The Central Otago District Council has introduced a new structure to better serve the community.
In a statement released this week, the council said it has a new-look executive leadership team.
The structure starts this week and includes a reshaped executive leadership team and a reshuffling of existing teams to new reporting lines.
Chief executive Sanchia Jacobs said the new structure would give her team more capacity to explicitly focus on the community and create the space needed for the executive to focus on some of the big conversations happening in the local government sector.
“Bringing together those functions that interface with our community is a genuine step forwards for our organisation, and at a time when focusing on the community we serve has never been more important.
‘‘The new structure, which includes the addition of one role created within existing budgets as well as internal promotions, will help enhance our ability to achieve all the great things we are here to deliver for our community and amazing region,’’ she said.
‘‘It will also give our executive the opportunity to focus more on the strategic space, ensuring we can engage appropriately in a rapidly changing local government environment and deliver on the vision that our elected members set on behalf of the community.”
Dylan Rushbrook, formerly general manager of Tourism Central Otago, has stepped into the role of community vision group manager.
He would be responsible for community development, communications and engagement, economic development, strategy and policy, and tourism. He has held senior roles in recruitment, sales and marketing, and governance positions with Dunedin Venues, Regional Tourism NZ and the Southern Lakes Event Investment Panel.
Anthony Longman from the Tourism Central Otago team has been appointed the new head of destination to replace Dylan in his former role.
David Scoones joins the council as community experience group manager.
A former chairman of the Cromwell Youth Trust, he has returned home to New Zealand from Australia with his wife and children.
He will lead the parks, pools, libraries and customer services functions.
Saskia Righarts, who has held the chief adviser role at council since 2018, took up the new position as business support group manager in September this year. She leads the information services, risk and procurement, finance and governance functions.
Louise van der Voort, who has held the role of planning and environment executive manager since 2004 has a change of title to planning and infrastructure group manager.
She continues to oversee the planning and regulatory functions, and property team, and now also takes on responsibility for roading and environmental services.
Louise Fleck, who has been seconded to an executive role for some time leading libraries, customer services and people and culture functions, was confirmed permanently as people and culture general manager. She will focus on the human resources, organisational culture initiatives, and health, safety and wellbeing.
Julie Muir, formerly infrastructure services executive manager, took on the role of three waters director in July this year — a position funded by Otago and Southland councils — and continues to oversee council’s water services and capital works programme.
