Gareth Green appointed acting Tauranga City Council chief executive

Gareth Green has been confirmed as the acting chief executive of Tauranga City Council. This appointment follows the resignation of Marty Grenfell, who left the position on 2 October. Green has been working at the council as the manager of the Mayoral Office since March.

Grenfell resigned on 29 September following a review released in August regarding a landslide at the Mount Maunganui Beachside Holiday Park. The landslide, which occurred in January, resulted in the deaths of six holidaymakers. A review by former High Court judge Paul Davison KC stated, "This tragedy was, in the end, preventable".

The external review identified systemic issues within the council but did not find that any specific individual's actions or omissions caused the deaths. While Grenfell faced calls to resign, neither he nor the council have provided a reason for his departure.

The council will begin recruiting for a permanent chief executive. Mayor and councillors are scheduled to discuss the appointment process during a meeting on 20 October, which will be held in a session closed to the public.

Compiled from reports by 1News and NZ Herald.