Council gives go-ahead for next phase of Transformation
Published on 27 September 2023
Waitaki District Councillors have unanimously approved the implementation of the Council’s comprehensive Transformation Programme today, after hearing updates, progress reports and timelines for the implementation of changes to how Council functions and provides services to the District.
Mayor Gary Kircher says, “This is something that we’ve wanted to happen and this is about us becoming a better, more responsive, more efficient Council and I don’t think there’s too many people in the Waitaki District who wouldn’t want us to strive for that”
Councillor John McCone moved the recommendation to proceed with the next phase of the Transformation with the comment “we can’t afford to stop now, we’ve got to go the whole hog… with any risk there is always a challenge but the opportunities outweigh the negatives and I think it’s very important that it’s driven fast to get it done so it doesn’t linger, and that it’s backed by everyone involved.”
Councillor Jim Thomson seconded the motion saying “We’re either in this, or we’re not… so let’s make it happen.”
In support of the motion Councillor Jim Hopkins said “The need for fundamental change is inescapable… because of the growing community pressure regarding affordability and costs.”
He described the increasing levels of statutory impost within the legislative framework created by Central Government as threatening the viability of small Councils. “Like it or not we are a small council. We only have 14,000 ratepayers and have a level of assets and facilities that is historically and nationally unique, that cannot and will not sustain and continue unless we reinvent ourselves.”
Councillor Tim Blackler acknowledged that there was a risk to the process Council was about to embark on but stated that “…we all need to take that first step together and get on with the programme”.
Since the beginning of 2023, Council staff have been working hard to explore improvements to the way Council operates. As we move into Phase 3 of Transformation, the community will start to see how we will be changing to improve the way we deliver for the people of Waitaki.
Until now, the programme has focused within Council, looking at what can be changed, what needs to change, and how those changes can be made. Legislative and core services will be maintained, but how we deliver those services, and how the public experiences them, will be improved.
Chief Executive Alex Parmley says, “It is a credit to the hard-working Council staff that we are now able to begin the implementation phase of Transformation. In the next month we will start to engage our community in shaping the future of the district and the Council. In the coming months we will also engage residents and customers in shaping some of the specific changes we are looking to make.
Our aim is to ensure that we provide an improved customer experience, that we engage better, we are able to partner well to deliver the services and outcomes our community needs and that we improve the value for money for ratepayers and service users.
This is a big change and a necessary one to deal with the reforms we face, and respond to the changing needs of our district and communities. And whilst it will be challenging, we aim to ensure at the end of the process we have a Council better placed to meet the needs and expectations of the residents of Waitaki.”
Necessarily, some of the early work on preparing for Transformation has been largely internal. But the Council recognises its essential role in serving the community and is committed to the wider community being involved in the process.
There will be more information about how the community can be involved in the future of the District, through an entirely new way to have their say, in the coming weeks.
With today’s unanimous endorsement from Councillors, this can now get underway.
ENDS