Chief rules out job cuts at Gisborne District Council

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

Job losses at Gisborne District Council have been ruled out in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The council, which employs 302 full-time equivalent workers, was understaffed going into the crisis, chief executive Nedine Thatcher Swann said.

Work had dried up for council theatres, reserves, parking, library and pool staff during the lockdown.

But 33 full-time equivalent employees were redeployed to the council's Emergency Coordination Centre, activated last month to respond to the pandemic, Ms Thatcher Swann said.

Gisborne District Council was a unitary authority, with functions of a regional council, and it was solely responsible for Tairawhiti's Civil Defence Emergency Management group.

Most regions' CDEM groups had the backing of a consortia of councils.

That explained the high number of Gisborne council staff involved in the local emergency response, Ms Thatcher Swann said.

Staff had also been redeployed to Operation Manaaki to make phone contact with the district's nearly 7000 pensioners and check on their welfare during the lockdown.

Other employees were carrying on with their normal duties from home.

Ms Thatcher Swann categorically ruled out job cuts and said no staff or contractors were facing redundancy as a result of the pandemic.

“Our focus is on the long-term recovery, service delivery and implementation of infrastructure projects that will stimulate economic activity in our region and can be quickly delivered.”

She said the council did not qualify for the Government's wage subsidy scheme.