Official Information Request - 19 September 2019
Sent: Wednesday, 16 October 2019 3:46 pmSubject: TRIM: Official Information request - freedom camping
I refer to your online Official Information request of 19 September 2019 and provide the following responses:
- Setup and ongoing costs for freedom camping areas (by year, last 5 years)
Date | Amount | Description |
|---|---|---|
Since 2015 | 1,640.00 | Trout Pool Road - additional empty of septic tank approx. $410 + GST per year over and above since 2015 |
31 January 2016 | 1,296.00 | Lakefront/opposite Polynesian Spa - signage |
30 April 2016 | 770.00 | Signage and installation of tourist parking signage at Lakefront for campervans |
September 2018 | 100.00 | Overnight parking opposite Polynesian Spa - Installation of the waste bins that were funded under a grant from LOVE NZ |
Total | $3,806.00 | |
2. Costs of policing freedom camping (by year, last 5 years)
Council has not yet had to police freedom camping under the Traffic Bylaw 2018: Part 21. In the absence of a Freedom Camping Bylaw, Council has no power to police under the Freedom Camping Act 2011.
In 2018, owners of vehicles parked up in the Puarenga Park carpark were served notice, but this was under the Reserves Act. Cost to Council was staff time to write and deliver letters.
Since August 2016, Watchdog has been employed nightly to patrol Government Gardens and the Lakefront. All non-self-contained vehicles trying to use the overnight parking areas, or any vehicles parked overnight on inner city reserves, are moved on and directed to holiday parks/campsites.
The cost of using Watchdog has been as follows:
Date | Amount | Description |
|---|---|---|
Since August 2016 (ongoing) | 22,097.24 | Nightly patrols from Lakefront, Sulphur Point, Government Gardens. These checks are to ensure only self-contained mobile homes are staying in the overnight parking areas and direct any non-complying vehicles to move to a holiday park/camping area |
Since January 2019 | 700.00 | Callouts for freedom camping/homeless sleeping in our parks and reserves outside the Lakefront patrol area |
Total | $22,797.24 | |
3. Meetings between Council and holiday park industry (by year, last 5 years)
Date | Description |
|---|---|
2015 | No diary records can be recovered prior to 2016 to determine meeting dates |
2016 | - 14 June 2016 at RLC to discuss Freedom Camping- 26 August 2016 at Rotorua Top10 Holiday Park to discuss Freedom Camping- Week of 25-30 October 2016 at Rotorua Top 10 Holiday Park to discuss Freedom Camping and fencing |
2017 | - Week of 1-5 May 2017 at RLC to discuss Freedom Camping/Lions Tour |
4. Funding Council has received for freedom camping (by year, last 5 years)
Date | Funder | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
7 August 2018 | MBIE - Tourism Facilities Development Grant Fund | Monitoring and data collection | up to $69,232 |
24 July 2019 | MBIE - Tourism Facilities Development Grant Fund | Maintenance and improved level of service at rural reserve campsites. Ambassador Programme for monitoring and education. | up to $58,876 |
You have the right to seek an investigation and review by the Ombudsman of this decision. Information about how to make a complaint is available at http://www.ombudsman.parliament.nz/make-a-complaint/complaining-about-access-to-official-information-551307291224432 or freephone 0800 802 602.
Regards
Jean-Paul Gaston Manahautū Rautaki | Group Manager, Strategy |
