500 council staff forced out by toxic mould

Tauranga City Council staff work to decontaminate equipment affected by toxic black mould. Photo / John Borren

More than 500 Tauranga City Council staff members will have been relocated from the council chambers by the end of the month.

Toxic black mould was found in the building late last year after a staff member had become ill. Stachybotrys or black mould was found after testing and now a full-scale survey of the building was under way.

The council has signed nine-month leases, with rights of renewal, for parts of the Westpac Building in Devonport Rd, the former ANZ Building in Spring St and a building in Durham St opposite Beaurepaires, for staff to relocate to.

Operation Clean project manager Terry Wynyard said they had moved 113 staff out of the building last weekend, another 58 staff members would be moved this weekend. A further 109 staff would be moved the weekend after, meaning roughly 330 staff members had been relocated.

"More than 500 staff in total would have been moved at some stage," he said.

Mr Wynyard said most council staff had been affected in some way, if they had not had to move they would have indirectly been affected by having to accommodate other staff.

Surveyors were part way through surveying the building to identify where the water was leaking into the building from and would be finished some time in March, he said.

Mr Wynyard said the survey was complex hence the longevity of the work.

After the survey had been completed, decisions would be made on what remedies or solutions would be put forward for the building with demolition not completely out of the picture, he said.

The Learning Centre, which had been affected by the first-floor closure, would be opened again this Friday.

Mr Wynyard said he had not heard any fresh reports of health issues brought on by the mould.

"The staff have been fantastic which has made the move a lot easier."