Council boss Mike Theelen scrutinised in private workshop

The Queenstown Lakes District Council chief executive's key performance indicators are the focus of a closed door workshop at council chambers this morning.

Members of the public and media are excluded from the workshop on the grounds private information about the chief executive, Mike Theelen, will be discussed.

The workshop provides all councillors opportunity to feed into Mr Theelen's annual performance review, which is conducted by the Chief Executive Performance Review Committee comprised of mayor Glyn Lewers and councillors Lisa Guy and Lyal Cocks.

Mr Theelen started at the council as chief executive in February 2016 and was reappointed for a further five years in November 2020, effective from February 2021.

Following his performance review last year Mr Theelen received an eight percent pay rise that took his salary to $415,000.

At the time, Mayor Lewers said it reflected Mr Theelen's "strong leadership through a time of great uncertainty for local government".

In July, a request by Crux to see Mr Theelen's KPIs and job description was denied by the council as they are deemed to be commercially sensitive.

Two weeks ago the Taxpayers' Union released its now annual 'Council Chief Executive Rich List', albeit using data from the 2022-2023 financial year.

In it, Mr Theelen's salary places him at number 25 on the list, two spots below the boss of neighbouring Central Otago District Council. 

The respective salaries for the year were $383,814 (QLDC) and $393,754 (CODC).

Peter Kelly is the chief executive of the CODC, taking over late last year in the role vacated by Sanchia Jacobs.

In Dunedin, Otago Regional Council chief executive Dr Pim Borren has earned number three spot on the 'rich list', taking home a $595,924 salary for the same year.

Meanwhile, the top spot goes to Auckland Council's chief executive, who received a $648,900 salary.

Main image (QLDC)