Dunedin City Council board lacks emotional intelligence

Dunedin City Council board lacks emotional intelligence

20 February 2012

The latest version of the Dunedin City Council governance review says there are very few women among the DCC's pool of directors, and it is "genuinely difficult" for competent women to obtain governance opportunities, but doesn't explain why.

The Larsen report explains when women are appointed to a board "it is the author's experience they add a positive and different dimension to debate, with often a major advantage over men, evident in emotional intelligence".

The report says the topic of women on the board is topical and sometimes controversial "particularly when the argument becomes gender based".

The report recommends that diversity on the board is left to their own discretion.

The Larsen report was written by independent governance reviewer Warren Larsen, and examines the DCC's performance.

The report concludes the DCC will generate an unsustainable $700 million dollars of debt by 2014 which will force unpalatable asset sales to be considered.

The new report has reinstated several previously removed pages, and sections, although it still has redacted information, after an ongoing investigation by the Ombudsmen into the matter, instigated by the Dunedin Guardian.

The Dunedin Guardian is considering another appeal to have this information reinstated into the report.

ENDS

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