Senior council leaders on leave

Saturday, 11 November 2023

Two senior Christchurch City Council staff — including one of its four top executives — are on leave, with the council describing their absences as “employee matters”.

In an all-staff email on Friday afternoon, council announced that Leah Scales, council’s chief financial officer and general manager of resources, was on sick leave.

Scales, who joined the Christchurch City Council as its chief financial officer in May 2021 was also named general manager of resources in March 2022. This makes her one of only three senior managers who report directly to chief executive Dawn Baxendale.

The email also mentions that Peter Keegan, council’s head of human resources who has only been in the role for a few months, is on leave.

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In the meantime, Russell Holden will be acting general manager and Rachel Wells will act in Keegan’s role.

The email to staff followed media enquiries from The Press about Scales and Keegan’s recent absences from work.

A council spokesperson declined to answer questions and said the council would not comment on individual employee matters.

Four other senior leaders have left the city council this year.

Council’s Three Waters boss Helen Beaumont and Jane Davis, the general manager of infrastructure, planning and regulatory services, both mysteriously went on leave for several months, beginning February.

Staff were left in the dark about why or if they would return. They both formally resigned in July, with Davis’ resignation taking effect from September 1.

In March, the council’s former head of people and culture, Jane O’Toole, and its chief information officer and head of digital, Symon McHerron, resigned to take up roles in different organisations.

Baxendale was also on leave on Friday and unavailable for comment, but her absence was not noted in the all-staff email.

Mayor Phil Mauger was approached for comment.