LGOIMA Request Details: LG2418

The information you have requested is below;

1. Personnel  as at 30 June 2025

• The total number of council staff dismissed due to poor performance in the financial year. None
• The total FTE number of staff employed by the council, excluding council-controlled organisations.  156.70 FTE
• If applicable, the FTE number of staff employed by CCOs.   5
• The total number of staff (non-FTE, including casual staff). If applicable, include CCOs separately.  CCOs – 7.4
• The total number of staff including those employed by CCOs receiving remuneration in excess of $100,000. 
  55 MDC
  1   CCO
• The total number of staff including those employed by CCOs receiving remuneration in excess of $200,000.
  4 MDC
  Nil CCO
• The total number of staff including those employed by council-controlled organisations receiving remuneration in excess of $256,800 (equivalent to a minister outside of Cabinet).  Information withheld due to privacy (section 7(2)(a) protect the privacy of natural persons) due to the small number of employees in the group.
• The mean and median renumeration for Council staff.  MDC - Mean $90,400 Median $83,636 (figures are based on total package)
  The mean and median renumeration for CCO staff.  N/A

 2.1. Management  

• The FTE number of managers employed by the council and, if applicable, the number of managers employed by CCOs as at 30 June 2025. 41.13 FTE Managers MDC
• The Taxpayers’ Union defines a manager as: any staff member who is responsible for a team of staff, or who has an employee/employees reporting to them and organises them to achieve their department’s or organisation’s specified goal. The Chief Executive team is included in this definition. 
• The ratio of management to total staff numbers.  If applicable, please provide a ratio for the group, including CCOs, and a ration for the council parent. 1 : 4.14 MDC
• The average and median salary of a manager. If applicable, please provide for both the group, including CCOs, and the council parent. Mean $136,810 Median $121,248 MDC

2.2. Communications  

• The FTE number of communications & marketing staff employed by the council and, if applicable, the number of communications & marketing staff employed by CCOs.
  3.55 MDC
• The average and median salary of communications & marketing staff. If applicable, please provide for both the group, including CCOs, and the council parent.
  Information withheld under section 7(2)(a) of LGOIMA, to protect the privacy of natural persons, due to the small number of employees in the group.

 3.  Audit and Risk Oversight  

• How many members are on the Council’s Audit and Risk Committee (or equivalent)?  Seven.
• Of those members, how many are elected and how many are independent of the council?  Five are elected and two are independent.
• Is the Chair of the Committee an independent member?  Independent.
• Does the Council have a lawyer (with a current practising certificate) on the Committee?  No. The Deputy Chair (independent) has a law degree and legal background, but not a practising certificate.
• Does the Council have an accountant (with a current practising certificate or a full member of the Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand) on the Committee?  Yes. The Chair (independent) is registered with Chartered Accountants New Zealand.
• Does the Council have a code of conduct requiring political neutrality from Council staff?  We have a policy for Council staff that addresses this area called the “Employees Expressing an Opinion About Council Policy”. It does not require staff to be politically neutral, however it prohibits the use of Council mediums or assets (Council’s social media, staff emails, facilities etc) for this purpose. Where staff wish to express an opinion that differs from the stated opinion of the Council, they are obligated to inform their manager and must qualify any such statements as being   personal in nature (ergo not representative of the Council’s view). 

  4. Unelected members

• Please list all appointments of unelected members onto council committees with spending and regulatory powers. Finance and Performance: Stuart Campbell (chair), John Fowke (deputy chair)
  Water Services Delivery Unit Committee: Colin McFadzean (chair)

5. Payments to third parties

• The total payments made by the Council (or any council-controlled organisation) to any Chamber of Commerce, including GST.  $6,118
• The total payments made by the Council (or any council-controlled organisation) to Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ), including GST.  $65,113
• The total payments made by the Council (or any council-controlled organisation) to the Taituarā including GST.  $52,905