Let's Get Wellington Moving programme director stepping down from role

Let's Get Wellington Moving is the city's $6.4 billion transport plan. Image / Supplied

Let's Get Wellington Moving (LGWM) programme director Andrew Body is stepping down from his position after a scathing review found the $6.4 billion transport project was at risk of failing.

Last month an internal review found LGWM had leadership problems, a detrimental culture, a strategic leadership vacuum, and was inadequately resourced.

In a statement released this afternoon it was announced Body will move to a role focused on providing advice and support within the Public Private Partnerships and Special Projects portfolio at Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency.

Body has been in the LGWM programme director role for 18 months.

An acting replacement director will be appointed by the programme's board in the coming weeks.

In February the Herald asked LGWM what responsibility Body took for the state of the project, whether he accepted there was a strategic leadership vacuum, and if he would continue on in his role.

In response, the LGWM Board said it accepted and welcomed the findings of the health check and the opportunity to improve the programme.

The statement said the scale and complexity of LGWM is the collective responsibility of all partner organisations along with the programme team.

It said significant progress was already being made on areas in need of improvement.

"The LGWM Board has also asked the Programme Team, led by Mr Body, to urgently review and confirm the vision, programme objectives and likely mix of investments, along with the funding which would be needed to deliver the agreed outcomes.

"The Board's current focus is on ensuring that the work to develop this detail is progressed by the Programme Team, with a strong focus on the planning, engineering and consultation outcomes."

Body has been thanked by the board for leading the programme during the current transitional period where he has worked to help embed changes recommended by the independent health check released earlier this month.

The appointment of an independent chairperson to the LGWM Partnership Board is also expected to be made in the coming weeks.