$171,700 payout for Manukau chief

Leigh Auton. Photo / Bradley Ambrose

Manukau City chief executive Leigh Auton will get a cheque for $171,700 and a park named after him when he retires this month.

The council has decided against a golden handshake for the long-serving employee.

But its legal advisers say he is entitled to be paid out for the last five months of his contract.

In 2006, when Mr Auton replaced Colin Dale as CEO and signed a five-year deal, there were no concrete plans for a Super City.

When Mr Auton retires on October 31 after 32 years at Manukau - where he started as a town planner and rose to the top job - he will collect $171,700.

He has an annual salary of $412,079 after receiving a 9.4 per cent rise during last year's recession. It was nearly five times the 2 per cent increase other staff received.

At the time, Mayor Len Brown defended the pay rise, saying Mr Auton had done an outstanding job bringing staff and the political wing through the challenging times to the Super City.

Last week, the council voted unanimously to name the headland at Spinnaker Bays in Beachlands the Leigh Auton Reserve.

Mr Auton, who decided some time ago not to apply for a role in the Super City, has set up a consultancy business.

* 9.4%: Last year's pay rise for Leigh Auton
* $412,079: His annual salary
* $171,700: His contract payout
* 1: Park named Leigh Auton Reserve