ORC staff numbers up as demands mount

A major increase in staff at the Otago Regional Council has helped to address years of historical under investment, its chief executive says.

As at December last year, the council had 45.3 more full-time equivalents (FTEs) on staff than the previous year.

The increase followed a damning report by Prof Peter Skelton on the council’s capacity to resolve historical mining rights that expire later this year, which he said was partly the result of years of under-investment in staff.

The council’s 2020-21 budget for staff was 243.8 FTEs, compared with 203.2 FTEs the previous year.

Chief executive Sarah Gardner said at the present level of 248.5 FTEs, the organisation was over budget for staff this financial year, which was a result of the council requiring 16 more FTEs to deal with new fresh water regulations introduced by central government.

The exact number of people that have been hired to fill the FTE positions is unclear.

Mrs Gardner said she believed the council was a more proactive and engaged organisation with the extra staff.

Many of the new staff were hired for positions in areas identified as being historically under-resourced and requiring more investment, including consents, compliance, science, environmental monitoring and biosecurity.

It meant the council could increase river monitoring sites, undertake new estuary monitoring, process a higher number of consent applications, enhance compliance monitoring and respond to greater number of pollution complaints.

The council had also increased its capacity to respond to new government legislation, including the new freshwater rules and regulations that came into force in September, she said.

"The Otago Regional Council is quickly building up our capacity to be a more proactive and engaged council.

"As well as responding to legislative demands, we have also heard from our communities what their priorities are for Otago and where we can be doing more to support these priorities."

However, with the new staff came the need for more space.

Until recently, the council had been at capacity in its Dunedin offices.

Mrs Gardner said with a bit of shuffling and allowing some staff to work from home, enough space had been made to "squeeze" everyone in.

A lease was recently signed to use an additional floor of Philip Laing House in Dunedin and a lease had also been secured for new premises in Alexandra, she said.

molly.houseman@odt.co.nz