30 March 2020

Media: Rotorua Daily Post

Topic: Playground tape removed

Enquiry

The tape around the playground on Susan St has been cut down

• what will the council be doing to monitor playgrounds and making sure people stick to the lockdown rules?
• will more tape be put up?
• will police be notified about this?
• what enforcement powers does the council have regarding playgrounds and the lockdown?

Response

From Operations Group Manager Jocelyn Mikaere:

The Council is not the lockdown enforcement agency, that is the job of the police and reports of lockdown breaches can be made at www.police.govt.nz/105support

Only essential Council services are operating during this time. Council has taped all playgrounds and signage is in place. It is extremely disappointing to hear that people are still using playground equipment despite a very clear message they should not be doing so due to the risk of spread this poses.

Although we will look to continue to replace tape to help protect the safety of the community, this activity will be reviewed if people continue to remove it. We will be reporting any instances of this behaviour to the police so they can monitor the situation.

It is our expectation that people follow the lockdown rules that have been put in place to reduce the spread of the virus and protect us all. We shouldn't have to keep replacing tape and putting contractors who do this work on our behalf at additional risk.

Please, do as you are asked. Stay off the playgrounds to reduce the spread of the virus. Don't put yourselves, your families and others at risk.

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Media: Local Democracy Reporter

Topic: Recycling during COVID-19 lockdown

Enquiry

• Is it correct that Rotorua Lakes Council is still collecting recyclable waste?
• What is happening to this waste - we hear reports that it is being put into landfill. Is that true?
• Why was this approach taken?
• If the recyclable waste is being sent to landfill, was this the only option? If so, why? For example, could recyclable waste be stockpiled until services resume as normal after Covid-19?
• I understand the council has advised some concerned people that there are restrictions on place nationally restricting recycling. Can you expand on this please?
• was there any opportunity for the council to advise people so they could prepare? ie a last trip to the refuse centre or to get provisions to stockpile their own?

Response

Response from Infrastructure General Manager Stavros Michael:

On Tuesday 24 March the Government met with waste management industry representatives to discuss how the country would deal with managing rubbish and recycling within our communities. The directive was to close all recycling facilities to help stop the spread of COVID-19.

We understand all Councils have closed recycling facilities and their solid waste collection services are operating in various formats.

As well as the limited timeframe, it would not have been responsible to encourage people to rush out and dispose of all their recycling or gather supplies to stockpile, given the risk of the virus spreading in places where people congregate.

Collection services will continue for the duration of the Alert Level 4 isolation period. Council does not have resources or a location where large amounts of recycling can be stockpiled however, as per the information provided on our website, if people prefer they can stockpile their recycling at home as long as it is washed thoroughly and kept in a dry area.

The reporter was also referred to the following information on Council's COVID-19 page on the RLC website:

What is happening with recycling?

To stop the spread of COVID-19 recycling sorting facilities are now closed for the duration of the national alert. We would like people though to stay in the good practice of separating recyclables so when the alert is over we can continue our hard gained achievements of waste minimisation - so please continue to put recycling in your yellow lid bin. In the meantime. your yellow bin recycling will be collected as normal but it will be delivered to landfill with general waste until the alert is removed.

If you prefer, you can stockpile recycling at home, and take it to the recycling centre when it reopens. Please clean it thoroughly and store in a dry location.

Please note glass will continue to be recycled as normal.

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Media: Local Democracy Reporter

Topic: Council meeting recording

Enquiry

• Can you please explain why the media was not invited via Zoom to the extraordinary council meeting last week?
• The tape begins as a recording from Zoom, then goes into public excluded. After public excluded, the camera angle changes. Why was this?
• There are four 'jumps' in the recording (16:36 , 1:59:41 , 2:02:21 , 2:09 :16). Why is this?
• What happened in the gap of approximately five minutes at approximately 1:59:41?
• [There is a clock on the wall in the background which jumps ahead five minutes.]
• What happened in the jump at 2:09:16?
• Was the tape edited? If so, why?
• Can you please explain why the meeting was not live-streamed as usual?
• Does the council view it as acceptable to have jumps in a tape when that tape is the only way the public could view the meeting?
• What is the plan going forward for including the public and media in council meetings now central government has made provision for quorum via video link?
• Will the public and media be able to Zoom into the meetings as the BOPRC have done?

Response

From Corporate Planning and Governance Manager Oonagh Hopkins:

These were not ordinary circumstances and we are having to do things differently at this time, in ways we haven't done them before. Last week was the first time a Council meeting had been conducted using Zoom. We had urgent matters to deal with prior to the lockdown and our priority was ensuring elected members not able to physically attend were able to participate effectively in the decision-making.

Another camera was also recording the meeting and the recording provided to the public, using sections of recordings from both Zoom and the additional camera, included all matters that were not dealt with in confidential. None of the public matters or discussions relating to the public matters were edited out.

We are still working on how any meetings that need to be held during the lockdown will be conducted and will advise the public once details have been finalised.