New Chief Executive announced for Palmerston North City Council

Published on 03 August 2022

Palmerston North City Council has announced the appointment of a new Chief Executive.

Councillors confirmed the appointment of Waid Crockett, currently Chief Executive at South Taranaki District Council, at their meeting this morning. He is due to take up his new role at the Council on Monday 7 November.

Mayor of Palmerston North, Grant Smith, says Crockett has been Chief Executive at South Taranaki since January 2018.

“Waid has a strong background in local government and has more than 30 years management experience in organisations, both public and private, in New Zealand and Australia,” he says.

Originally from a GIS analyst and engineering background, Crockett has a Masters of Business Administration from the University of Newcastle.

“Council was keen to appoint a proven leader in local government who will have a strong focus on staff and their wellbeing, as well as lead the organisation through times which can only be described as challenging,” says Smith.

“There is a great deal of change coming, with some significant government reforms underway, which may result in massive shifts to the whole system of local government. We are confident that Waid has the knowledge, expertise and experience to lead the organisation through these changes.”

Crockett says: “I’m grateful for this opportunity and I’m excited about the contribution I can make to what we as an organisation have in front of us both for the sector and, more importantly, for Palmerston North.”

He says he is looking forward to he and his wife Soraya moving back to the city, and they're already checking out the housing stock.