9 October 2020
Media: Rotorua Daily Post
Topic: City Guardians role
Enquiry
*NOTE: this is a further response (response to question 1) from earlier enquiry and response HERE. Initial enquiry was prompted by RLC news release [see HERE]
- How much did the council spend on CBD security/city patrols (both contracted and paid staff) in the financial year ending March 31, 2020. Please break it out to show staff cost and contractor cost if possible. (I note we previously reported in November last year it was costing $28,000 a month. https://www.nzherald.co.nz/rotorua-daily-post/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503438&objectid=12286784
Response
The cost of our contractors (VR Security and Watchdog staff) for the year 1 April 2019 - 31 March 2020 was $409K. The cost of the inner city security patrols increased over the summer months (December 2019, January, February, March 2020) due to extended CCTV monitoring hours and extended night patrols which were required to meet community need at the time.
The cost of the Guardians' contribution to the patrols was approximately $50.5K for the same period (participating in the patrols was not their full time role and this is based on an estimate of what percentage of their time was allocated to the patrols).
Please note the Guardians' contribution was not included in the $28,000 figure provided last year.
