24 December 2012

Kevin Lavery confirmed as new Council CEO

Wellington Mayor Celia Wade-Brown has confirmed the appointment of Kevin Lavery as the new Chief Executive of Wellington City Council.

Dr Lavery, currently the Chief Executive of Cornwall Council in southwest England, will take up his new role in March.

Mayor Wade-Brown says she and her colleagues are looking forward to working with Dr Lavery. “He will bring strong leadership and fresh thinking to the Council at a time when the city and region faces big challenges.”

She has personally checked the credentials of Dr Lavery by talking to politicians from across the political spectrum with whom he has worked at the Cornwall Council and, prior to that, in Newcastle. They include the Cornwall Council Leader Jim Currie, the former Leader, Alec Robertson, and North Durham Labour MP and former Newcastle Councillor Kevan Jones.

“Kevin’s career thus far shows he can work with people across the political spectrum and that his focus is on providing affordable and quality services in challenging local government environments. His strategic thinking, telecommunications background and urban regeneration experience will be welcome.

“The main role of any local authority CEO is to implement the decisions of the elected Mayor and Councillors and Kevin will continue to do that in Wellington.”

Mayor Wade-Brown says Dr Lavery interviewed well “and impressed a clear majority of my colleagues”.

She adds that Dr Lavery found the rugged coastline of Wellington attractive – “and with a Doctorate in Urban and Regional Studies he is also relishing the challenges of running a council in a cosmopolitan capital city”.

Dr Lavery has been appointed for five years with an annual salary package of $400,000.

ENDS

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Scoop Business: Bathurst Gets Nod For DoC Access To Denniston Mine

Conservation Minister Nick Smith has approved access over conservation estate land for Bathurst Resources to develop an open cast coal mine on the Denniston Plateau, above Westport, to the dismay of environmental opponents.

The timing for Smith’s move avoids Bathurst having to resubmit applications for access agreements under the revised Crown Minerals Act, which comes into force tomorrow and would have required public consultation.

The announcement lands in the middle of delicate negotiations between the company, environmental groups and other interested parties that could pave the way to a broader agreement on the Escarpment proposal, whose resource consents are still subject to court appeals. More>>