The cost of hiring an out-of-town expert for Invercargill City Council's water committee has nearly doubled from initial estimates.
The council originally reported spending $12,268 to recruit Nelson-based Lee Babe as an independent member of its water committee, but has now revealed the final bill reached $23,658.
The council declined to comment further on why costs escalated, with manager governance and legal Michael Morris' previous statement still standing. Morris said recruitment agencies were used when roles were "very specialised", and the costs in this situation were not out of the ordinary.
He also noted the price tag included advertising for the role.
Babe, a chartered director based in Nelson, attended his first in-person meeting on 5 May at the regular 9am start time. The committee had previously discussed shifting its usual 9am meetings to later in the morning to allow Babe to complete same-day round trips from Nelson.
The appointment has raised questions about the practicality and cost of hiring expertise from outside Southland. Babe also holds governance positions at Parallaxx, Network Tasman Ltd, Agfirst Consultants Nelson Ltd and council-controlled Kaikōura Hurunui Water Services Ltd.
Invercargill City Council's water committee was established in November 2025, with Babe officially appointed on 28 April 2026. The council has indicated it will pay him between $30,000 and $35,000 annually for the role.
The significant recruitment costs come as the council faces ongoing budget pressures and ratepayer concerns about spending.