Auckland Council's new chief executive is Stephen Town, who has been appointed for a five-year term on a $630,000 a-year salary.
Town, currently Regional Director of the NZ Transport Agency for Auckland and Northland and a former Tauranga City Council CEO, starts on January 15.
His appointment follows an international search.
He replaces Doug McKay who in the last financial year received a salary of nearly $800,000.
Auckland's Mayor Len Brown said Town was "quite simply the most qualified person to lead the organisation through this next challenging phase".
"Auckland needs the very best to respond to the huge challenges we face in transport, housing affordability and financial management, and in Stephen we’ve got it. He is highly experienced, absolutely focused on the task ahead and crystal clear on the challenges and opportunities for Auckland."
Brown said McKay had done an "outstanding job" leading the council group through the first three years.
"Doug oversaw one of the most challenging organisational transformations in New Zealand’s history."
Town said it was a "huge privilege" to be appointed.
"This next phase in Auckland’s transformation will require a relentless focus on delivery, service improvement and prudent financial management. We have a genuine opportunity to make Auckland the world’s most liveable city and I am delighted to be part of that project."
His appointment as CEO followed a recruitment process led by a CEO Review Committee chaired by the Mayor. The appointment was made by the full Governing Body of Auckland Council.
Town's $630,000, salary will be fixed for two years. His contract will be for a five-year term.
McKay had indicated in December 2012 that he would not seek reappointment when his term expired on 31 December 2013. His initial appointment was for 18 months and he extended it to 31 December 2013 at the request of the council.
11 Comments
There's a chocolate fish for ayone who notices Auckland Council actually do something that improves the lives of Aucland residents. When will the public sector learn that re-organising structures, replacing managers, developing plans, bedding in new frameworks, establishing committees, fact-finding, paying living wages, issuing world-class press releases are no subsitute for delivering outcomes that are valued by the commuinity.
... well of course , there are some of us who tried in vain to warn you deniers of the peak in chocolate fish atoms .. ... Even Greenpeace are in total denial over this pressing issue ...
The planet simply cannot sustain your current consumption levels ...
... I suggest you don your tin hats , head into your caves , and by the light of a lone candle , eat a little Gummy Bear !
I think we should put to bed the antics of the current mayor.
And go to Town on the new encumbent.
Both are a source of double dipping and being over exposed.
You rate payers must all be rolling about laughing, working yer fingers to the bone to pay for their largesse and pension payments.
I would not take it lying down, bend over and take it like a man.
Now that the NZ Herald, TV3, TV1 etc have spent 3 weeks running around after the "right-wing conspiracy" chasing Luigi etc, maybe they will get back to their real job and start asking Len Brown some difficult questions.
Just as they would be asking direct persistent questions of the Prime Minister, Cabinet Ministers, MPs and other elected reps who have been found to be in serious breach of professional duties.
How is it that the Mayor of the largest city in NZ can carry on in the job without standing down while a serious enquiry into unethical behaviour is under way?
Is the media receiving legal threats from the Auckland Council Mayors office public relations dept? Do we really have a free press any more?
Anyone have any idea what a Regional Director of the NZ Transport Agency for Auckland and Northland makes as an annual salary?
In 2012 his boss at NZTA wasn't on $630K -
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/political/117898/housing-ceo-got-$81,000-payout-when-job-ended
And therefore, I guess we can assume this direct report was on much, much less.
So why pay him more than what was needed to entice him into the AKL CEO job?
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