Auckland's "black budget" council is spending $53 million to move more than a third of its 6,000 staff — including Mayor Len Brown, his staff of 20 and councillors — into new digs.
The shift has been blasted by longtime Brown opponent, councillor Cameron Brewer, who said moving out of the Town Hall was a waste of money.
Council staff will move into the 31-storey former ASB Tower in Albert St, bought by council for $104m two years ago, this year. The move comes after revelations the council must slash $2.8 billion of capital spending over the next 10 years if Brown is to keep rates increases to 2.5 per cent this term.
This month's "black budget" showed the council has been overspending. Its spend was based on rates rising 26 per cent in its first four budgets, when rates rose only 13.3 per cent. Council debt has gone from $3.9b to $7.3b, with interest now costing $1m a day.