The Central Otago District Council has agreed to add more than $500,000 to staffing budgets through its new 10-year plan to meet "pain points" in the organisation, most of which will be funded by rates.
Council chief executive Sanchia Jacobs said this was due to growth in the district.
"While our population has grown here, our council hasn’t and staff have been under growing pressure.
"Making sure that we have the staff to do the work the community expects of us is really important but at the same time, we’re being mindful about doing that in a way that has the most minimal impact on changes in rates."
Staff budgets would increase by $521,530, some to increase the salaries of staff earning minimum wage but mostly adding positions.
"We went across the business where there’s pain points at the moment and where staff are really stretched," Ms Jacobs said.
The council did not employ policy or strategy staff and would establish two full-time-equivalent (FTE) positions for $180,000.
Another stretched area was planning. The council had five positions for planners but had two vacancies.
Through the new 10-year plan, funding was allocated for an one additional full-time planner beyond the current five, funded 40% by rates and 60% fees such as consents.
"We haven’t had an increase [in planners] in over five years, but if you look at the growth that’s happened here, that’s the same number of people dealing with that growth."
There would also be more investment in human resources, governance support, finance and communications, all funded by rates.
An additional property officer would be entirely reserve funded, not impacting rates.
The 2017 Ratepayer’s Report by the Taxpayer’s Union listed the council’s staff costs per ratepayer as $890, below the national average of $1539 and rural council average of $1789.
Ms Jacobs said the changes to staff budgets would not have an large impact on that.
The council employed 130 FTE staff, Ms Jacobs said.
