Porirua City Chief Executive To Lead Planning At New Auckland Council

Porirua City Council Chief Executive Roger Blakeley has been appointed Chief Planning Officer at the new Auckland Council.

This is one of three second tier positions in the new Council, the others being a Chief Operating Officer and a Chief Financial Officer.

Porirua Mayor Jenny Brash says she is very pleased for Dr Blakeley

"The Chief Planning Officer is a second tier position, and as the new Auckland City is so big (1.4 million people) it is one of the biggest jobs in local government. Roger is well qualified for the task. This is a very challenging position and it's a feather in the cap of Porirua City Council because of the work Roger has achieved here in the past 9 ½ years. His energy and commitment to Porirua is huge and his input into the Council's strategic thinking has made a big difference to the city. He will be greatly missed.

"Over the last few years it's been wonderful seeing all the awards that are a testament to his leadership. PCC is seen as perhaps the most innovative Council in NZ. It was a historically unprecedented achievement last year when PCC won the top management award for the whole NZ Public Sector (the IPANZ / GEN-i PM's supreme award) for the Safer Porirua project in partnership with other government and community agencies, and the top management award in the Local Government sector (the NZ Post/SOLGM supreme award for local government excellence) for the Villages project."

She says his work prior to coming to Porirua will also serve him well in the planning role at Auckland.

"As Secretary for the Environment he was involved in conceiving and developing the Resource Management Act 1991, and while Chief Executive at the Department of Internal Affairs initiated work on the Local Government Act 2002, in particular its vision and strategic framework with the focus on community well-being."

Dr Blakeley's principal tasks will involve the development of a Regional Spatial Plan for Auckland which sets out the long term vision and framework for development over the next 30 years. This will include a picture of future development and growth including "greenfields" development, urban intensification, rural residential, industrial and business growth, waterfront master plan, transport and other infrastructure, landscape and environmental protection and heritage management. It also involves the development and integration with the Regional Policy Statement, District Plan, Long Term Plan, Local Board Plans and Regional Land Transport Plan.

Dr Blakeley says he will be sad to leave Porirua City Council.

"I acknowledge the leadership of the Mayor and Council. Porirua is lucky to have a passionate and activist Council who want nothing but the best for Porirua City. I have greatly enjoyed my time here. Porirua is such an exiting city to be part of – it's vibrant, dynamic and a city of unlimited opportunity."

Dr Blakeley will take up his new position on 1 September 2010.

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