bigger fixes involving piping and stream widening and sediment removal are under assessment everywhere.

Absolutely more information and transparency are required so people know what flooding may happen in advance of the type of storm events we’ve had.

On private properties especially in the vicinity of the coast and on sloping sites, it is more important than ever to pay close attention to surface water and drainage. Avoiding soakage on our clay soils is especially important; worse case are those locations with Northern Allochthon geology where slips can occur more frequently once water gets down to lubricate the mixture (this formation runs down much of the East Coast including the Hibiscus Coast).

As this issue goes to press the Council is working on its budget. We have a number of options for this next financial year – but will have to address underlying structural issues like overspending, getting developers to pay for the true cost of growth and better sources of finance to better match our expenses – both operational and capital. Selling the Auckland Airport shares alone doesn’t solve the underlying problems – and there is certainly merit in having investments that might be termed a ‘rainy day fund’. Sorting this out will be part of the Long-Term Plan that is underway.

What the budgeting issues are highlighting is the need for Council and the Council Controlled Organisations like Auckland Transport, Auckland Unlimited (stadiums, zoo, art gallery, tourism, and so on), Watercare and Panuku (Auckland Development) to have better control of spending and revenue. Earlier this year councillors gained access for the first time to more detailed financial information – something I’ve been seeking for some time. We are now much better placed to effect more effective oversight to direct the chief executive and effectively the whole organisation.

As this year unfolds, we have more challenges ahead; upcoming increases in the City Rail Link, storm damage repairs and the recently announced buy outs of flood prone properties in a measure being driven by the government.

With all the issues I remain optimistic that Auckland, and especially the Hibiscus Coast, is a great place to live and that we will find ways to solve our financial problems and adapt to future weather and storm events.

A plaque in Edith Hopper Park in Manly will be repaired following a cry for help by a Hopper descendent on Facebook.

On May 29, Hayley Hopper-Doak asked whether anyone could repair damaged brickwork around the oak tree planted in memory of Edith in the park. The picket fence around the tree also needs repair. Hayley’s cousin, Shana Hopper-McCully, saw the post. Edith was Shana’s great grandmother. She is unsure how the plaque, which she says was installed in 1981 by her grandfather, Ian Hopper and his siblings, got into disrepair. Shana works for Hopper Developments and says when she notified the team about the post, two of the company’s building team members went to inspect it straight away. What can be done is being discussed, but repairs are now in safe hands and will be carried out by the Hopper family, Shana says.