There has been an increase in aggresive behaviour towards council staff and one person has been trespassed from the Queenstown Lakes District Coucil after threatening physical assault and saying they would "destroy a building".
During a council committee meeting on Thursday, council people and capability director Meghan Pagey said while reports of physical assault had been received during the period from September 1 to January 31, "we are seeing tension in the community, which is understandable in the current environment".
In her report to the committee, Ms Pagey said the council was concerned by the increase in incidents of aggressive behaviour and abuse towards staff.
She told the committee yesterday the incidents were both in person and over the phone.
Council chief executive Mike Theelen said while the council required vaccine passes for its "high extended contact" facilities such as gyms, libraries and recreation centres, its customer services desks were, at present, "open to allcomers".
"We are constantly reviewing ... how available we will make our customer services desks to the public," Mr Theelen said.
"At this stage, we are working with the principle that people have the opportunity to come and interface directly with the council.
"That’s tough on those staff, but we’ve worked through that with them through our consultation."
Committee chairman Stuart McLaughlan said when he was Pharmac’s chairman "we actually went to the point of excluding, so it was by invitation people came in ... so that might be something you need to consider".
However, council corporate services general manager Meaghan Miller said at present there was "very little foot traffic" through council offices.
Those who were seeking face-to-face assistance were "ostensibly of the senior generation".
