Tauranga City Council's chief executive has been given the power to spend up to half-a- million dollars on unbudgeted items.
The council's Finance & Risk Committee yesterday decided to double the amount the chief executive could authorise to spend without council sanction.
The move would give Garry Poole the ability to settle a legal situation or approve works in the case of a emergency like a tsunami.
The changes came after a review into staff financial delegation, with department heads also given the authority to approve unplanned spends of up to $100,000, without first seeking their manager's permission.
Previously they could only authorise unbudgeted spends of $50,000 and the chief executive just $250,000.