“The abuse has been serious enough to be reported to police and it must stop immediately,” Dutra said.
“From a council perspective, we will not tolerate any form of abuse toward our staff or contractors. Every employee has the right to work in an environment that is safe, respectful and free from harassment or aggression.
“When incidents occur, we will stand beside our people, report abusive behaviour to the appropriate authorities, and take all necessary steps to protect their wellbeing.”
Dutra said the council believed the abuse was sparked by misinformed views about its budget overspend.
“Much of the unbudgeted work was undertaken by other suppliers, not Green by Nature,” he said.
“Targeting these crews is unfair and misguided.”
Dutra said the “ignorance and misunderstanding” was frustrating because the council had worked to recover from the overspend without costing ratepayers.
The council is entering the next phase of its investigation which will examine staff and supplier decisions.
This will be overseen by an independent specialist appointed by Mayor Weston Kirton and the risk and assurance committee chairman Philip Jones.
Dutra said respect for those who served the community was non-negotiable.
“Our staff and contractors are also local residents and ratepayers. They work hard for this community and deserve respect, not abuse.”
Fin Ocheduszko Brown is a multimedia journalist based in Whanganui.
