Leadership change at Council

Far North District Council Chief Executive, Shaun Clarke, will leave the organisation at the end of March 2022 when his current contract expires.

Mr Clarke replaced Chief Executive (Acting) Colin Dale in 2017 and was initially employed on a three-year contract which was extended by two years.

Mr Clarke says he is proud of what Elected Members, staff and the Council’s commercial company Far North Holdings Ltd have collectively achieved on behalf of ratepayers during the last four years, including: 

• Securing $120 million of Government funds for infrastructure and economic stimulus projects in the Far North and delivering a number of these projects already
• Completing the Council’s largest ever infrastructure project, the Kerikeri Wastewater Project
• Completing a record Long Term Plan capital works programme in 2020/21
• Ensuring the supply of drinking water during the worst drought in 50 years and starting a series of long-awaited works to develop new water sources, including the Sweetwater pipeline to Kaitāia
• Completing a Government-funded clean-up and repair programme after a one-in-500-year storm in 2020
• Navigating the Council through the COVID-19 pandemic and introducing a flexible working model which has reduced the organisation’s carbon footprint and saved nearly $750,000 in 2020/21
• Delivering a business improvement programme that resulted in Local Government New Zealand raising the Council’s CouncilMARK™ grade from a B in 2017 to a BB earlier this year
• Reducing waiting times for building and resource consents to within statutory timeframes
• Improving animal management facilities in the district, including opening a new animal shelter in Kaitāia
• Fostering a culture of leadership at the Council and building a united executive leadership team.

Mr Clarke says it has been a privilege and a pleasure to work with people who are dedicated to making the Far North a great place to live. “We have a talented team which is growing from strength to strength. My presence or absence cannot change the positive trajectory that we are on.”

Mayor Carter says Mr Clarke has been an inspirational leader who has risen to address both challenges and opportunities facing the Council and the district. “We were fortunate to recruit a leader of Shaun’s calibre and are grateful to him for the exemplary service he has provided to Elected Members and the community. We look forward to working with him over the next seven months and hope he chooses to remain in the Far North, so that the district continues to benefit from his skills and experience.”