Dyet retires: Council boss to leave after 45 years

Waipā District Council chief executive Garry Dyet will leave the organisation in mid-2024.

Nearly 45 years after he began at Council, and after 15 years as chief executive, Garry Dyet has confirmed he will retire next year, leaving the organisation by the end of June.

Waipā mayor Susan O’Regan made the announcement today, confirming Dyet had shared his plans with her some time ago.

“I appreciate Garry being so upfront with me and certainly the whole of Council appreciates Garry’s commitment to putting Waipā first. He has given Council seven months to find a replacement, only leaving once the 2024-2034 Long-Term Plan has been adopted,” she said.

“His extended notice will help take Council through what will be a very challenging few months as we confirm the Long-Term Plan. It will also allow a new chief executive to hit the ground running with key pieces of work completed and before we go into another election in 2025. That’s important and I am grateful for Garry’s considered approach.”

Dyet said the decision to retire after 15 years in the chief executive “hot-seat” had been testing but it was time to focus on other projects. That included spending more time with family, including grandchildren, and travelling.

Dyet began his career at Council in 1980, joining as a health inspector “which I hated”. He moved to the planning function, completing a Master’s degree in public policy while working.

“I take huge pride that Waipā is recognised for excellent planning in terms of land-use and infrastructure. This Council has made robust infrastructure investments as well as investing in some amazing community facilities. It’s crystal clear not many districts can claim that and some now have serious issues to contend with,” he said.

Over his tenure, Dyet had the advantage of “stable and strong political leadership” and as chief executive had worked under mayors Alan Livingston, Jim Mylchreest and now O’Regan.

“I take my hat off to anyone who stands for public office. It is a role which has become increasingly difficult in an age of misinformation.”

More and more was also being asked of Council staff, he said, given Council managed $2.4 billion of critical infrastructure and now had legal responsibilities far beyond core services.

“Local government has gone through huge change in the last 45 years. In simpler times we were able to be closer to ratepayers and directly accountable for our decisions through standard democratic processes. In other words, the buck would stop with us and we could make changes accordingly,” he said.

“Now we are awash in legislative and audit requirements, much of it pushed onto councils by central government without any understanding of what the impacts on our communities will be. It has been frustrating to watch it unfold because it has not always been positive.”

Garry said the coming seven months would be dominated by a financially challenging Long-Term Plan and by the adoption of the Ahu Ake Waipā Community Spatial Plan. He also expected a raft of changes coming from Wellington, driven by the new coalition government.

“There’s a lot going on and a lot for everyone to get their heads around and my job is still to help this organisation be as prepared as it can be.”

O’Regan said a replacement for Dyet would be managed by an external recruiter with a recruitment search kicking off in the new year.