Restructure planned for ORC

Otago Regional Council staff are facing uncertain times as chief executive Peter Bodeker proposes to restructure the organisation.

It is understood key staff, including some of the council's six directors, could be affected, but Mr Bodeker would not comment yesterday, saying no decisions had been made and it was ''irresponsible'' for people to speculate.

A consultation document had been presented to staff and feedback was due in by Thursday.

Not all staff would be potentially affected by the proposal but all were able to provide feedback, he said.

''Then I'll take a week to consider the feedback from staff.''

Staff spoken to by the Otago Daily Times declined to comment, saying they had been told the consultation was confidential.

Mr Bodeker, who has been in the job 11 months, said the proposal was not a ''cost-cutting exercise'' and nor was the organisation ''broken''.

Its aim was to ''position the council going forward'' so it could meet the challenges of two major pieces of legislation on water quality and the end of mining rights to water.

''We have to spend a lot of time with landowners - in particular farmers - to make that transition a success for them.''

The organisation needed to be in a better position to engage with landowners, he said.

''We need to have the organisation structured in a way to do that successfully.''

The council had already lost land resources manager Susie McKeague, one of the council's key liaison staff with farmers.

''It was not related to the consultation at all.''

Any large organisation lost senior staff and they went with a lot of knowledge but there were really good staff left who could ''pick up the mantle''.

Ms McKeague, who had worked for the council for 12 years, said when contacted she left to pursue other business opportunities and could not comment further.

Mr Bodeker said under the proposal the council's 140 staff could increase by two or three. Some staff might have to reapply for positions if employment law required it.

The proposal had not been directed by the council, he said.

''It's my observations after a long period of consideration. It is very much a long considered view of where the organisation needs to go.''

The new councillors will not be sworn in until next week but met yesterday for an informal get-together.

Last term's chairman, Stephen Woodhead, said staff organisation was the responsibility of the chief executive and as such it was inappropriate for him or any other councillor to comment.

Federated Farmers Otago chairman Stephen Korteweg said when contacted Ms McKeague would be ''sadly missed''.

Farmers were waiting anxiously for the outcome of the consultation and hoped it would be in their ''best interests''.

''He's [Bodeker] a new broom and he'll be wanting to make his mark.''

Otago Fish and Game Council chief executive Niall Watson said when contacted he hoped any structural changes being made to the regional council would involve setting up a firm compliance regime to deal with the challenges of the new 6A water quality regulations.

''Implementation of 6A is going to require careful consideration of resourcing.''

rebecca.fox@odt.co.nz

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