Wright result with teamwork

November 11 will be Carterton District Council chief executive Colin Wright's last day of work. FILE PHOTO

Running a council is a bit like running the All Blacks - it's all about the teamwork, says retiring Carterton District Council chief executive Colin Wright.

After 50 years working in local government, November 11 will be Mr Wright's last day of work, as he hands over management of the council to his successor, Jane Davis.

With a background in civil engineering, Mr Wright said he had enjoyed putting his problem solving skills to use working for council.

"You get the satisfaction of solving issues, helping people and I particularly like working with the councillors and staff to try and work out the best way to deal with problems," he said.

"You can't do a job like mine by yourself, you have to work with the council and staff.

"It's that sort of teamwork - it's a bit like the All Blacks, if you get a good team operating, you get a good result."

After almost 10 years in the busy role, Mr Wright, 68, said he had mixed feelings about retiring but it felt like the right time to step down.

"I'm not getting any younger and it's time to slow down a bit and this sort of job tends to be non-stop, there's always issues. I just felt it was right to take life a bit slower.

"I've always tended to have jobs where you go to work thinking you are going to do A, B and C and then you go to work and do X, Y and Z and go home and A, B and C are still sitting there."

He was planning on spending more time with his grandchildren, getting into the garden and was in the midst of planning a seven-week holiday in Europe, he said.

Mr Wright, whose career began as an engineering cadet at the Christchurch Drainage Board in 1966, has been in Wairarapa since 1980, when he took on the role of deputy chief engineer at the Wairarapa Catchment Board.

He was the chief executive at that organisation from 1986to 1989, working on projects such as the lower Wairarapa Valley development scheme, as well as groundwater investigation.

He was then the Wairarapa divisional manager at the Greater Wellington Regional Council until 2006, when he took up his role with the Carterton District Council.

Speaking at his last regular council meeting on Wednesday, Mr Wright said he had enjoyed the challenges of the role.

"I've thoroughly enjoyed my time here, most of the time. Occasionally there's the odd frustration but I guess I wouldn't be human if there wasn't."

Highlights during his time at council included seeing the Events Centre become a reality, working on the irrigation project and seeing the population and economy of the district grow, he said.

"There's been a number of highlights. One of the most interesting aspects has been the population growth in the Carterton district ...

"I don't think it's my responsibility but it just happened to coincide with the time I was here and of course it's continued to grow since.

"There's far more emphasis on customer service. You dealt with everything by letter, but now it's email and people expect a response in minutes," Mr Wright said.

"When I started work they didn't have computers.

"The advances of technology have changed the way we deal with business - but I don't think human nature has particularly changed."

He had confidence in Ms Davis' ability to tackle the role but retiring was bittersweet.

"I'll miss all the activity and the people that you deal with and the different experiences."