6.5.3 Staff delegations
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The chief executive is responsible for implementing governing body and local board decisions. In order for the organisation to operate efficiently and effectively, the chief executive needs a level of delegated decision-making power. Delegations are a tool to implement governance decisions effectively.
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The governing body has delegated all of its functions, duties and powers to the chief executive, subject to certain limited exceptions and restrictions (including a financial limit of up to $20 million). The chief executive has, in turn, delegated those to staff. The governing body’s delegation only covers functions, duties and powers that are within the governing body’s decision-making ambit. It does not cover local board decision-making responsibilities. Only local boards have the power to delegate their decision-making responsibilities to staff.
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Local boards have also provided delegations to the chief executive. These delegations are similar to that of the governing body. The main exception is the chief executive’s lower financial authority. This differs between local boards but ranges from $1m to $2.5m.
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The delegations by local boards to the chief executive have been made subject to a set of delegation protocols. These protocols provide a base set of expectations and direction to staff and require a number of actions that are relevant to all local activities. These are contained in Schedule 2 of Auckland Council Combined Chief Executives Delegation Register [1].
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Other than these general delegations, local boards may also delegate specific decisions to staff to aid efficient and effective conduct of business, for example to negotiate final terms on a community lease within parameters set by the board.