E whakapakari ana i te Kaunihera ki anamata
Ensuring Council is enabled and fit for the future

The world is changing, and local government needs to evolve with it. Our district and communities face a broader range of challenges and opportunities than ever before. Councils are expected to step up, deliver more, meet higher standards and achieve a wider range of outcomes than in the past. To do this, and to have impact on the things that matter most for our district and communities, Council needs to be an organisation that is strong, resilient and enabled. This means investing in the people, technology and processes that can best take our district forward and have greater impact on economic, social, cultural and environmental outcomes for our communities.

Why now?

Over time, the functions of local government and the expectations of what councils deliver have continued to increase and evolve. Technology has changed the way we work, the workforce has increased, building laws have been amended in relation to earthquake strengthening, and standards and expectations for workplaces have changed. Added to this, there is no air conditioning through most of the main Council building, making work conditions more difficult in the extremes of summer and winter temperatures. In essence, after 30 years, the main Council office is no longer fit for purpose. 

What's happening?

A significant upgrade of the main Council office will be undertaken from 2021-2023 to address issues and concerns with the building, and make a range of improvements to ensure it will be fit-for-purpose into the future. The project will provide for core health, safety and security upgrades, greening components to improve the environmental sustainability of the building, and enhancements to provide flexible and multi-functional use of space, with increased meeting rooms and collaborative work spaces. Council Chambers and public meeting rooms will be moved from upstairs to the ground floor to make it easier for the public to access Council, and make modern meeting spaces available for the community to use. 

Where will the Council staff be?

Council staff who are normally based in the main Council office will be spread across four office locations in the Whakatāne town centre.

Where will the Customer Service Centre be?

Our friendly Customer Services Team will be based at 4 Commerce Street (next to main Council building) for the duration of the building redevelopment. Please note that most of our services are available online include rates payments, dog registration, LIM applications and parking fine payments. Visit our Do it online page to find out more.

Where will Council and Committee Meetings be held?

Council and Committee meetings will be held at the Bay of Plenty Regional Council Chambers at 5 Quay Street for the duration of the redevelopment, unless stated otherwise.

What is the timeframe?

The expected timeframe for the redevelopment project is 14 months. We know there are factors outside of our control, including the ongoing impacts of Covid-19 on the construction sector, so while we know this timeframe is accurate at the moment, there is always the possibility that this will shift. The project will commence in December 2021.

Will the project support local?

The contract management process for this project has embraced a strong 'buy local' approach where possible. This means around 70 percent of the value of contracts will be kept within the Whakatāne District, supporting local businesses and employment.

Have sustainable options been included in the redevelopment?

To support our commitment to climate change, a range of different components have been considered to improve the environmental sustainability of the main Council building. All of those with a payback period of less than 25 years have been included. Examples are: 

• Hot water heat pumps
• LED lighting 
• Solar photovoltaic panels
• Sub-meters and energy monitoring systems
• Solar hot water 
• Intelligent lighting controls