Mayor and Councillors reaffirm support for Transformation Programme

Waitaki District Council’s Governance Team endorsed the continuation of the Transformation Programme at a meeting of full Council this week.

A paper, outlining the aims and progress of the programme so far, was presented to Councillors by Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Customer Experience and Engagement, Lisa Baillie.

Chief Executive Alex Parmley said: “It’s important to recognise that we are not looking to copy other Councils, but are creating something bespoke for Waitaki. This has been driven by Council staff engaging in the programme . We’re aware that other Councils are watching how we’re approaching transforming, with interest in the innovative ways we are meeting the challenges facing every Council in the country”

The paper explained the two previous stages undertaken in the Transformation Programme, and updated Councillors on the critical steps in Implementation which they approved in November 2023.

This included the new organisation design, changing how our teams operate and bringing services together which will be operational in 2025.

It also includes the new approach to customers, which will see one team of customer service operating across all Council services, and ease of over-the counter and online access to services.

The Council will be using digital technology to improve access to services and automate some processes to improve service and efficiency.

This will involve improved digital services, and digitising and automating as many of Council’s forms as possible – while also retaining paper versions for those in the community that use them. It also includes a Customer Experience team to help our customers with more complex requests, such as applications, to provide an easier to use and a seamless service, with one main point of contact.

Internally, the Organisational Performance Management Framework (OPMF) will set new standards for how Council as an organisation, and Council staff, deliver and are held accountable for delivering for the community. It will also support the Council to continuously improve services.

Ultimately this will be about ‘Changing the way we Waitaki’, by changing the way Council works for Waitaki. It all comes back to delivery of the key outcomes established earlier in the Transformation Programme:

• A Great Customer Experience – our community view Council as helpful; they want to interact, engage and are proud of their council. We are customer focused and effective in the way we deliver.

• Value for Money – we deliver more to the community than we take. We focus on priorities and ensure we are efficient in using ratepayer and community resources.

• Flexible and fit for purpose – our organisation is able to thrive with change. We are able to innovate, adapt, and deliver new ways of doing things.

• Focused on the communities’ needs – we are focused on how we can improve quality of life and wellbeing with our communities.

• An employer of choice – People want to work for Council and are proud to say they do. We are regarded as a leader in local government. We can retain and attract the people and skills we need to deliver well for our district and community.

• Partnering with and enabling our community – Council is part of the community, not the government system. We are an anchor institution, place maker and convenor – making sure our communities needs are met by those best placed to meet them. We enable local ideas and support localism and the ability of our local communities to decide and act on what is important.