A failed drug test was one of a handful of vehicle infringements by Rotorua Lakes Council staff in the past year.

The news comes as the council looks to increase its stock of hybrid or electric vehicles, in line with its climate commitments.

Local Democracy Reporting requested information about driving incidents and the status of the council’s fleet under the Local Government Official Information Act.

One council staff member was disciplined, including a final warning, and underwent rehabilitation after testing positive for THC after a vehicle incident.

THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, is the main psychoactive compound found in cannabis.

The staff member was tested after an incident in which “minor damage” occurred after equipment was “not correctly secured” to a council vehicle, a council spokesperson said.

The spokesperson said the employee tested positive for “low levels” of THC and that no charges were filed as it “was not of a criminal nature”.

“Appropriate steps were undertaken.”

There was one instance of speeding identified via GPS. Photo / File

Three other council vehicle policy breaches were also recorded in the 2024/25 financial year.

One case involved a pool vehicle being used for personal purposes, there was one instance of speeding identified via GPS and another in which an unauthorised passenger was in the vehicle.

Drivers are required to pay their own fines.

The council said it took public and staff safety seriously.

“Only licensed drivers are permitted to drive fleet vehicles, and we carry out pre-use safety checks such as tyres, lights and registration,” a spokesperson said.

Council vehicles are “maintained and serviced regularly” to ensure the fleet remains “safe and compliant”.

The fleet

The council has a fleet of 204 vehicles including utes, cars, SUVs, mowers, tractors, side-by-sides, e-bikes, pedal-power bikes and one electric scooter.

Of the 119 utes, cars and SUVs, roughly a quarter are hybrid (28) or electric (one).

Ten fleet vehicles were assigned to private or personal use in 2024-25, of which three were “hybrid or electric”, according to the council’s response.

Private-use vehicles are available to the council’s chief executive, executive team and third-tier managers.

Of the 10 assigned, seven are SUVs, two are utes and one is a wagon model, with the make varying across Hyundai, Toyota, Kia, Mitsubishi and Skoda brands.

The Rotorua Lakes Council building. Photo / Andrew Warner

On its website, the council says it is on an emissions-reduction journey, with vehicle efficiency a part of its strategy.

“Rotorua Lakes Council is actively looking at using more hybrid and electric vehicles as part of its climate commitments,” a council spokesperson said.

“We consider fuel and operational efficiency whenever we replace a council vehicle.”

The council bought an electric vehicle in 2019 and two hybrids in 2022 as examples of carbon-saving steps, according to its website.

It also referenced projects such as shared pathways, LED lighting and geothermal heating upgrades to reduce emissions.

“As part of its climate commitments, as well as increasing the fleet to include electric and hybrid vehicles to make our fleet cleaner and more efficient, we have also replaced some fleet cars with e-bikes and an e-scooter for staff use to encourage non-car transport for short trips wherever possible,” the council spokesperson said.

Fleet vehicles are fitted with GPS tracking, but those available for personal use are exempt, as they form part of an employee’s contractual package.

Fuel costs are covered as part of the overall vehicle cost, although staff with salary sacrifice arrangements contribute annually based on the vehicle’s value.

Mathew Nash is a Local Democracy Reporting journalist based at the Rotorua Daily Post. He has previously written for SunLive, been a regular contributor to RNZ and was a football reporter in the UK for eight years.

– LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.