Christchurch City Council is proposing to cut jobs at the organisation’s executive Team.

The proposed new structure halves the number of General Managers in the Executive Group from six to three and reduces the number of groups.

 In the proposal, the Council’s external services will be drawn together in two groups – the Citizens and Community Group is unchanged and a new group combines infrastructure and regulatory and planning services.

The third group is made up of internal enabling and resourcing services and will be headed by a General Manager who is also the Chief Financial Officer.

A new small directorate with Strategic Policy and Performance functions will be set up to manage functions, including legal services, the Office of the Chief Executive, Strategic Policy and Public Information and Participation.

 It is also proposed to reduce the Executive Support positions from six to four positions and the Director position in the Office of the Mayor and Chief Executive’s Office is removed.

Christchurch City Council Chief Executive Dawn Baxendale said the proposed restructure aims to quicken the pace of the city’s recovery and to ensure the Council provides a better service to the people of Christchurch. 

 “It provides a better balance between General Managers responsible for delivering levels of service to the community and those providing internal enabling support services.”

 “It will create clear accountability, clarity of leadership, improve the services provided to the community and reduce silos and duplication.”

“We are also creating a Council that will listen to the needs of the community and is able to respond directly to issues as they arise.”

“The proposed change will not impact on Council services. The scope of the restructure is a new executive team and group structure. Out of scope in this proposal are front-line staff and their immediate team leaders who will continue to report to the organisation’s current third tier managers.”

 If adopted the new structure would save between $600k and $700k.

 Mrs Baxendale said no decisions had been made.