29 October 2020
Media: Local Democracy Reporter
Topic: Safe City Guardians
Enquiry
Just another one for clarification re city guardians:
At what level is it being reinstated? ie - Is it fully back to what it was before? How many patrollers?
Further clarification requested:
Thanks very much for this. Can you please clarify if that is exactly the same level of service (three SCGs and two security guards) as before?
Further clarification requested:
as part of reinstating security patrols, will the three Safe City Guardians now go back to focussing on security patrols rather than taking on their repurposed role of being "city ambassadors"?
Response
Please see response below from Operations Group Manager Jocelyn Mikaere:
The changes being implemented today are in response to community concerns around perceptions of safety.
We have three Safe City Guardians performing security functions in the CBD today.
From tomorrow there will also be two security firm staff joining the guardians between the hours of 9am and 5pm.
From next week, Wednesday to Saturday, two security firm staff will patrol the CBD between 5pm and 9pm, as we did previously.
The schedule and staffing will be reviewed and adapted as necessary.
When we announced the refresh of the Guardians' role last month we said we would retain the flexibility to review and adapt according to community needs.
All staff on the ground - Guardians and security firm staff - will have direct communication links with staff monitoring the inner city CCTV network and with police, to address any issues that arise.
It remains important for people to report anti-social, suspicious and criminal behaviour to the police.
Information provided for subsequent clarification sought:
Day time patrols were previously 3 Guardians and up to 4 security firm staff.
Night time patrols starting next week are at previous levels.
Patrol schedule and staffing will be reviewed and adapted as necessary.
Information provided for further clarification:
The primary focus will be security but there will still be an element of an ambassadorial role e.g. checking in with business owners or helping members of the public that have questions. ________________________________________________________________________________________
Media: Local Democracy Reporter
Topic: Council meeting vote
Enquiry
Reporter was watching today's Council meeting via livestream and sought clarification about whether Cr Maxwell abstained from the gambling policy vote.
Response
Reporter was advised as follows:
Cr Maxwell did not take part in the vote re gambling policy.
He declared his conflict of interest at SP&F, took no part in discussion or voting at that meeting and took no part in the vote today.
Taking no part is different from abstaining.
You can only abstain if you are taking part in decision-making process ie, if you take part you can vote for, against or abstain.
If you are not taking part due to a conflict of interest it is not abstaining', it is simply not taking part'.
________________________________________________________________________________________
Media: Local Democracy Reporter
Topic: Lime Scooters
Enquiry
Could you please give me an update on the progression of discussions with Lime to bring e-scooters to Rotorua?
Is the council any closer to setting a date for when they will arrive? If so, when?
Besides from discussions with Lime, what other work has been done in order to ready the city for e-scooter hire? For eg consultation with community groups etc or whatever it may be.
Response
Reporter was advised that there are no further updates since our last response to his enquiry earlier this year in June.