As the council prepares to consult on its draft 2020-21 annual plan, it says it needs to increase rates by 6.5% and bring in an extra $10.2million to balance its budget.
The plan includes a $4.8million increase in spending on staff, bringing total forecast spending on staff to $69.8million next year.
As at June 30 last year, there were 974 staff, made up of 747.01 fulltime-equivalent (FTE) positions. The 2020-21 annual plan calls for another 27.1 FTEs, which would likely push actual staff numbers over 1000.
Yesterday, both Dunedin Mayor Aaron Hawkins and council chief executive Dr Sue Bidrose said the staffing levels were justified.
Mr Hawkins would not be drawn on the significance of employing staff numbering in the four-figure range.
"It’s a number," he said.
"We’ve got a lot of work to do and we need staff to do that work.
"The role of the elected arm is to set the strategic direction for the council and to assign budgets to the chief executive to enable that to happen.
"If there are people who want us to do less of some things, then their opportunity for them to do that is through the annual plan process.
"The work doesn’t happen by itself. It’s usually good to have staff that drives the council work programme."
Dr Bidrose said about 25% of the budgeted increase in personnel costs related to salary or wage increases for existing staff, including a 2% pay bump across the board.
The council was getting a lot done while still having residential rates that were the "lowest of any New Zealand city".
"We keep a close eye on staff numbers and are constantly looking for efficiencies. But we want things done in the city, and improvements made, which means we need to have staff to do the work.
"We provide the full range of council services and our average residential rates are in the lowest 20% of all councils, which suggests that we are serving our community in a cost-effective and efficient manner — this is what ratepayers have a right to expect," Dr Bidrose said.
Of the 27.1 FTEs the council planned to add in 2020-21, two were for people paid more than $100,000 a year.
Council staff numbers have steadily increased since 2017, when there were 890 (677.09 FTEs) employees.
The draft annual plan for 2020-21 would increase the budgeted FTEs to 822.4.
Proposed new FTE positions include staff in infrastructure services, consent processing, operations, community support, health and safety, infrastructure support, urban development and district plan support, three waters and transport support, human relations and communications, and mayoral strategic support.
"Some new positions, such as building consent processing, have a supporting revenue stream.
"Other positions are largely required to ensure maintenance of services in a growth environment — particularly in the core infrastructure areas," a report on the draft annual plan says.
Dr Bidrose said staff would be added to support the running of community events.
"In addition, a community and engagement specialist will take a lead role in the development and delivery of engagement and communication plans and activities for the South Dunedin Future and DCC’s long-term coastal plans."
Late last month, Cr Lee Vandervis took issue with the council’s message that an overall rates increase of 6.5% was required "in order to maintain levels of service" and suggested the council’s annual plan consultation should indicate the added spending was "to enable these very significant staff increases".
The bulk of the increase in the proposed rates take, 4.3%, is to maintain existing levels of service and the rest (2.2%) is to offset a drop in revenue from the Green Island landfill.
The council plans to spend a total of $321.1million in the 2020-21 year.
The Otago Daily Times reported last week the Otago Regional Council planned to add 38.1 FTE positions next year to reach 241.3 FTEs.
Economics consulting firm Infometrics recently said public administration was among the key sectors contributing to job growth in Dunedin in 2019.
In cities with similar populations to Dunedin’s roughly 130,000, the Hamilton City Council (population 164,500) employed 1204 staff (1023.19 FTEs) at the end of June last year, and the Tauranga City Council (population 131,500) had 757 staff members (663 FTEs).
New FTE positions
Infrastructure services ....................7
Consent processing......................6.2
Operations....................................2.3
Community support ......................1.5
Health and safety..........................3.3
Infrastructure support...................2.6
Contract management and support in three waters and transport............5.2
Organisational support, human relations and communications.........2
Mayoral strategic advice ..............1.5
Offset by drop of 4.5 FTEs with end of fixed-term contracts and changes to other contracts
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Comments
Wow, an overnight increase of 33% in staffing levels. Boom time for bureaucracy.
33%?
Try 3.63% increase in staffing levels for DCC.
