SUPPLIED
Waid Crockett, South Taranaki District Council chief executive, has been appointed chief executive for the Palmerston North City Council.
The Palmerston North City Council has a new chief executive.
He is Waid Crockett, who has been chief executive for the South Taranaki District Council since January 2018.
The council confirmed his appointment on Wednesday, with a start date of November 7.
Mayor Grant Smith said Crockett had more than 30 years management experience in public and private organisations in New Zealand and Australia.
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With a background in GIS analysis and engineering, he also has a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Newcastle.
Smith said the council was keen to appoint a proven leader in local government who would have a strong focus on staff and their wellbeing, and would lead the organisation through “times which can only be described as challenging”.
“There is a great deal of change coming, with some significant government reforms under way which may result in massive shifts to the whole system of local government.
“We are confident that Waid has the knowledge, expertise and experience to lead the organisation through these changes.”
Crockett said he and his wife Soraya were already house hunting in Palmerston North.
“I’m grateful for this opportunity, and I’m excited about the contribution I can make to what we as an organisation have in front of us both for the sector and more importantly, for Palmerston North.”
Crockett replaces former chief executive Heather Shotter who resigned in February to head the national transition unit responsible for setting up the four new water services entities that will take over water responsibilities of local councils.
