Waitakere wins management challenge

A team from Waitakere City Council has won this year’s LGMA Management Challenge and will represent New Zealand in the Australasian finals in Australia next month.

Teams from councils around the country entered the prestigious competition which sees the teams involved in a sophisticated development programme for several weeks leading up to challenge day.

On challenge day teams come together to apply their skills to tasks that typify management in the local government environment. The tasks are crafted to develop individual and team competencies in predetermined management areas.

Waitakere won the Australasian champs in 2006 and will in May be up against winning teams from each Australian state.

“The challenge provides effective staff development through participative learning and we are very proud to be representing New Zealand in the Australasian finals,” says Waitakere Chief Executive Officer Vijaya Vaidyanath.

“Our win is an endorsement of our organisation’s skills and also celebrates the fact Waitakere City Council has a real team culture.

“I know the team worked especially hard and its determined effort, combined with a high skill level, certainly paid off. We are very happy to have won this accolade and even better the council itself as well as our ratepayers will benefit as a result.”

The Australasian final will be held on the Gold Coast on May 25.