Mayor Takes on New Role as Head of CEO Recruitment Committee

Ms. Barker has been appointed to lead a newly established committee responsible for overseeing the recruitment and performance of the chief executive at Dunedin City Council. This additional role is set to expand her current responsibilities, which include chairing council meetings and the policy and planning committee. The council will discuss this development, along with several other key matters, during its upcoming meeting.

The council is also considering the proposed reinstatement of Cr Lee Vandervis to a leadership position. This decision may impact the remuneration of other councillors, with the proposed adjusted salary for most councillors falling below $100,000 to $99,340. The deputy mayor’s remuneration is expected to remain at $145,008.

On Thursday, the council will formally establish the chief executive performance and employment committee, with Ms. Barker at the helm. Deputy Mayor Cherry Lucas is slated to serve as the deputy chair, alongside councillors Steve Walker, John Chambers, and Mickey Treadwell, who will round out the committee.

The council faces a pivotal decision regarding the chief executive position, currently held by Sandy Graham, who took office in 2020 and was granted a one-year contract extension until October 2024. Depending on the council’s deliberations, there may be a change in leadership or the possibility of Ms. Graham’s reappointment for an additional term.

Among the committee’s responsibilities will be to recommend a recruitment, selection, and appointment process for the chief executive, as well as overseeing this process and advising on potential candidates and their proposed remuneration.

Ms. Barker previously expressed the importance of robust performance management for the chief executive role, emphasising that the position oversees significant financial responsibilities. “Technically, we only have one employee responsible for hundreds of millions of dollars of spending and investment, so we need to have tight performance management,” she stated last year.

In addition to establishing the committee, the council may support a change to councillor remuneration. Following Cr Vandervis‘s initial rejection of deputy roles, he has been invited to co-chair the finance and performance committee with Cr Lucas and will also manage a portfolio regarding council-controlled organisations.

As the council continues to navigate these crucial decisions, the outcomes will likely shape the governance structure and leadership dynamics at Dunedin City Council moving forward.