Official information request - Workshops/forums in 2021
Sent: Tuesday, 15 June 2021 3:48 pm
Subject: Online information request - workshops/forums in 2021
I refer to your online Official Information request of 8 June 2021 regarding Council workshops/forum held in 2021, and provide the following information as per your request:
How many workshops/forums have been held by council this year to date? 5
Of these;
1. What dates were these held?
Workshop/ | Subject | Time | Invited | Attended |
10/02/2021 | LTP Forum – | 1-4pm | Mayor and elected members Lakes Community Board Rural Community Board Te Tatau o Te Arawa Council staff | Mayor Steve Chadwick Cr Dave Donaldson Cr Sandra Kai Fong Cr Trevor Maxwell Cr Merepeka Raukawa-Tait Cr Tania Tapsell Cr Fisher Wang Cr Mercia Yates Sandra Goodwin Jennifer Rothwell Phill Thomass Shirley Trumper Te Taru White Council staff |
11/02/2021 | LTP Forum – | 10-3.30pm | Mayor and elected members Lakes Community Board Rural Community Board Te Tatau o Te Arawa Council staff | Mayor Steve Chadwick Cr Dave Donaldson Cr Peter Bentley Cr Sandra Kai Fong Cr Trevor Maxwell Cr Merepeka Raukawa-Tait Cr Tania Tapsell Cr Fisher Wang Cr Mercia Yates Sandra Goodwin Jennifer Rothwell Phill Thomass Shirley Trumper Council staff |
25/02/2021 | LTP Forum – | 1-3pm | Mayor and elected members Lakes Community Board Rural Community Board Te Tatau o Te Arawa Council staff | Mayor Steve Chadwick Cr Dave Donaldson Cr Peter Bentley Cr Sandra Kai Fong Cr Reynold Macpherson Cr Trevor Maxwell Cr Tania Tapsell Cr Fisher Wang Cr Mercia Yates Sandra Goodwin Jennifer Rothwell Phill Thomass Ben Hollier Kiri Potaka-Dewes Rangitiaria Tibble Gina Mohi Council staff |
17/03/21 | 3 Waters Reform Forum | 10am-12pm | Mayor and elected members Lakes Community Board Rural Community Board Te Tatau o Te Arawa Council staff | Mayor Steve Chadwick Cr Dave Donaldson Cr Peter Bentley Cr Sandra Kai Fong Cr Reynold Macpherson Cr Merepeka Raukawa-Tait Cr Fisher Wang Cr Mercia Yates Sandra Goodwin Jennifer Rothwell Phill Thomass Shirley Trumper Jude Pani Council staff |
13/05/2021 | Māori Wards Forum | 12-1.30pm | Mayor and elected members Lakes Community Board Rural Community Board Te Tatau o Te Arawa Legal counsel Council staff | Mayor Steve Chadwick Cr Dave Donaldson Cr Peter Bentley Cr Sandra Kai Fong Cr Raj Kumar Cr Reynold Macpherson Cr Trevor Maxwell Cr Merepeka Raukawa-Tait Cr Tania Tapsell Cr Fisher Wang Cr Mercia Yates Phill Thomass Shirley Trumper Eugene Berryman-Kamp Te Taru White Jude Pani Kiri Potaka-Dewes Rangitiaria Tibble Gina Mohi Kepa Morgan Geoff Rolleston Kahutapeka Ututaonga Legal counsel Council staff |
2. How many were Public excluded and how many were not public excluded?
All Forum were public excluded.
3. Who called for the workshop/forum to be held?
Council officials in consultation with elected members
4. What was the topic and content for each workshop/forum?
The content/subject of each Forum is listed above.
5. Who was invited to attend and who attended each workshop?
Refer to No.1
6. How long did each workshop/forum run for?
Refer to No.1
7. What action or direction was given at each workshop/forum?
Workshop/Forum Date | Subject | Action/direction |
10/02/2021 | LTP Forum – Community Safety / Inner City | Community Safety – Support for initial Community Safety Plan which went to Council along with the LTP consultation document to adopt to go out for consultation. Inner City – Update provided to forum participants. |
11/02/2021 | LTP Forum – Rating / Wrap Up | Information for participants to understand all of the elements of the LTP and how it would be reflected in the consultation document which then went to Council to adopt to go out for consultation, in particular the proposed rates rise. |
25/02/2021 | LTP Forum – Engagement Planning | Information on engagement principles elected members would like to see played out during the consultation period, the level of activity, and elected members roles and responsibilities in the engagement process. |
17/03/21 | 3 Waters Reform Forum | Advise Council’s understanding of the 3 Waters Reform. Elected member discussion on Council’s input into the DIA conversations. |
13/05/2021 | Māori Wards Forum | Te Tatau o Te Arawa presenting Te Arawa’s position on Māori Wards. Discussion on how Council would make its decision by the 21 May deadline. |
8. Was any debate conducted in each workshop/forum?
There were a number of questions from elected members. Answers were provided by staff to assist with providing information so elected members were well informed prior to making decisions at committee/council meetings.
Of the publicly excluded workshops/forums, what section of the Local Government Information and Meetings Act was used to justify public exclusion for each?
Part 7 section 45(2) of LGOIMA states ‘For the avoidance of doubt, it is hereby declared that any meeting of a local authority or of any committee or subcommittee of a local authority, at which no resolutions or decisions are made is not a meeting for the purposes of this Part’. As noted in the Governance Statement 2020 adopted by Council on 26 March 2020 (extract below), forums cannot be used to make decisions. These forums are therefore not covered by LGOIMA.
Forums
From time to time council will hold forums. Forums or informal meetings are to brief elected members on emerging issues, or get an indication of councillor preference before initiating a policy or project, or provide an opportunity for the council to develop ideas and to be informed of the options and issues the council may face. Forums cannot be used to make decisions. These sessions are not open to the public or the media. The Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act in relation to meeting establishment does not apply to forums.
How many workshops/forums does council intend or have scheduled for this year and are any expected to be public excluded?
The following workshops/forums have been scheduled for June:
Workshop/Forum Date | Subject |
23/06/2021 | Representation Review Workshop #1 |
30/06/2021 | Representation Review Workshop #2 |
06/07/2021 | Representation Review Workshop #3 |
No further workshops/forum have been scheduled for 2021 at this stage.
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 www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or freephone 0800 802 602.
Publication of responses to LGOIMA requests
Please note: Our LGOIMA responses may be published on the Rotorua Lakes Council website after they have been responded to, with requesters’ personal details withheld. If you have any concerns about this please contact the Council on info@rotorualc.nz .
Regards
Craig TirianaKaihautū – Ohu Toihautū| Deputy Chief Executive, Chief Executive’s Group |
