Mr Harland held the post for 15 months and his decision to retire follows a long and prominent career in the public sector.
He previously served as chief executive of Dunedin City Council for 11 years, then moved to Waka Kotahi / The New Zealand Transport Agency as director of relations, before taking up the post at Waimakariri Council.
Dan Gordon, mayor of Waimakariri, said in Mr. Harland’s time with the council led the organization successively through the Covid-19 pandemic and Omicron variant.
“All council services were available even with rapidly changing government regulations and significant staff sickness.”
Mr Harland also led improvements to the Year Plan process, including the introduction of a new approach to prioritizing the capital expenditure program, focusing on the four well-being (economic, social, cultural and environmental) and staff / contracting resources available.
This system can be extended to all board activities.
Mr Gordon said in close co-operation with himself, councilors and the general manager of utilities and roads, Gerard Cleary, Mr Harland played a key role in advising the council on the government’s Three Waters reform.
“He was also a valued adviser to the Community 4 Local Democracy (C4LD) group of councils set up to respond to the central government’s Three Waters reform program.”
Mr Harland recently completed a restructuring of the Executive Management Team based on the four wells.
” This is to ensure that this team can respond to possible changes in the local government environment as a result of the Government’s reforms.
” The organization is in good standing with positive staff, reflected in the biennial staff survey, and an AA / A-1 + Standard and Poor’s sovereign rating with a stable outlook, ” Mr Gordon said.
Mr Harland leaves the council on Friday, July 8th.
Jeff Millward, the general manager of Finance and Business Support, will meanwhile be the acting CEO.
– By Robyn Bristow of the North Canterbury News