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Official Information Request - Economic Recovery funding

Date:
Categories:
Official Information Requests

Sent: Tuesday, 13 December 2022 4:31 pm
Subject: Official Information request - Economic Recovery funding

I refer to your online Official Information request of 18 November 2022 regarding Council’s ‘Economic Recovery’ funding – initial funding amount, distributions, reasons for distribution, entity distributed to, any conditions given by Council.

As noted to in the Annual Plan 2020/21, the ‘funds’ were authorisation to use up to$29m of borrowing across the 2020/21 and 2021/22 years as part of the Whakahouhia te Whare Ohanga – Build Back Better Rotorua economic recovery strategy – $9m in 2020/21 with a further $20m in 2021/22. Refer to pages 11 and 12 the 2020/21 Annual Plan on Council’s website HERE.

Six projects were identified and reports presented to committee/council as follows:

Decision Date

Project

Entity distributed to

Reason

Conditions

Amount

13/8/2020

Strategy Policy & Finance Committee

Confirmed at 27/8/2020 Council meeting

Crankworx Event Funding

Mountain Bike Events Ltd

Support a successful major event to ensure a local destination focus to compliment the benefits of holding an International Series event in New Zealand.

Conditional on Mountain Bike Events Ltd continuing to receive funds from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) New Zealand Major Events Fund

FY2020/21 $100,000

FY2021/22

$250,000

8/10/2020

Strategy Policy & Finance Committee (Confidential)

Confirmed at 29/10/2022 Council meeting

Geothermal Greenhouse Pilot

N/A

(see comment below)

Installation of new geothermal greenhouse at the InfraCore Nursery.

Nil

$1,250,000

12/11/2020

Strategy Policy & Finance Committee

Confirmed at 26/11/2020 Council meeting.

Te Pūtake o Tawa

Rotorua Lakes Council

Investment into deck and hard shelter area, new trail for the round the forest loop, and trails at Te Pūtake o Tawa (Forest Hub 2).

Nil

$500,000

12/11/2020

Strategy Policy & Finance Committee (Confidential)

Confirmed at 26/11/2020 Council meeting.

Rotorua Airport

N/A

(see comment below)

Rotorua Airport strategic development projects

Subject to final business planning and due diligence by the Rotorua Regional Airport Ltd (RRAL) with the RRAL board signing off the respective business cases.

$4,240,000

11/3/2021

Strategy Policy & Finance Committee (Confidential)

Confirmed at 25/3/2021 Council meeting.

i-Site Café

Rotorua Lakes Council

Investment into the i‑Site café facility

Nil

$180,000

29/7/2021

Council meeting (Confidential)

QE

QE Health Ltd

Address a funding shortfall and allow QE Health to proceed with construction works of their new facility.

Funding not provided unless and until QE Health has entered into the Construction Contract.

$1,000,000

Recognising this was borrowing, funds for the following projects were uplifted:

  • Crankworx Event Funding
  • Te Pūtake o Tawa
  • i-Site Café
  • QE

The remaining two projects have been cancelled or did not meet other investment criteria and have not proceeded:

  • Geothermal Greenhouse Pilot – consent take risks meant the project was cancelled
  • Rotorua Airport – business cases were not signed off

The opportunity to use borrowing for economic recovery projects remains but at this stage Council is not considering any new projects until such time as they have evaluated and set new Council priorities for the 2022-2025 triennium.

You have the right to seek an investigation and review by the Ombudsman of this decision. The Ombudsman’s Office can be contacted by calling 0800 802 602, emailing info@ombudsman.parliament.nz, online at www.ombudsman.parliament.nz, or by post to The Ombudsman, PO Box 10152, Wellington 6143.

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

Oonagh Hopkins Manahautū Whaitua Tūtahi | Deputy CE, District Leadership & Democracy
Waea: 07 351 8734 | Waea Pūkoro: 0272598677
Īmera: Oonagh.Hopkins@rotorualc.nz | Ipurangi: rotorualakescouncil.nz
Taunga: 1061 Haupapa St, Private Bag 3029, Rotorua Mail Centre, Rotorua 3046, New Zealand

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