Rotorua Council Restructures Nursery Operations to Reduce Losses

Rotorua Lakes Council has announced the elimination of 19 positions as it moves to close the retail arm of its Queen’s Drive nursery, citing ongoing financial losses. Six of those roles were already vacant, and the council plans to create 15 new roles and allow for redeployment where possible.

Though the nursery will cease plant sales to the public, it will continue to grow and supply plants for city gardens and local business hire. The council says the retail operation lost more than NZ$70,000 annually on average and suffered a NZ$134,000 loss in the most recent year. The broader restructure is part of a process to reintegrate the former council-controlled organisation InfraCore back into core council operations.

Council leaders emphasise that public gardens and parks will not be affected, and that decisions about further asset use will be deferred to the next council.

To read the original from Matthew Nash, NZ Herald click here