Auckland Council managing the financial cost of COVID-19
Auckland Council is taking steps to reduce spending on external contracts and contract staff in non-essential services, as part of plans to manage the financial impact of COVID-19.
Auckland Council Chief Executive Stephen Town says that like many organisations and households in this time of economic uncertainty, Auckland Council is planning for the impacts from COVID-19 to continue beyond the current lockdown period.
“Our priority at this time is to maintain the essential services we provide for Aucklanders, while reducing costs where we can.” – Stephen Town
“Over the past fortnight we have been working to pause external contracts for non-essential services, and to reduce our temporary and contract (contingent) workforce. This does not include employees of the council on fixed-term contracts.
“We identified around 1100 contingent workers providing support across a range of business areas. While it is too early to say exactly what the savings will be, we expect this number to significantly reduce as we pause non-essential work.
Examples of the types of work we’ve been able to pause are consultancy and project management services for capital works projects, event operations, non-essential asset maintenance, fleet servicing, and internal business improvement projects.
“Workers who are affected may be eligible for the government’s wage subsidy package, depending on their individual circumstances.
“In addition, all permanent staff recruitment is on hold until further notice, and under-utilised permanent staff will be redeployed into roles currently filled by contingent workers.
“This will help us to manage costs in this unpredictable period while retaining the necessary capacity and skills to restore services when we move into the recovery phase and beyond.”
Auckland Council has developed criteria for approving exceptional circumstances where non-essential expenditure may still be required.
These could include, expenditure which relates to legislative compliance, completion of projects with substantial sunk cost, property transactions due for settlement, or the completion of in-flight procurement processes for outsourced services.
“We know this will be distressing news for some of our external contractors and contingent workers during what is an already challenging time. It’s not a decision that has been made lightly. These are valued partnerships and hard-working individuals who have been committed to serving Aucklanders and to making our city a great place to live.
“I want to acknowledge how hard so many of our staff are working through this time to continue to support our essential work for Aucklanders.
“We can reassure Aucklanders that we are committed to ensuring that essential services continue throughout this time of national emergency and are not affected.”
Mayor Phil Goff says, “The COVID-19 lockdown has significantly reduced the council’s rates and non-rates revenue.
“We do not have the option of borrowing more, nor putting rates up other than what has already been outlined.
“We will maintain critical services and continue to invest in much-needed infrastructure that will also stimulate jobs and recovery. However, we have to prune back desirable but non-essential expenditure.
“We can’t continue to pay temps, consultants and contracted workers when we can’t provide work for them. It’s a tough but necessary decision we simply have to take,” Phil Goff says.