Council wins Performance Excellence Study Award

13 September 2006

Christchurch City Council has won a prestigious 2006 Performance Excellence Study Award in the local government sector.

The awards, sponsored by the Ministry for the Environment, the Department of Internal Affairs, Business Excellence New Zealand and Local Government New Zealand, recognise business achievement and performance against the international criteria developed by Malcolm Baldrige. Christchurch City Council participated in the awards to gain an external assessment of how well the organisation is managed.

Business Excellence New Zealand spokesman Errol Slyfield says the Christchurch City Council can be justifiably proud of its achievement over the past three years.

“It is unusual for an organisation to receive an award in its first year of entering the awards. However the Council has earned the accolade. It is a highly competent, mature organisation with many strengths, including sophisticated leadership and a clear focus on customer interests,’’ he says

“The development of organisation-wide competencies, including advanced analysis, integration and learning and alignment, indicates organisational ability which is sought by higher performing organisations internationally.”

Christchurch City Council is the only Council to win an award in the PESA local government sector this year.  The Council was assessed along with other leading public and private sector organisations.

“The results reflect extremely well on both the skilled managers and their staff at the Council. It is an organisation in great heart, totally committed to best business practice,” he says

Council Chief Executive Lesley McTurk says that over the last three years a structured sequence of change had been introduced at Council while the delivery of its services has been maintained. These new business frameworks and practices have improved the delivery of services and this award reflects the quality of changes undertaken.

“This is the first step in our goal to achieve world class status by 2008 and the external measurement of our performance is an early confirmation that we are on the right track,” she says.

Christchurch Mayor Garry Moore said that three years ago the Council recognised the need to change the staff organisation so that it was better positioned to meet the community’s expectations.

“We appointed a Chief Executive capable of leading the changes required. The Performance Excellence Study Award further demonstrates that this city is being managed by an extremely competent staff organisation.

“The award is an excellent result at all levels of the organisation. We are extremely proud of this achievement,” Mr Moore says.

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