Staff numbers at Auckland Council have grown in the last year – but mainly to cater for a growing Auckland and large-scale projects like the City Rail Link.
Auckland Council’s 2015-2016 Annual Report shows the number of full-time equivalent (FTE) staff employed by the council group has increased by 192 in the 12 months to 30 June.
This takes the total number of FTEs to 9870, including staff at council-controlled organisations such as Auckland Transport and Watercare.
Responding to growth
During this time Auckland’s population grew by approximately 40,000. Many of the staff increases are in areas that respond to that growth, or make the council more efficient.
The construction boom means the council needs more people to process building and resource consents, plan for development and manage major infrastructure projects.
Consequently, the council increased frontline services, such as building and resource consents and licensing and compliance services, by 55 FTEs. However, through a reduction in back office staff, the net increase was 14.
Infrastructure projects
The City Rail Link (CRL) beginning work meant an increase of 27 FTEs. The CRL will eventually allow the movement of 30,000 people an hour in peak – the equivalent of 12 motorway lanes – and bring around $7 billion worth of new private investment around the CRL area by the time the link opens.
Elsewhere, significant infrastructure projects such as the Hunua 4 water main and the Kohimarama wastewater storage tank and pipeline upgrades meant an increase in Watercare staff of 24 FTEs.
Increases in other areas
Other increases included:
- in-housing of services at Watercare and Auckland Transport (29 FTEs)
- major initiatives including the World Master Games (16 FTEs) and AT Metro (10 FTEs)
- the Government-required SuperGold card changes and the increase to 90 per cent of customers using HOP cards (26 FTEs)
- improved services and statutory requirements including new compliance with Health and Safety legislation requirements (11 FTEs)
- increasing revenue generating activities at Regional Facilities Auckland (16 FTEs).
“It is important to remember that since amalgamation, the council has had to employ enough additional workers to service a population increase equal to the entire population of Tauranga, about 130,000 people,” said Kevin Ramsay, General Manager, Corporate Finance and Property.
“The region we serve is large – around 500,000 hectares – and the size of our workforce reflects that scale.”
Council on track
The increase in FTEs meant an actual increase of $12 million1 in staff costs, 1.6 per cent over budget.
Overall, the Annual Report shows the council remains on a secure financial footing, evidenced through retaining its AA (stable) rating from Standard and Poor’s and Aa2 from Moody’s Investor Services.
The full Annual Report will be published later this month. You can read the draft unaudited report on the Audit and Risk committee agenda.
1 Based on total of $32m less $20m (budgeted as other operating expense) = $12m
