Transformation: Investing in Change

Published on 01 September 2022

Waitaki District Council is operating within a changing world. It is impacted by evolving technologies, government reforms and economic pressure, all while attempting to meet changing community needs and elected member and staff aspirations. As well as the challenges, there are opportunities to do things differently that did not exist a few years ago. As we implement new ways of working, the Transformation Programme will involve the whole organisation to create a shared vision as we become a leading, future-ready Council providing the best for our community.

Next Tuesday 6 September, Councillors will consider the next stage of the programme; the investment and the return on the investment to the Council and our communities.

The return on investment will be significant and long lasting, and it will more than pay for itself over time. We anticipate the non-financial benefits to extend far beyond the financial returns expected. Our projected efficiency and effectiveness will also provide us with headroom to tackle emerging challenges and the opportunity to provide new services.

The opportunity to change for the better, is a necessity; and it is becoming increasingly important in the public sector due to the world being vastly different to the one that Councils were designed for, the impact of the current economy and increasing central government reforms.

“The report before Council next week is an important one. If we are to serve our communities better into the future, we need to change and we need to invest in that change. But in investing in change, we need to ensure that the Council and our communities get a great return on that investment, both with financial savings and better delivery of services to our community. We are excited about then moving to the next phase in the Transformation Programme, the detailed design. Council will continue to deliver services and projects as we set firm new foundations for Council to grow from. This will take time, but taking that time is what is required to ensure we do it well,” said Waitaki District Council Chief Executive, Alex Parmley.

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