We understand newbie Lambton ward councillor, Mark Peck, is finding life a bit different at Council… namely in the way it is lacking some of the perks he was used to at Parliament. We understand that Council staff are pulling their hair out at the demands being made with Peck said to be the cause of much of the angst. We’ve been told by several sources that he has already rubbed both staff and colleagues the wrong way.
Word around Council is that Peck seemed to assume that City Councillors would get a similar package of resources and perks to what he was accustomed to as the MP for Invercargill.
Apparently at the top of the list, Peck seemed shocked to find out that he doesn’t get a personal assistant to do his bidding. We understand that staff have been left in the embarrassing situation of having to explain that he won’t have his own office and that he will need to call his own cabs and keep his own diary… Imagine!?!
During the campaign debates, Peck often made light of the fact that he didn’t ‘get technology’ – but most people probably figured there was some exaggeration involved and that he could at least chuck something in his calendar and send an email to a constituent… but from what we have been told, apparently not!
Why is this a surprise to a new councillor though? Why you wouldn’t look into what resources councillors get before you stood? Did he not think to maybe quiz his Labour mate, Paul Eagle, on what life was like on Council?
I guess we should all keep an eye on Seek.co.nz to see if job vacancy pops up for a Councillor PA for Peck – mind you, I’m not sure he could afford it out of Council salary – that Living Wage promise might come back to bite!
WCC Watch 
Is it possible that in this instance a mountain is being made out of a molehill? My understanding is that Mark Peck has made a case for greater administrative assistance. As a colleague, I have some appreciation of where he’s coming from. However it won’t happen unless council officers consider he has a valid point. That’s about it, not a biggie really!
Sorry, but I think anyone standing for council should have looked into what resources are available for the role and what is expected. And I don’t think one reasonably light article is making a mountain out of a molehill, although given you have popped up here, suggests it caught the attention of the councillors!
I tend to agree – more support in the form of dedicated work space both at council and in wards (like an MPs electorate office but configured to suit the needs of residents+ward) and in admin/research etc isn’t unreasonable. If we’re going to pay a Councillor around 100k and expect them to be commit fully and for them to be a effective as possible give them more support. It would also put more onus on those elected to treat the role as full time/primary commitment/actually do things, instead of swanning in out of meetings. It might even have an unimaginable consequence such as increased visibility in the community and more people knowing what the hell council is doing/can do for them.
But I don’t see anything changing soon.
That’s valid, but having a “tanty” about it to staff is hardly the way to gain buy in. I also think it gets a bit difficult when you have campaigned on raising wages for council staff and then call for additional staff as soon as you are elected – would be great to hear what Peck’s proposed rates increase is to cover these….
Unlike MP’s Councillors and Community Board members are classed as self employed and any expense, including office space and staff is a taxable expenses. It really is a pity that the MP’s did not make themselves self employed and be required to claim only legitimate taxable expenses incurred in the carrying out of their function. However, I suspect Mr Peck is not the only surprised new councillor in respect of workload.
Councillors shouldn’t need a PA or more administrative assistance in order to engage with the community – it’s a Councillors core function. How else do you represent your ward on council without engaging with the ward in the first place?? (well, technically speaking I suppose Helene Ritchie has been doing just that for 30 years so far …)
It doesn’t take much to ring a hall, or a local business and ask if you can spend an hour in a chair talking to ratepayers once a month/quarter.
A little initiative and diary management isn’t too much to ask of what I assume must be ambitious, confident people who’s sole role is to understand the city’s needs and govern appropriately.
You could make a case for a shared resource of some sort carrying out WCC based functions: printing reports, making sure papers get in front of faces etc….but harden up and use your initiative!
I would quite like to see councillors engage with the community the entire length of their term, not just the start and end of it.
Exhibit A: https://wccwatch.wordpress.com/2013/11/05/absolutely-positively-jesus/
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