Upper Hutt council restructures, 24 roles to go
- NZ Empowered
- Aug 17, 2024
- 3 min read
Nicholas Boyack
August 16, 2024
Forty-four permanent roles are being disestablished, 20 of which are currently vacant. Another 20 jobs will be created in the restructure.Blake Crayton-Brown / Upper Hutt Leader
The Upper Hutt City Council is saying little about a restructure that will see 44 permanent roles disestablished and 20 new jobs created.
The council signalled the restructure in July, when it announced a rate increase of 19.93%. The council met with staff on Wednesday but released few details.
Mayor Wayne Guppy said at the time the restructure was announced that the council was under financial pressure.
“Difficult choices needed to be made to ensure council is financially sustainable and serves Upper Hutt in the right way.”
As part of its 10-year plan, the council was proceeding “with a realistic level of investment” in Upper Hutt’s water services, which was increasing to more than 40% of the council’s total spend.
Paul Fabian organised a petition calling on the Upper Hutt City Council to abandon a massive rate increase.JUAN ZARAMA PERINI / THE POST
“We thoroughly reviewed council’s structure, services, and projects to find areas where spending can be reduced or deferred.”
The July statement noted that council’s chief executive Geoff Swainson had released a proposal for consultation with council staff on an organisational restructure to further reduce operational costs.
“This has been a challenging time for everyone, and I commend the professionalism and commitment of our people. Our priority is to support them through this process,” Swainson said at that time.
Upper Hutt Mayor Wayne Guppy has acknowledged that the community was under financial pressure.JUAN ZARAMA PERINI / The Post
At the Wednesday meeting, staff learnt that 44 permanent roles were being disestablished, 20 of which were vacant. Twenty new roles would be established.
“The long-term plan financials included operational savings that were required from both an organisational review applying across council and all its activities, and specific funding reductions in five targeted activity areas,” Swainson said in a emailed statement to The Post.
Guppy declined to comment, saying restructuring was an operational matter.
But in July he acknowledged that the community was under financial pressure. “The high cost of living, interest rates, inflation, insurance, and fuel prices are causing financial strain for many,” he said.
The size of the rates increase continues to cause consternation on social media, with residents questioning the affordability of the large rate increases over the next decade.
Amanda Banteneight recently posted a picture of her direct debit payment, which had more than doubled.
“I feel sick. What do we do?”
Caleb Martin posted that she too was finding it hard. “Upper Hutt City Council needs to explain themselves, these rates hikes are absolutely criminal. Our quarterly bill arrived last week and ours has sky-rocketed as well.”
Charlotte Summers also railed again the rates increases.
“Maybe they don't want us to have houses?...I actually had not read my rates bill fully and now wow. Insane!!! It's nearly $160 a fortnight for the rates on our place...(currently $128 a fortnight).”
In April, The Post reported that Paul Fabian was organising a petition opposing what was then a 19.98% increase annually, for three years.
Fabian said there was a fear in the community that older people on fixed incomes would not be able to afford the increase.
“People simply cannot afford it, a lot of people are struggling.”
As of August 1, the council employed 169 full-time equivalent staff. It had been operating an employment freeze since January.
