10 August 2022
Media: Radio NZ
Topic: Whakarewarewa Village road collapse
Enquiry
I will be in town tomorrow and wondered If someone would be able to talk to me in person about what council have done since the sinkhole two weeks ago at Whakarewarewa.
I understand initial belief was the sinkhole happened when it did as a result of heavy rain..and council were planning on checking other areas of the town.
Simply I would like an update on this, if other areas of significance were identified and what is being done to mitigate this risk.
Response
The reporter was informed that while the incident is under investigation by WorkSafe it’s not appropriate for council to comment further at this time and that we’d be happy to revisit this once the investigation is complete.
The reporter was referred to previous updates on our website here and informed that we will continue to provide updates here when appropriate.
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Media: NZME (Rotorua Daily Post and BOP Times)
Topic: Election nominations
Enquiry
I am contacting councils within our area to give comment on a press release from LGNZ.
NOTE: reporter was referring to this release: Big push for more local government nominations (lgnz.co.nz)
- If comment can also please be provided on how the council is placed ahead of Friday, as well as nomination numbers to date.
- Are any roles looking like they won't be filled? Any uncontested?
- What happens then?
- Is this year's number of nominations unusual? How so?
- Are more expected to be nominated by Friday?
Response
As the election nominations process is still live, Rotorua Lakes Council cannot provide comment until nominations for local elections close this Friday 12 August 2022 at midday.
Should we end up in a position where we have unfilled roles, LGNZ has a process that must be followed by any council in this instance.
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Media: Rotorua Daily Post
Topic: Advertised RLC role
Enquiry
I'm just wanting to make some inquiries about a new role I see you advertising at the council (not applying for it, it's for a story!).
It's the programme manager - emergency housing role. I've read the description online but it's very "jargony" and I have no idea what the role entails.
Can you please let me know answers, in line, to the following questions?
- What is the actual role?
- What strategic programmes does it refer to?
- What sponsors and business owners will the person be working with?
- What are the programme objects and who are the satisfied stakeholders?
- It talks about coaching programme leads. Is there an emergency housing team working at the council?
- Is this manager's position a new role that's recently been created?
- How many other staff members at the council are directly involved in emergency housing work?
- Are these staff members additional to staff we've needed before?
- How much is the salary bracket for the emergency housing programme manager role?
- Why has this role been created and will it be funded through rates?
The following questions were put to the Mayor for response:
- Are you aware of this role within council?
- Is this something the mayor and councillors have an opportunity to have a say about?
- Do you think it is the council's role to be having someone employed to manage emergency housing?
- Why is the council employing people in these roles when it's supposedly not a long-term solution?
- What do you say to the critics who will no doubt be worried ratepayer money is being spent on managing people in emergency housing?
The following comments have been made in relation to the job you're advertising, if the council would like to consider making comment in response as part of your response.
Restore Rotorua chairman Trevor Newbrook:
- Wants to know why the council was funding a position to do with emergency housing.
- "We are not only having to suffer what this Government is doing to our city, the effects intensive emergency housing is having on our lives but we are now also having to pay through rates to manage it."
- "More CCTV cameras, more security patrols, more maintenance, more staff and more costs to ratepayers. The Government has created this situation by illegally using motels in Rotorua for emergency housing and bringing more and more people here. They should be paying."
- People have been made vulnerable by the extent and cumulative effect of so much emergency housing clustered together.
- "Many people are already struggling to pay their rates which have increased significantly over the last nine years. Now we are expected to pay more. Enough is enough."
- Would like to know how much the council was paying in staffing and other costs related to emergency housing motels as he feared this position was only the tip of the iceberg.
Rotorua MP Todd McClay"
- Described having a specific position for emergency housing as "just crazy".
- More houses, not more bureaucrats was needed.
- "This isn't a role the council should be paying money for. There is far too much money being wasted on this great big business called homeless motels in Rotorua and the council should be telling the Government to sort it it out, not buying into Rotorua being made a dumping ground for the homeless problem."
- It was a "disgrace" if ratepayer money was being spent on this salary.
"Ratepayers who are already struggling with rising rates and the rising cost of living will be flabergasted that so much money seems to be wasted."
Response
Mayor Chadwick advised that this is an operational matter and not something for the Mayor to comment on.
From District Development Deputy Chief Executive, Jean-Paul Gaston:
This role will sit within Council’s Project Management Office and will work within the scope of Council’s Homes & Thriving Communities work programme, supporting council’s thriving communities and emergency housing response actions.
Work to date on Council’s Homes and Thriving Communities Strategy has largely been focused on planning/building our way forward, and infrastructure and funding initiatives (intensification plan change, stormwater master planning, reserves revocation etc) which have been heavily and successfully supported with project management, external consultants and large internal teams working towards these outcomes.
