A major review of the Auckland Council's communications and marketing operations has found $32 million could be cut over a decade.
Auckland City Council building Photo: RNZ / Diego Opatowski
The council group spends $45.6 million a year on its communications, marketing and engagement budget, much of it outside the organisation.
The review has found the equivalent of 234 fulltime staff are employed on that work across the council and its five agencies: ATEED, Auckland Transport, Watercare, Regional Facilities Auckland and Panuku.
The value-for-money study has found each part of the the wider council family focused on its own priorities with no proper co-ordination, and with little attempt to collaborate to save money.
"There is no formal group communications strategy, or integrated planning including the management of Group reputational and business continuity risks, and issues where communications and channel coordination play a key role," the review observed.
"It is difficult to evaluate whether this service is delivering value for money or not, as investment and performance evaluation disciplines are not widely used to demonstrate impact," was a key finding.
The so-called Section 17A review covers not just communications, but also research and public engagement.
It recommends a 5 percent cut by each member of the council group in each of the next three years.
The 64-page report said more co-ordination would contribute much to savings, which over a decade could run to $54 million.
Over the past four years, the review found overall salary costs in the council group rose by 9 percent, while in communications and engagement they rose by 26 percent.
The work is one of four statutory reviews of council operations, which will go to its finance and performance committee in about 10 days.