Leisure & Recreation Services Review

  • Auckland Council - Leisure & Recreation Services Review
  • Auckland Council - Leisure & Recreation Services Review
  • Auckland Council - Leisure & Recreation Services Review
  • Auckland Council - Leisure & Recreation Services Review

Scope

  • Organisational context of 8,500+ staff with 1000+ roles directly in scope
  • Leisure and Recreation services including Early Childhood Education
  • Research and analysis
  • Organisation Design
  • All levels and roles up to and including T4 management.

Context and reasons for the change

The Auckland Council began operating on 1 November 2010, combining the functions of the Auckland Regional Council and the region's seven city and district councils. It is the largest council in Australasia with around $29 billion of assets, over 8000 staff and with a $3 billion annual budget

As part of this amalgamation, the management of leisure facilities and recreation services across the Auckland Region became the responsibility of the Auckland Council. Specifically this included the operational management of council owned swimming pools and recreation centres, as well the provision of advisory services for parks, sport and recreation across the region. During the initial transition, these operations and services were transferred in their existing states, and as somewhat independent and discrete operations.

About the assignment

With a goal of being the best parks sport and recreation agency in the world, the purpose of the Leisure and Recreation Services Review was to implement an organisation design including supporting processes and culture, that would drive the delivery and provision of quality pool and leisure facilities and recreation planning and programming services. At the same time, the new design needed to help reduce 'the cost to serve' and also reflect the co-governance needs of Local Boards and Iwi.

Working with Capability Group and key stakeholders within the Council, the review process involved extensive research to establish the true nature of the current organisational design including values, cultural drivers and service propositions. In depth data analysis, stakeholder interviews and focus group workshops provided rich insight which ensured a highly inclusive organisation design process, significant buy-in from key stakeholders, and an optimal design outcome.

Person, Role and Relationship

Scott Constantine, Senior Consultant - Capability Group, Consulting Assignment.

Outcome

A consistent organisation design across the whole region, which also provides enough flex to cater for the needs of diverse local communities across the region.

  • Alignment between the new organisation design, organisational culture, and customer value drivers
  • Alignment with Local Boards and co-governance model
  • Significantly simpler and more efficient management structure
  • Aligned business processes providing an opportunity to remove duplications
  • Clear lines of accountability
  • Clear career path opportunities for staff across the region
  • Simpler and more direct communication pathway