Business unit disbanded

After less than three years the Westland Business Unit has been disbanded.
The Westland District Council went behind closed doors to review the business unit after the monthly public meeting last Thursday.
The unit was established in 2008, mainly to manage events including the Wildfoods Festival, the Hokitika Information Centre and the Hokitika Museum.
However, the council decided on Thursday to wind down the unit and look at either transferring functions to an existing council controlled organisation, establishing a new organisation or retaining the operations in house, chief executive Robin Reeves told the Guardian yesterday.
The faces behind the business unit have changed in its short existence. The first chairman, Greymouth hotelier Tony Williams, resigned after a short term of office, as did the second chairman, Hokitika man Mark Mellsop-Melssen, making way for Jeff Dalley from Hanmer Springs.
Describing himself as a professional tourism researcher, Mr Dalley said yesterday he had been invited to apply for a position on the business unit and was then appointed chairman.
Despite losing his directorship, Mr Dalley said the council had made the right decision to bring the operation back in house.
It had been a “worthy experiment” but relied on the Wildfoods Festival to finance the other businesses, particularly the i-Site, he said.
“The burden and responsibilities Mike Keenan carries as festival co-ordinator is incredible.”
Mr Dalley said a separate governance layer required to run the business unit came at a cost, and if he had been a councillor he would have voted the same way on Thursday to disband the structure.
Councillor and Enterprise Hokitika chairman Allen Hurley said the business unit was set up to promote Westland and could still continue to do that, but not under the current structure.
“Nothing was getting done and communications were poor. Council made the right decision to bring it back in house until a workable management structure is in place.”
The only remaining original director, Sue Hustwick, said her three-year term of office was almost up anyway.
Directors were paid meeting fees only, she said.
She declined to comment further, other than to say that the unit had “basically tried to do the best we could”.
Mr Reeves said the business unit had been successful in managing the relocation of the information centre from the Carnegie Building to Weld Street, and “now enjoys significantly increased numbers of visitors.”
The museum had also had an increase in patronage.
“The business unit has managed a successful changeover of principal sponsor for the Wildfoods Festival, with Monteith’s Brewery being welcomed back after a three-year absence.
“Council is now considering how to capitalise on the steps already taken by the business unit and over the next few months will be looking at options for the future.”
The Guardian was unable to ascertain what the decision means for the position of Westland Business Unit general manager Sonya Matthews, when the unit ceases business tomorrow.