Investment in infrastructure up, council salary costs down

Auckland Mayor Phil Goff today welcomed the $8 million decrease in salary costs in Auckland Council’s latest annual result.

“I have been very clear from day one that I expect Council’s staffing numbers and costs to be restrained. I am pleased that staffing costs this year have come in at $8 million less than last year.

“As Mayor I have made my expectations clear that our focus needs to be on eliminating duplication in the back office, but at the same time providing excellent services to Aucklanders.

“We want Aucklanders to have confidence in Council and controlling the salary budget helps with that.

“Cuts in salary costs have been made against the backdrop of record investment of $1.8 billion from council in Auckland’s infrastructure. We are addressing years of underinvestment in our city improving our transport network, delivering services for increased housing and protecting our environment.

“Despite the challenge of providing services to an extra 32,000 people a year, staffing levels across Council group have grown by only 29 in the council parent and 196 overall with most of that growth attributable to improving key frontline services.

“For example, Auckland Transport hired 49 train managers this year to improve safety for their passengers and insourced 44 more people in their customer services team.

“We are experiencing huge population growth in Auckland. As we grow we are going to need more staff in our front line services to work on resource and housing consents, work to keep our parks in order, look after our streets and service customers at our libraries and pools.

“Delivering value for money has been a priority for council this past year. We have aimed to do that while maintaining the lowest rates rise for any metropolitan city in New Zealand of 2.5%.

“Over this past year council cut its car fleet, avoided costs of $117 million by rationalising corporate office space and saved tens of millions of dollars through an improved procurement programme including shared procurement processes across the group.

“And the Mayoral office has led the way with spending which is roughly half of the allocated budget for the office” said Mayor Phil Goff.

ENDS

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