‘Angry’ Andrew Little launches independent investigation into $600k library website spend
Wellington City Council’s eye-watering $600,000 spend on a library website has angered Andrew Little, with the “horrified” Wellington mayor revealing he’s launching an independent investigation into who at his council was behind the spending.
It was recently revealed the council paid an Auckland company $595,801 to design and build a new website for Te Matapihi, Wellington central Library.
The figure emerged through a response to an official information request by a member of the public, despite media earlier being incorrectly told the price was $13,961.
The council apologised for the miscommunication, saying the cost “represents a significant amount” of money that would likely not be approved today, but the website was commissioned to promote the library and drive visitation.
Speaking to host Nick Mills on Newstalk ZB’s Wellington Mornings show, Little said he was “pretty damn angry” about the situation, and shared he planned to call in independent investigators.
“I’m so horrified by it, we are getting it independently investigated because it’s not just where the money has gone and the service provider and all the rest of it, it’s also the decision-making around it - how does that decision get made? Who signs off on it or doesn’t sign off on it? How does it get out of control?” Little said.
“Look, you can do a good website on AI in 20 minutes and you’re not paying 600,000 bucks for it, so that’s what horrifies me.”
Little said there had been a culture at the council where officers could get budgets approved without adequate scrutiny.
Despite his efforts, he had been unable to establish how the spending was approved and who was responsible, he said.
The cost of an external probe had not yet been established, but would be necessary to prevent something like this happening again.
Asked if he still had confidence in the council’s chief executive and chief strategy and finance officer, Little said he did.
“These are also the same people that have delivered us a series of savings that have meant we’ve got the lowest rates rise in what, six or seven years or something, so we are turning that bit of the ship around, but there are some historical decisions that suggest that there are problems in the system.
“Look, if there are failures in that supervision and in that structure, let’s find out about it because that’s the basis on which we have to make a change,” he said.
This is not the first time Little has taken aim at the decisions of senior council officers.
Earlier this year he spoke of underlying cultural issues after a fiasco which saw him receive a level one office with a view of a concrete wall in the council’s new HQ, while his executive leadership team enjoyed top floor harbour views.
Asked at the time about his relationship with council officials, Little said he had established a good relationship with chief executive Matt Prosser.
“But there is a sense there, I do feel myself pushing my way into things, and sometimes getting the response, ‘oh, you know, that’s our responsibility, not yours.’”
“There’s been some reluctance by some,” Little said.
“I’m not here to be popular amongst the staff, I’m here to do what’s right for Wellingtonians.”
Further details of the independent investigation would be available later this week.
Ethan Manera is a Wellington-based journalist covering Wellington issues, local politics and business in the capital. He can be emailed at ethan.manera@nzme.co.nz.