Cr Lee Vandervis was commenting at yesterday's DCC infrastructure services and networks committee meeting, as councillors received a regular update on the council's property services unit.
The report, detailed in the Otago Daily Times yesterday, showed the council was facing a nearly $10million maintenance bill to fix dilapidated council-owned flats and other properties in its portfolio.
The bill included $5million to repair council-owned community housing in Melville St, and a further $1.8million for nine council flats in School St.
Council infrastructure and networks acting general manager Leanne Mash confirmed the sums involved amounted to about $200,000 per flat, or virtually a full rebuild for each unit, to bring them up to modern standards.
Cr Vandervis acknowledged changes were being made within the department, but ``none of these changes seems to be addressing what are fundamental issues''.
The department was taking on new staff, but at the same time continuing to outsource work to consultants, and evidence of previously deferred maintenance was mounting, he said.
``[The problems] should have been dealt with a lot earlier and we are still in a position of trying to deal with them.''
Cr Christine Garey said she, too, was ``very well aware'' of the challenges facing the department, but there had been ``vast'' improvements in recent times to tackle deferred maintenance problems.
``It takes time to turn the ship around. I have confidence in the department to make the changes needed,'' she said.
The report also showed the council faced a $1million bill to repair the central city library's roof, $1.7million to renew and maintain council lifts, and a substantial - but as yet unspecified - bill to refurbish the Civic Centre offices.
Councillors at yesterday's meeting voted to note the report.
The latest costs emerged months after the ODT also reported in March the department faced a budget blowout of more than $2million.
The extra costs were fuelled by the increased use of consultants, as staff quit amid claims of bullying and poor performance, and the identification of deferred maintenance.
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Comments
I'm sure Cr Lee Vandervis and others hands have been tied and not allowed to burst into print outing the slack process, but this is Dunedin's coin,future that is at risk. The so called gardians of the town have not been doing there jobs. This article states they have brushed over it when being told at meetings and again are noting it time for a change in tack - Change the locks on Culls Office Door while he is in Poland. And kick the CEO as well what has she been doing. This needs a Government enquiry.
Why does the DCC own all these properties not needed for its core activities? Sell them and reduce debt, and hopefully rates for the ratepayers. The DCC are supposed to be stewards out ratepayer assets, not setting up their thiefdoms on a permanent basis.
External consultants are laughing all the way to the bank. As a former consultant, I can testify what they really think of government (local and central authority types)- and it is not as rosy as the DCC would like us to believe...
Because ratepayers are a portion of a diverse community that includes non property owners. Don't advocate selloff of Social Housing.