The controversial move of Far North District Council consents staff from Kaikohe to Kerikeri will go ahead on Tuesday.
The council plans will move its building and consents and liquor licensing sections, currently in Kaikohe, to the rented John Butler Centre in Kerikeri.
The council says the move makes sense because most development is taking place in areas such as Kerikeri, but a 1000-strong petition opposing the move was presented to the council last month.
As well, the Office of the Auditor General is looking into the decision after a complaint from Far North resident and petition organiser Shaun Reilly.
Cathy Kenkel, from the Auditor General's office said a decision was expected by the end of the month.
The council's 44 resource consent and building staff will receive and process development consents applications, providing a comprehensive service from the top floor of the building.
Development consents concept development meetings will be offered at Kerikeri and will continue to be offered at Kaikohe where around 180 council staff will remain to deliver a wide range of council services.
The council says the relocation will bring development consents staff closer to the action in that an average of around 86 per cent of all consents processed and properties inspected are in the east of the district.
"This will make business easier for most of our development consents customers and allow us to operate more efficiently," council development consents general manager Patrick Schofield said. "Our research indicates that the Far North development industry welcomes the move, which has many benefits including reducing the endless flow of development-related traffic between the councils Kaikohe office and Kerikeri and vice-versa."
The council was also moving to strengthen its Kaitaia development consents services as part of its efforts to put the customer first and adopt a more businesslike approach to the way in which it operated, he said.
It was hoped two fulltime resource planners would work from the Kaitaia office by August.
Ms Kenkel said the council had provided her Auditor General's office with information.
"We haven't formed our opinion on this matter. A standard practice is to look at the information to ensure we have all the facts," she said.
Ms Kenkel pointed out that the Auditor General's office
looked at procedures under the new Local Government Act "and give our opinion". It would then be up to the complainant - Mr Reilly - or the council to decide wether to take the matter further.
Far North staff off despite petition
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