A restructure of the Dunedin City Council’s executive leadership team has pruned the number of general managers from eight to six.
The deputy chief executive role, which had been filled by Leanne Mash, is not part of the new structure.
It appears the council also decided not to fill the vacancy created by the departure of customer and regulatory services general manager Claire Austin in August last year.
Her roles were reallocated within the executive leadership team.
Council chief executive Sandy Graham said the new structure and reporting lines were intended to make the organisation more efficient and ‘‘best placed to respond to changes facing our sector’’.
It was a streamlined structure that would deliver savings of about $550,000 a year, she said.
The restructure was confirmed during a period when the new council’s elected members have yet to be sworn into office.
It included a reshuffle of responsibilities for senior staff.
The new executive leadership team structure included general manager positions of corporate and regulatory services (Paul Henderson), Three Waters, property and urban development (David Ward), city services (Scott MacLean) and arts, culture and economic development (Mike Costelloe).
Nicola Morand’s role would now be community and strategy manahautū (general manager) and Carolyn Allan would continue as chief financial officer.
Stuff reported in April this year Ms Mash had been on leave for almost a year.
The Taxpayers’ Union said at the time the council refused to explain her ongoing absence.
Ms Graham said in April the Taxpayers’ Union’s views about councils were well known.
‘‘The DCC remains committed to transparency wherever possible, including responding to a wide range of media requests, but we also have legitimate privacy and legal obligations as an employer which limit what can be discussed publicly,’’ she said.
Before the exit of Ms Mash, the most recent departure from the executive leadership team had been on August 1, when corporate services general manager Robert West had his last day at the council.
In March, the council confirmed arts, culture and recreation general manager Jeanette Wikaira was leaving.
She took up a position with the Thames-Coromandel District Council from late May.
Mr Costelloe, former Delta Utilities chief executive, joined the Dunedin City Council’s executive leadership team in July.