Feedback is mixed from Kāpiti mayoral candidates on the recent Leadership for Senior Executives programme attended at Harvard by Kāpiti Chief Executive Darren Edwards.
Attendance at the programme came after approval by the council’s chief executive performance and employment committee, CEPEC.
Mayoral candidate Liz Koh, a member of the CEPEC says the CE’s week at Harvard was not a junket trip, a ‘bonus’ or a ‘nice to have’.
“It was an investment in his development. Kāpiti faces a challenging future with three burning issues – rates affordability, the future sustainability of Council services and the need to reduce debt. We will need a strong, capable leader to find a solution to these issues, some of which are in conflict with each other,” says Cr Koh.
“Having completed a one-week Harvard course myself a few years ago, I can attest that it is a game-changing experience and I am confident we will get a return on our investment.”
Another mayoral candidate Rob McCann says the decision to authorise $42,979 for a six-day Harvard Business School programme – sends entirely the wrong message.
Mr McCann, a former Kāpiti Coast Councillor says, “when families are struggling with significant rates rises and hard-working Kāpiti residents are being made redundant by KCDC, our leadership should be showing restraint, not indulgence. It’s time to call an end to such extravagance.
“I want to be proud of our community and our council. I’m sure staff who have been made redundant through recent restructures will read this news and wonder whether the same level of investment could have been made in them instead,” says Mr McCann.
Another mayoral candidate Dean Harris says he is mindful of not criticising other people but says “the timing is pretty bad with rates going up and I’m surprised they (CEPEC) signed it off.”
“It’s a lot of money for the current council to approve and I’m curious why another option wasn’t considered such as attending by zoom.
“I’m not criticising Darren, but this a hell of an expense at this time when everyone is feeling the pinch. I think attending a course by Zoom could have produced the same benefit,” says Mr Harris.
Fellow mayoral candidate Kim Hobson says he’s not against professional development but says the cost will not sit well with ratepayers.
“Many people are struggling and they will see this as extravagant,” says Mr Hobson.
“However, most concerning for me is the secrecy. It took an official information request for this to come to light and that’s not the level of transparency we need for Kāpiti,” says Mr Hobson.
Kāpiti mayor Janet Holborow says investing in the chief executive’s professional development was part of improving the council’s operational effectiveness and ensuring it could meet its legislative responsibilities and provide better services and facilities for its residents.
“Council is a big business. We have $2.42 billion of assets, our annual rates revenue is just over $114 million, and we employ just under 436 full-time equivalent staff, says mayor Holborow.
She says Council is focussed on making sure every dollar spent benefits our ratepayers.
Harvard describes the course as providing “an immersive exploration of the five key roles today’s leaders need to embody to manage uncertainty”. It was designed for senior executives and executive team members with significant management responsibilities and at least 20 years of experience in large established organisations.