Auckland Council agencies move back in with their parent to save money

Thursday, 27 July 2023

Two Auckland Council agencies are moving back in with their parents for the first time in 13 years, in a bid to cut costs.

The property and development arm Eke Panuku, along with the creative and economic agency Tātaki Auckland Unlimited, are giving up their own rented downtown offices to move into the council’s headquarters.

The possible reshuffle of council-owned and leased property began in October as budget pressures at the council continued to build, and surplus office space was identified.

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Tātaki, which is partway through a cost-cutting staff reduction, will shift from its leased Victoria St offices up the hill into two floors of the council-owned headquarters on Albert St.

Eke Panuku will quit its rented space in Wyndham St and move round the corner to two floors in Albert St.

“Across Eke Panuku and Tātaki Auckland Unlimited, it is expected that around 400 extra staff will be accommodated at Auckland House. As a result, we have not sub-leased any Auckland House floors externally,” said Robert Irvine, the general manager of corporate support services.

All four major agencies had been in their own premises, away from the headquarters, for most of the time since they were created as part of the 2010 amalgamation which formed on Auckland Council.

One of the largest – Auckland Transport – remains in the former Vodafone headquarters in the Viaduct Harbour, but is leasing out one surplus floor in its building and has shed 142 staff following a council budget cut.

Irvine said between 2018 and 2024, the council’s corporate office space had shrunk from 128,000m² to 70,000m² – saving about $13m in running costs.