Cr Michael Laws will lead a working group to assess the council’s strategic direction after councillors voted 7-4 at Wednesday’s meeting backing his proposed review.
"If we are going to have an overarching ‘Strategic Directions’, we should create it for ourselves," Cr Laws said.
The previous council developed the Strategic Directions 2024-34 document through its long-term plan, encompassing goals in six focus areas — such as partnership, communities and climate — which work programmes were aligned with.
It incorporated the previous council’s world view and became central to policy making, but "was not universally endorsed by those here", Cr Laws said.
"There are ideologies contained within the current Strategic Directions document that may have well fitted the world view of the previous council, but I would argue need to be re-examined in the light of this new group."
He suggested the document needed "to shear itself of some of the ideology" and concentrate on rates spending and improving Otago’s environment.
Councillors voted 7-4 down the same lines to appoint Cr Laws as group chairman and Crs Kevin Malcolm, Hilary Calvert and Kate Wilson as members; representing the four council wards, Cr Laws said.
Councillor and former chairwoman Gretchen Robertson opposed the motions, saying no work had been done to establish the group’s area of focus.
It was fair a new council re-examine strategic direction but the process should include all councillors and the community, she said.
"I just think it’s a no from me. This is poor governance."
Cr Neil Gillespie said Cr Laws’ motion was "deficient on information".
"I think this proposal that’s been put to us ... is a bit like, ‘trust us, we know what we’re doing. It’ll be OK’.
"And there seems to be no information that gives me any firm idea of the process that’s going to follow."
Cr Laws said the working group model was chosen for its speed and it did not require a significant time commitment from other councillors.
"It’s simply working up the proposals which will be discussed and then decided upon by the full council."
Cr Robbie Byars said the Strategic Directions had frustrated him several times since he was elected in October.
"We try to do something — ‘oh no, you can’t, strategic direction says this’," Cr Byars said.
"Are we elected just to carry out the previous council’s directions or set our own?"
Chief executive Richard Saunders said strategic direction would have been discussed with councillors in March, during preparations for the 2027-37 long-term plan.
The group would produce a report to be discussed and actioned, if required, at next year’s first full council meeting; councillors backed this proposal 8-3 with Crs Gillespie, Robertson and Alan Somerville in opposition.
The vote
That a working party be convened for the purpose of reviewing the Strategic Directions 2024-34 document, to ensure alignment with the strategic focus of the newly elected governance team.—
For (7): Hilary Calvert, Robbie Byars, Chanel Gardner, Gary Kelliher, Michael Laws, Kevin Malcolm, Andrew Noone.
Against (4): Neil Gillespie, Matt Hollyer, Gretchen Robertson, Alan Somerville.
Absent: Cr Kate Wilson.
