Extra Bureaucrats For DCC

Most Dunedin people are tightening their belts, but the Dunedin City Council bureaucracy is expanding: three new urban designers and a heritage policy planner have recently been employed. Details can be found in this post on "What if?".
It is hard to disagree with the editorial in the ODT:

Nevertheless, one of the disturbing features of what is happening is the commitment of council resources to its own bureaucracy and overheads.
Supposedly, with the stadium, the wastewater processing and other ongoing commitments, the city cannot cut costs, and hefty rate rises have to continue.
Somehow, though, a budget is found for the three new urban designers and a heritage policy planner to boost the city's design expertise.

I have no doubt that the consequence of these extra staff will be more expensive projects for ratepayers to fund, and more rules and regulations telling Dunedin residents what they can and cannot do on their own properties.