The Mayor has welcomed Tātaki Auckland Unlimited to the Auckland Council building (Te Wharau o Tāmaki Auckland House), with Eke Panuku to follow, in a move that contributes to $13 million a year in savings.

More than 300 Tātaki Auckland Unlimited staff now have a new home, thanks to the acceleration of a property optimisation programme driven by the Mayor, focussed on consolidating staff into a central council-owned site at Auckland House.

The programme was started by Auckland Council and its CCOs in 2018 but was sped up at the request of Mayor Wayne Brown earlier this year.

“I was elected to stop wasting money, so I was clear from day one that we must reduce our property costs. I’m pleased with the work of property leaders in Auckland Council and our CCOs who have identified an aggressive workplan that rationalises corporate office space.”

Council staff have worked collaboratively to pinpoint opportunities for property optimisation, with a focus on shared use efficiencies. By the end of June 2024, a reduction from 17 council sites to just five is expected.

The acceleration of the programme has helped council exit several leased sites and will consolidate Tātaki Auckland Unlimited and Eke Panuku into one building alongside Auckland Council. Auckland Transport will sub-lease out a floor at their premises, and Auckland Emergency Management will avoid leasing a separate site.

“The move offers Tātaki Auckland Unlimited and Eke Panuku some strong advantages, including more space and better opportunities to collaborate with council staff to get things done. We offer them a warm welcome,” says Mayor Brown.

By June 2024, the council group property footprint will be on track to shrink from 128,000 square metres to under 70,000 and achieve some $13 million in savings per year in reduced operating costs.

“But we won’t be stopping there. Through the Long-Term Plan, we are aiming to further maximise the value of council to Aucklanders by delivering shared service arrangements across the group and will be continually reviewing the way council organises itself,” he says.

On the current trajectory, Group Shared Services has the potential to save a further $8-13 million across the council group per year, which would be delivered over a three- to four-year period.

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