Three councillors have raised concerns about fewer members of the executive leadership team (ELT) being at last week’s long-term plan hearing than in previous years.
The long-term plan (LTP) will set the direction for the next nine years of council services, activities and spending and includes a proposed capital budget of $1.89 billion, with rates rises of about 10% forecast for the first three years.
The four-day hearing also included submissions on government reform of the future delivery of Three Waters.
Cr Kevin Gilbert said the absence of council executives was "appalling", Cr Sophie Barker said it was "challenging" and Cr Andrew Whiley said low attendance was "surprising".
However, the council said elected members had been briefed on the situation ahead of time, and while staff did not have a role in the hearing some, including chief executive Sandy Graham, had attended.
Crs Steve Walker, David Benson-Pope and Christine Garey all felt the level of attendance from executive leadership was appropriate.
Cr Gilbert said the lack of senior staff during all but the closing hours of the final day was "nothing short of an affront to the Dunedin public and a thumbing of the nose to councillors and the process".
"As I understand it, while members of the ELT may have wanted to attend, this was a decision made by the CEO and one I cannot fathom without a hefty degree of cynicism."
Knowledgeable staff were at the hearings, but he saw great value in the executive hearing from the public, gauging councillors’ responses and noting "to-dos".
Ms Graham and the ELT showed disrespect to submitters.
"This to me was the lowest part of the proceeding," Cr Gilbert said.
Cr Whiley was "extremely surprised" at ELT’s minimal presence and understood leaders were on retreat for two days, a claim the council has denied.
He said in 12 years as a councillor, he had never seen senior staff "missing for the week", especially during hearings on a "contentious" long-term plan.
"It would have been beneficial, I think, for some of them to be engaged."
Cr Barker said she would have preferred senior staff be at the hearings and it had been challenging without them.
"There’s a huge amount of information being shared by LTP presenters and I think it’s important that senior staff hear that information and public feedback verbatim."
Council corporate services general manager Robert West said suggestions the council had lacked respect were wrong.
"This stage of the process is a chance for councillors to hear from submitters, before making decisions that staff then implement," he said.
Councillors were told in advance about the approach and no concerns had been raised, he said.
Last week, ELT members had attended a routine, two-day planning session — "not a retreat", Mr West said.
Staff did not have a role beyond offering governance support to the hearing, but some senior staff — including the chief executive — did attend, either in-person or online while continuing other work.
Cr Garey said councillors were well supported and live-streaming hearings had changed attendance requirements.
"At a time where the volume of work is huge, the approach taken was entirely appropriate.
"To suggest anything untoward is simply mischief-making."
Cr Walker said senior staff could be contacted by phone and it was "ridiculous" for them to sit in on a week of hearings when other work needed to be done.
Cr Benson-Pope said the staff presence was "fine" and when a question could not be answered on the spot, arrangements were made to provide it.
— Additional reporting Grant Miller
