Jeanine Benson. PHOTOS: SUPPLIED Two more senior Dunedin City Council staff have resigned from the organisation. The news comes as the council confirms chief executive Sandy Graham’s final day on the job will be October 2. Following questions from the Otago Daily Times, a council spokesman yesterday confirmed Three Waters, property and urban development general manager David Ward and transport group manager Jeanine Benson had both resigned. Mr Ward, who is part of the executive leadership team, joined the council as Three Waters group manager in 2022, after more than 11 years at Auckland Council’s Watercare. He will start work as chief strategy and planning officer at Tiaki Wai, which replaces Wellington Water in providing water services across the Wellington region, on August 24. Ms Benson took up the transport group manager roles in 2020, having previously worked for KiwiRail and the Auckland Transport Authority. David Ward. Her last day would be in early August, the spokesman said. He said interim arrangements would be in place once Mr Ward and Ms Benson departed the council. Last month, Dunedin Mayor Sophie Barker announced Ms Graham had not applied to continue her role and would leave the council when her contract expired in October. Former Hamilton City Council chief executive Richard Briggs was announced as Ms Graham’s successor earlier this month. Mr Briggs was appointed for a five-year term and will receive a salary of $465,000 per year. Last year, the number of general managers in the council’s executive leadership team was trimmed from eight to six.
