New Clutha District Council manager David Campbell has swapped north for south - Otago, that is.
Mr Campbell (39) began his role as the council's planning and regulatory manager late last year, after nearly five years as the Waitaki District Council's planning manager.
The job at the Clutha council provided the opportunity to expand into the regulatory area, he said.
The planning and regulatory manager oversees Resource Management Act planning, building control, animal control, environmental health, sale of liquor, Civil Defence, rural fire, and administering council bylaws.
''I've come in at a busy time of year for the department. It's important to keep that continuity. Murray [Brass, the previous manager] has left it in good stead.''
As regulatory services was a relatively new area for Mr Campbell, he was busy ''getting to grips'' with its functions.
He grew up in the Waimate area and graduated from the University of Canterbury with a master of arts (honours) degree in geography, before gaining a postgraduate diploma in resource studies, focusing on land-use planning and management.
''Most of it is on-the-job training.''
Mr Campbell began his career in Invercargill, where he worked for the city council for two years as a planner, before working in the same role at the Porirua City Council and the Christchurch City Council.
He also worked as a consultant before taking up the role of planning manager at the Waitaki council in 2009.
Away from work, Mr Campbell is a keen skier and remains the secretary of the Waitaki Ski Club. He also enjoys hunting and fishing, and hopes to cycle the Clutha Gold Trail.
Mr Campbell fills the position left vacant by Mr Brass, who left on November 22, after 12 years at the council.
