Dr Tim Maltby

Fold, Flee Or Fight

Cleaning The Augean Stables

Too Many Consultants

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by

Dr Tim Maltby
in

More managers means more consultants.

So where we have too many managers (seagulls), we also seem to have too many consultants (ducks), all looking for food (rates).

In 2022-23 Tauranga City Council spent nearly $56million on consultants (LGOIMA request /2024/q4/150524).

Airport326,538
Animal Services16,233
Arts & Culture2,030,759
Asset Divestment and Leveraging104,424
Asset Services380,131
Bay Venues Limited & CCO’s71,308
Baycourt Community & Arts Centre7,593
Building Services47,950
Capital Project Assurance Division (CPAD)36,576
CCO Te Manawataki o Te Papa – Land1,080,343
Cemeteries76,852
City & Infrastructure Planning2,260,844
City Events93,141
City Waters (Support Services)338,797
Civic Complex1,782,420
Community Partnerships17,390
Customer Services3,998
Democracy Services16,510
Digital Services3,620,677
Elder Housing –563,222
Environmental Planning457,557
Executive Officer271,728
Finance138,076
Head Office – TCC44
Historic Village403,370
Human Resources52,499
Legal, Risk & Procurement17,344
Libraries2,970,689
Marine Facilities297,191
Marine Precinct53,625
Parking Management534,234
Property Management157,543
Spaces & Places7,235,662
Storm water4,243,145
Strategy & Corporate Planning (Incl. Strategic Business Manager)443,005
Sustainability & Waste1,667,041
Te Pou Takawaenga Maori Unit56,160
Transportation13,776,411
Wastewater5,287,014
Water Supply6,035,900
Grand Total55,847,501

More wasteful spending and higher rates. The Tauranga City Council organisation needs to be restructured. It is bloated and ineffective. Tauranga council has the lowest approval rating of any council in New Zealand ( see Scoop and The Post).

Comments

2 responses to “Too Many Consultants”

  1. Dan Russell Avatar
    Dan Russell

    Well Tim, that is a huge amount of money. Obviously our hundred odd Managers are unable to work out how to do their jobs. They are paid extraordinary salaries for ticking off jobs that they should be doing themselves. The CEO should be on top of this and should have drawn the Commission’s attention to it long ago. The senior engineer should be getting some work out of these numpties but apparently hasn’t noticed. Now we all know the meaning of “a bloated bureaucracy”.
    Dan.

    Reply
    1. Dr Tim Maltby Avatar
      Dr Tim Maltby

      dan hi

      thanks for your comment. part of the problem is that the managers are mostly generalists who know management jargon, but dont understand what the council does. they shouldnt be there. there is an incredible amount of waste because of their lack of competence and their bad management of contracts – I see jobs that are costing 2 – 3 – 4 times more than they should – as yyou say massive use of consultants to do the work that the managers should be dong but which they are not competent to do – we pay for that – and yes the chief executive is ultimately responsible – but previous mayors and councillors have all closed their eyes to what is going on.

      Reply

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