'Big bureaucracy': Rising council staff numbers called out

An increase in West Coast Regional Council staff numbers to almost 80 has been called out by a senior councillor.

The matter came up on 9 April when former chairman Allan Birchfield queried a statement by his replacement councillor Peter Haddock, which said it was good council management staff was almost back to a full muster following recent appointments.

It comes after council adopted a policy of returning inhouse its core functions via direct employment and cutting back on external contractors.

However, councillor Birchfield expressed concern over the recruitment of more staff.

"What is the total number of people that will be employed by the West Coast Regional Council?"

Chief executive Darryl Lew said he would need to come back with a clear answer.

However, council now had a revised staffing requirement which encompassed the 'full time equivalent' baseline of employment.

Birchfield persisted: "How many people?"

Lew: "Roughly 70".

Birchfield: "My figures say 80."

Lew replied it was in the "high 70s".

Birchfield said the increase in staff was a concern when the sustainability of the region having four councils for only 32,000 people was questionable.

"We're getting to be a big bureaucracy for the people of the West Coast to carry. I just can't see how the people of the West Coast can carry four councils."

Councillor Peter Ewen said the staffing increases should be put in perspective as it was positive the number of consultants had reduced.

Ewen said he agreed that the region should only have one local government entity "eventually".

The cost advantage would include having only to administer one payroll and shoulder the pay of one chief executive instead of the current four.

Councillor Peter Ewen agrees with Allan Birchfield the time to review the four council set-up on the West Coast is near.

Ewen said the "quadruple" cost of the current set-up was unsustainable.

"There is no need for that."

Haddock reminded council the staff increase reflected its previous decision.

"This council decided to bring a lot of staff back 'in-house' rather than using consultants, as has in the past been a huge cost to ratepayers."

Bringing back an in-house engineering team was a prime example, he said.

Birchfield said he was reflecting community concern about its economic viability.

"I'm getting a lot of feedback from people who can't afford the rates. The council's rates are becoming unaffordable, and there needs to be a move to one-council … I just don't think the West Coast can continue the way we are going. The game's over guys."

Internally, council has pared down its senior management team from seven to five and changed staff to management reporting lines.

Lew said he was very pleased at the good quality applicants council was now attracting for management and second tier positions.

It reflected changes in the national market but the region was "growing in attractiveness" as a place to live, with applicants looking at the wider amenity advantages.

"I'm personally really pleased at the calibre of people we've been able to attract … the applicants we've been getting have been strong and quite a significant number," Lew said.

"That is something totally different from what I understand from the history of this council in advertising roles and getting no applicants - hence the need to go to consultants.

"But what I'm also hearing (is) this council is now being seen as a desirable place to come … it has grown significantly, where we are now an attractive employer."

This seemed to be indicative of ore confidence in both council's governance capacity and management, Lew said.

LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.