Wellington Mayor Andrew Little says the dispute over who got what office in the Wellington City Council’s new headquarters is a symptom of deeper cultural problems in the organisation as he moves into a room with views of a concrete wall. 

The Herald was invited to the new headquarters on Monday as elected members moved in after earlier revelations Little was “fuming” over the space. 

The mayor’s new office is noticeably smaller and with a less commanding view than his previous office on The Terrace. 

His new digs are also arguably less impressive than the offices inhabited by the council’s most senior officials, who are on the top floor with sweeping views of the city and harbour. 

Asked for his first impression of his new space, Little said it was “interesting just seeing the panoramic view of the next-door neighbour’s concrete wall”, compared with the waterfront views afforded to the council’s executive leadership team on level 10. 

Little said he hosts dignitaries and VIPs in his office, and it is a “lost opportunity” not to have a space that can showcase the city. 

Wellington Mayor Andrew Little says his new office has a "panoramic view of the next door neighbour’s concrete wall". Photo / Mark Mitchell 

“It might sound like an old-fashioned thing but the office of mayor represents something. 

“The office is smaller, the facilities are a little bit smaller. At least the previous office had a view of Lambton Quay, and especially Brandon St as well, but you got a sense that it was a mayor’s office in the middle of the city, the city for which the mayor is responsible; this doesn’t have that same effect”. 

The question of who is responsible for the controversial layout has been a matter of debate at the council. 

Earlier claims from officials that Tory Whanau was involved in the design were strongly rejected by the former mayor. 

Speaking from the site on Monday, the council’s chief Māori officer Karepa Wall, who has been leading the project, said officials worked hard to meet the requirements of elected members with an engagement process last term. 

“We’ve got a lot of documentation about hundreds of things that they’ve wanted,” he said. 

“Everybody has different needs and even when you walk in here, some people will love it, some people will think it’s a bit over the top, we’ve tried hard to make sure that we’ve met everyone’s different needs.” 

Wellington City Council chief Māori officer Karepa Wall has been leading the project for the new office fit-out. Photo / WCC 

Wall said the project is coming in under its $40 million budget and last-minute changes could have been made to move the mayor’s office without surpassing that figure, but Little did not want any more spent on the project. 

The dispute has also revived longstanding tensions between councillors and council officials, with feelings unelected staff often made decisions that were at odds with the wishes of the people elected by voters. 

Little said there was “an underlying culture thing which has to be addressed over a longer term, which is making sure that the council as an organisation is responsive to the collective leadership that the council provides”. 

Level 10 of WCC's new HQ features panoramic views of Wellington harbour and the city. Photo / Ethan Manera 

A key part of that is the Local Government Act, he said, which “sort of undermines I think the elected authority that councillors have”, by giving extensive powers to the chief executive. 

Asked how he felt about working with council officials, Little said he had established a good relationship with chief executive Matt Prosser. 

“But there is a sense there, I do feel myself pushing my way into things, and sometimes getting the response, ‘oh, you know, that’s our responsibility, not yours’.” 

“There’s been some reluctance by some,” Little said. 

“I’m not here to be popular amongst the staff, I’m here to do what’s right for Wellingtonians.” 

When the Herald visited the shared councillor workspace, which has a view of the rear of the Wellington Central Police Station, there were mixed feelings among councillors present. 

Deputy Mayor Ben McNulty, whose previous office on The Terrace had a view of a wall, now has a slightly worse view of a wall in the new building. 

Green councillor Geordie Rogers posted on social media to criticise his fellow councillors’ “weird priorities”. 

“People are homeless as a result of flooding and my colleagues are complaining about not getting penthouse harbour views.” 

Ethan Manera is a Wellington-based journalist covering Wellington issues, local politics and business in the capital. He can be emailed at ethan.manera@nzme.co.nz.