By 1news.co.nz
Five hundred jobs are set to go at Auckland Council ahead of Mayor Wayne Brown’s cost-cutting budget.
Two hundred jobs will be cut at Tātaki Auckland Unlimited, the agency responsible for the city’s economic, social and cultural development, chief executive Jim Stabback announced today.
The job losses include the roughly 160 positions at Auckland Transport and Panuku Development, announced last week, amid the removal of vacant positions and merging roles.
It comes amid a projected $325 million ongoing operating budget shortfall in the next financial year, and $50 million in storm-related costs.
The move comes as part of the first phase of the council’s planned structural changes.
“It’s important Aucklanders understand that while the context for these changes is operational cost savings, the council is not working towards a target in mind when it comes to the number of full-time equivalent (FTE) roles it plans to reduce by,” Stabback said today in a statement.
Stabback said it’s “the first step in a wider programme of work as we think about how we do things differently and streamline our organisation”.
Today’s announcement follows a three-week consultation period with staff.
A second phase of restructuring is expected to begin in July, after the implementation of the Annual Budget 2023/2024 in June, he said.
