Rotorua Lakes Council staff faced seven complaints over a year, with two of those complaints alleging bullying and harassment between staff.
Rotorua Lakes Council building. Photo: Andrew Warner / Rotorua Daily Post via LDR
Local Democracy Reporting obtained the data, which covers the period 7 April 2020 and 6 April 2021, with an official information request.
A council spokesperson confirmed there were 365 permanent full and part-time staff at the council.
Council chief executive Geoff Williams said all the complaints were "dealt with in the appropriate manner".
The request included the dates of complaints, who they were against, the seniority of the council staff members involved, the nature of the complaints, the action taken by the council and the resolution of the complaints.
It also asked for all documents and communications relating to the complaints.
Five of the seven complaints came from members of the public.
Two were internal complaints about bullying and harassment from other staff, both made last July and investigated by organisational development and capability manager Richard Bird.
In its official information response, the council reported the incidents in both complaints "did not constitute bullying or harassment" and did not warrant an independent investigation.
"The complaint was handled appropriately by the manager and no further action [was] taken about this complaint."
Local Democracy Reporting requested further council documents and communications surrounding the complaints, including redacting identifying information, but these were withheld by the council "to protect the privacy of staff".
In June, a member of the public complained about the treatment they had received from a council staff member and a delay in an email response.
The person had received an email stating their rates were overdue and there were penalties, but they claimed they had not received an original email reminding them rates were due.
"I had sent numerous emails back asking for clarification but they were not answered."
In their complaint, the person said they had "numerous frustrating interactions" with the council over the issue.
In one instance, the complainant had asked to speak with a council staff member, referred to as B, they had already spoken with "for continuity", but staff member A "became offended and hung up on me mid-sentence".
"While I was explaining [redacted] stated 'it's okay, [redacted] you obviously don't want to talk to me anymore, so goodbye", and hung up.
"My experience with [the council] has been difficult and instead of A being helpful, I found [redacted] manner unacceptable and unprofessional."
The council stated a meeting was held with the staff member and their manager about the complaint and as a result, the staff member called the complainant and apologised.
In April 2020, a ratepayer complained about a delay in processing a $640 rates rebate.
The payment details supplied were incorrect and when corrected the payment was made.
Another person complained in May about a delay in the council building reopening after the country moved from Covid-19 alert level 3 to 2 on 13 May at 11.59pm.
The person wanted to pay their rates bill on 15 May but found the building closed. According to their email to the council, their bill was due on 20 May and they did not feel comfortable paying online.
"To me the ... council was nuts in not opening on Thursday 14 May. [The] council had 48 hours notice of going to level 2 last Monday."
In its response to Local Democracy Reporting's information request, the council stated it was explained to the complainant that the council was to reopen on 18 May to ensure all systems were in place to make sure it was safe for the public to return to the building.
Another person complained to the council in August when a council staff member told them they could not hand out fliers at a night market.
"No action [was] taken as the staff member was within their rights to ask them to cease handling [sic] out fliers."
One person complained twice that children were in a council car during a call-out.
A meeting was held with the staff member which was focused more on health and safety than the complaint, according to the council, and the staff member was advised they were not to take children on call-out jobs.
Williams said council staff were involved in internal and external interactions that would number in the tens of thousands any year.
"The expectation is that staff do the right thing by our community and by their colleagues.
"When complaints arise, they are dealt with in the appropriate manner, as each of these incidents has been."
Local Democracy Reporting is a public interest news service supported by RNZ, the News Publishers' Association and NZ On Air.
