New Council CEO enters revolving door

New SWDC chief executive Mrs Janice Smith.

SWDC in mid-October announced the appointment of Janice Smith, formerly Group Corporate Services Manager at Far North District Council, to fill its vacant post of Chief Executive.

English-born and a trained accountant, Mrs Smith “has a proven track record of leading and managing in changing and challenging environments in senior management positions,” mayor Martin Connelly noted when naming her to fill the post.

Mrs Smith will step through something of a revolving door of CEOs at SWDC.

The last three were:

* Paul Crimp April 2013 – March 2019;

* Harry Wilson July 2019 -May 2023;

* Paul Gardner (Acting) May 2023 – current.

Compare that with the tenure length at Gore District Council, where former CEO Stephen Parry held the position for 22 years before the bruhaha between him and new young mayor Ben Bell erupted.

And now, suddenly, after leaving, Parry has returned in an interim capacity while a new chief executive is found and appointed.

Mrs Smith is due shortly and at, or shortly after, her arrival a meeting of the council’s “CEO Employment Committee” will be held. 

That committee will establish the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) which Smith will be required to meet. As the council notes:

“The KPIs for the incoming CE will be set by the CE Employment Committee (made up of Mayor Connelly, deputy mayor Melissa Sadler-Futter and councillor Kaye McAulay) once she starts.”

Connelly is “confident” Smith will be “a good fit” for the council and the community.

“We need to choose someone who is well placed to understand the ever-changing landscape and the upcoming reform programmes” in local government. No mention at this stage of key budget or community strategies. 

Smith has more than 40 years public sector experience in Britain and New Zealand, including strategic leadership roles in local government.

A council statement noted: “She was acting chief executive (in Northland) for three months which coincided with Cyclone Gabrielle when she acted as liaison between the Emergency Management Centre and mayor to ensure the channels of communications were maintained.” 

Smith also held a key leadership role in Far North Waters Alliance, which had a $33 million annual 

budget to manage water services.

Connelly said the “robust” recruitment process received more than 100 expressions of interest, saw nine candidates interviewed _ and the top three re-interviewed by the full council.

Smith will have an initial three-year contract.