KCDC CEO Corrects Mayoral

Candidate’s Sums

By Graeme Trask

26 July 2010

In a rare move into the political debate, KCDC Chief  Executive  Pat Dougherty has told Mayoral candidate Chris Turver his sums are wrong.

Mr Turver earlier quoted figures apparently showing that the total staff of the Kapiti Coast District Council had increased by more than 100 in three years.

He said that, if this was so, it was “absolutely scandalous”

Mr Turver said that he understood council staffing levels 3 years ago stood at 157 but had soared to 261 now.

However Mr Turver’s statement  brought a swift reply from the KCDC Chief Executive, who says: “This is not correct.”

Mr Dougherty says KCDC records  show that  staff numbers in 2007/08 stood at 250 full time equivalents — and the numbers today are just 261.

And he says: “Overall numbers increased by 11 full time equivalents during the past three years.”

Mr Turver stood for the mayoralty at the last elections.

His campaign started off strongly but was de-railed near election day when he was photographed walking on railway lines while showing voters  where the proposed Raumati railway station would be sited.

Earlier this year, Mr Turver said he would run again for the Wellington Regional Council seat he gave up in 2007 to run for the KCDC mayoralty.

Then, in a surprise move two weeks ago, he said he’d changed his mind and was dropping the Regional Council campaign to run again against the sitting Kapiti Mayor Jenny Rowan .

(In the last election, Mr Turver lost to Ms Rowan  in  the final count by nearly 2000 votes)