Current FTE 747.01
Additional FTE 27.1
Increase = 3.63% increase in FTE
Increase in FTE for ORC is 18.75%
Your quite right.... I missed the decimal point there. Time for new glasses :)
"In addition, a community and engagement specialist will take a lead role in the development and delivery of engagement and communication plans and activities for the South Dunedin Future and DCC’s long-term coastal plans."
Maybe the ODT can fulfill this role by finding out if the city drainage; mud traps have been cleaned out, what the plan is to clear way the autumn leaf fall and if the outlet is serviceable this time, before winter sets in ???
I'm not being facetious !
As a rate payer, I would like an answer to these questions !
Surely there is a report somewhere advising the current status !
What does it say ???
Sorry mate, the opinions of mere rate payers like you and me count for nothing to the empire builders.
And cleaning of mud traps is an unimportant distraction, don't you know that it is far more important for the council to have strategic advisors, health and safety reps and spin doctors...
Empire building for the benefit of special interests.
Hey ODT!...I have an April Fools Day headline for you:
Dunedin City Council to reduce rates. Decides to listen to ratepayers.
The number of staff reported here are of those who are directly employed by the DCC but in fact the number is much higher as most of the actual work done by the DCC is contracted out.
The ballooning unchecked spending and inefficiency of our local council is not unique and a problem for all local councils. National governments of the past have tried unsuccessfully to rein in local government but still they continue to expand.
As defined in the Local Government Act 2002, the purpose of local government is:
to enable democratic local decision-making and action by, and on behalf of, communities; and
to meet the current and future needs of communities for good-quality local infrastructure, local public services and performance of regulatory functions in a way that is most cost-effective for households and businesses.
All local councils go way beyond this. I believe what we need is a complete reform, the current system is not working.
No surprises from communism lite here.
Mr Hawkins says the council are setting direction and passing a budget for the chief executive to execute. Quite obviously that simply isn't true. Ms Bidrose has set an ambit claim for rate increases well over triple inflation. Apart from the 1.5 people who are the mayors personal political assistants and should be cancelled, it is difficult to see how any of these increases are justified.
Dunedins population is growing at 2%. NZ inflation is about 1.9%. DCC is simply badly managed and being diverted with political and other spending that ratepayers can't afford.
I note that the political appointees to tell Hawkins how to do his job has already grown by 50% from the forecast 1 person 2 weeks ago. What is the 3 year plan, a team of 10 political advisers ready to campaign for the greens?
Thanks for taking more money out of my pockets without asking again, DCC.
I guess my home insulation will have to wait..again. I can't afford it. I'm too busy paying YOU!
Great to see the news that the Dunedin Council is the best in NZ.
Dunedin out strippung the rest of NZ for developmemt. Also one of the least debt and sustainable budgets, thanks to the last Council. Hopefully this new council will thrive as well and nost likely will with the help of Dr Bidrose.
Although it is very clear, lets mention the councilor that voted against everything they did and attempeted to disrupt the outstanding effort... Lee Vandervis. All noise, no results and somehow thought that he was the person to make them even better than the best in NZ... lol
How are those rose tinted prescription glasses working for you kezza?
Maybe time to visit the optometrist again
I've just done my back a severe strain injury......LAUGHING!!
Kezza, you surely HAVE to be a comedian. Dunedin is prospering purely due to the fact it is playing 'catch up' with other main centres. Fact is, Dunedin was cheap, REAL cheap, and it went un-noticed, just like Invercargill and Gisbourne. Places with stunning natural environment...and cheap. In this lastest economic boom, cities such as Dunedin have been rediscovered, but not for it's council performance, but purely because people, both Nationally and Internationally, have been 'forced' to look elsewhere! However, the DCC spin doctors capitalise on the discovery, and profess that their 'polices' have drawn the crowds.
Whoops, just strained a lung while continuing to laugh!
Kezza, , if you think the Dunedin Council is the best in NZ. you have low standards must live under a rock with a wifi connection - you seriously need to get out and explore more, you might even need better work stories. plus 'Cr Lee Vandervis. who you are bagging is part of that team. By reading your comment and other comments I'd say Kezza is all Noise and would drown out a live Guns and Roses concert.. Lets hope Bidrose has a part time job in her degree, it looks like you might need to lay back on her couch under the lamp and cruise off to Lala land, or be bought back from Lala land you are in.
Funny to watch the doom and gloomers complain. No matter what, they will keep at it.