Head office decision moves to next step

For immediate release: Friday June 1

Environment Bay of Plenty councillors decided today to move to the next stage of its proposal to relocate its headquarters to Tauranga.

After nearly seven hours of debate, council decided to proceed with a proposed amendment to its Ten Year Plan to enable a relocation of its head office to Tauranga. It also amended the proposal to enable the transfer of approximately 100 positions from Whakatane to Tauranga, rather than the 130 positions originally proposed.

The amendments would mean 30 staff from information services, information computer technology and the laboratory would remain at Whakatane. More records and library staff numbers would also remain at Whakatane and Maori policy staff would be located at all Environment Bay of Plenty offices.

Council considered the impact of the relocation on the eastern Bay of Plenty. They passed an amendment to consider allocating funds to assist the growth of the eastern Bay of Plenty economy from 2008, and to assist organisations that contribute to the eastern Bay of Plenty’s social well-being.

Council will consider adopting the amendments to the Ten Year Plan and the proposal to relocate its head office at a meeting on June 21.

ends

© Scoop Media