It is now time to focus in on our thriving communities and emergency housing work streams and this role will be providing a project management and coordination lens to this work. This role will support the delivery of these key project streams (central city priority area plan, locality plans, safety initiatives, motel regulatory action, land sales for housing supply, the housing hub and support services for those in emergency housing) internally and more widely with our partners.
The role sits within the existing headcount of our Project Management Office and the resource is being allocated to where it’s needed most right now. Total remuneration would be within the salary bracket $108,886 - $128,101.
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Media: Local Democracy Reporter
Topic: MP calls for deferral of reserves proposal decisions
Enquiry
I've spoken to Rotorua MP Todd McClay and he believes the council should defer its decision on the reserves proposal until after the election.
He has also called on the council to release all information and documentation in relation to any discussions with the Government over the use of reserves for housing.
He has also criticised what he views as a lack of transparency on the issue from the council and the Government, and the use of points of order by elected members on submitters at the recent hearings.
Todd's comments are below for viewing and provided for the right of reply from the council org and or the mayor, where deemed applicable.
Can I please ask the council:
- Will it proactively release all documents and information related to discussions with the Government on public or emergency housing on Rotorua reserves (if it hasn't released all of this already)? If not, please consider that question under the LGOIMA, date period Jan 1 2021 - today.
- Has the council organisation confident it has been forthcoming, transparent and open with information about this proposal with the public?
(Can you please also clarify for avoidance of doubt when the decision on the reserve proposal is likely to happen - 25 August?)
Follow up question:
Can the council please confirm if it is of the view it has already released all information and documents related to discussions with the Government on public or emergency housing on Rotorua reserves to date? (and can you please specify how - ie media inquiries, general council information, previous LGOIMA requests
For the mayor:
- Will you consider suggesting to the council to defer this decision or is it not a consideration for you? Why / why not
- Do you think the council has been transparent about the proposal, as Todd is suggesting it has not?
- Could the council have been more forthcoming with information on it? Could it have had conversations about it in public earlier? Why / why not?
- Do you believe it was "disrespectful" to call points of order on submitters at the hearings? Why / why not?
COMMENTS
Todd McClay
"This current council should not make the decision over the reserves.
"It's so close to an election it should be campaigned on.
"A number of people who are not going to be on the council in a few months time shouldn't be making a decision that the city obviously feels so strongly about.
"It would be reckless of the council to rush a decision at this time ... a few more months will allow the new council to consider everything fully and properly to make sure whatever decision is made, the public is brought with them.
"I'm calling upon [elected members] to not make the decision now, to put it off for the next council.
"It's just disgraceful that the public finds out about [the reserves revocation proposal] is through the media, not through the Government and not through the council."
He was also calling on the council to "release all information and documentation they have in relation to discussions with the Government over public housing or emergency housing on these reserves.
"There's been ... a lot of speculation, it doesn't help, it's probably making the situation worse. I think we need full openness and disclosure here."
He said he didn't know what the documents may reveal.
"We know there have been ongoing conversations with the Government about these reserves.
"If there is an arrangement or discussions with the Government ... the council owes it to the ratepayers and voters of Rotorua to release that fully and show complete transparency on this issue.
"It's not good enough and it's certainly not treating the public with respect, and that's why the council has a duty to release it."
He said that the issue was forced into the public via the media rather than proactively by the council was "extremely disappointing".
"I'm not sure if it's by design but it doesn't matter, it has the same effect as if it was purposeful."
McClay also took aim at submitters facing points of order and interruptions in recent hearings.
"There were a lot of times when members of the public, who had taken time to come forward and speak about an issue that's important to them, I think were treated disrespectfully.
"I don't understand why points of order are taken or elected officials say they take offence. The public has a right to come and have their say."
Response
From DCE District Leadership and Democracy, Oonagh Hopkins:
Council’s Strategy, Policy & Finance Committee will consider community feedback when it meets tomorrow [Thursday 11 August] and will make recommendations to Council which it [Council] will consider when it meets on Thursday 25 August.
It would not be appropriate for the organisation to pre-empt the process that is underway by commenting further at this time.
Follow up response:
It is council’s view that all information and documents related to discussions with the Government on public or emergency housing on Rotorua reserves, from 1 January 2021 – 30 April 2022, has been made publicly available via LGOIMA request and is available to view on council’s website. Additional information has also been made publicly available via media enquiries, general council information and through Committee and Council meetings and reports.
(The reporter was provided with links to the relevant LGOIMA responses available on council’s website HERE and HERE).
Response from Mayor Chadwick:
We are currently partway through a process and I don’t consider it appropriate to undermine that by pre-empting deliberations yet to be had or decisions yet to be made.
Following public consultation and hearings the Strategy, Policy & Finance Committee will deliberate on this proposal tomorrow and will determine what will be recommended to the Council for its consideration later this month.
That is the process we are following and I’m sure Mr McClay understands the importance of due process.