Sent: Tuesday, 19 December 2023 2:32 pm
Subject: LGOIMA – Christmas costs
I refer to your LGOIMA request of 7 December 2023 regarding Christmas expenses, and provide the following responses as per your email:
End-of-Year Bonuses:
- Total amount paid in end-of-year bonuses to the CEO this Christmas.
Nil - Total amount paid in bonuses to staff employed by your organization this Christmas.
Nil - Please also provide the same for Christmas 2022.
Nil
Presents for Staff:
- Total expenditure on presents for staff including but not limited to ‘secret Santa’ etc.
Council does not provide presents for staff. Individual staff may participate in gift exchanges at their own cost. - Please include this cost for last year also.
As per 2023.
Christmas Parade:
- Total expenditure breakdown on any Christmas parade hosted or funded by the Council this year. This should also include road closure impact assessments where possible.
Council does not host or fund a Christmas Parade. - Please include a cost breakdown for any Christmas parade last year.
As per 2023.
Christmas Trees and lights:
- Number of Christmas trees purchased and erected, and the cost of these purchases for this year.
Existing public Christmas tree has been re-used for several years. Approximately $6k was spent to erect the tree and $1k for traffic management. - Please also include the cost for any Christmas lights for tree and any lights for buildings for this year.
Lights are re-used each year. Decoration replacements 2023 - $2,034.76. - Please also include the cost of both for last year, too.
Existing public Christmas tree has been re-used for several years. Erection costs - $7,841.91 plus $971.75 for traffic management. - Please highlight if the council had any left over from last year.
One tree has been re-used for several years.
Hiring Santa:
- Breakdown of costs associated with hiring a Santa, if applicable.
Council does not hire a Santa. - Please also provide this information for last year, too.
As per 2023.
Christmas Market:
- Breakdown of costs associated with running/hosting/sponsoring a Christmas market, if applicable.
Council runs a weekly night market with an average cost of $5,376. No specific Christmas market was run; a regular weekly night market had a Christmas theme. - Please provide this information for last year, too.
As above, with an average cost of $5,438.
Christmas Party Supplies:
- Please breakdown the amount spent on the following for the years 2022 and 2023:
- Wrapping paper
- Santa hats
- Alcohol for parties
- Party hats
- Christmas crackers
- Christmas cards
- Christmas decorations
Expenditure is not broken down into this detail in the finance system, therefore the part of your request cannot be provided is declined under section 17(e) of the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act ‘the information requested does not exist’.
Christmas Parties:
- Total expenditure breakdown on Council Christmas parties. Please also include in the breakdown any travel arrangement costs.
Elected members – Council contribution of $20 per head if attending a Christmas function. Balance paid by attendees.
Staff – Council contribution of $20 per head, if attending a team/group Christmas function, organised by the individual teams/groups. Balance paid by attendees. - Please include this for last year, also.
Elected members – Private Christmas function held, paid by individual attendees.
Staff – Council contribution of $20 per head, if attending a Christmas function, organised by the individual teams/groups. Balance paid by attendees.
Office Closure:
- Duration of office closure during the Christmas period for the council generally.
Rotorua Lakes Council Civic Centre is closed from midday Wednesday 20 December 2023 and reopens on Monday 8 January 2024. Services such as water, rubbish and recycling, noise and animal control will continue to operate as normal during the holiday period. Rotorua Library and the Rotorua Aquatic Centre will be open except public holidays. - Please specify how many managers and senior executive staff are taking more hours/days out of office than is blanket across the council for the Christmas period.
5 of the 6 Group Managers/Executive Directors
8 of the 24 third tier managers - Does the Christmas office closure also affect contractors paid by the council? If not, how much are they being paid over the Christmas break in an hourly rate?
As above, Rotorua Lakes Council Civic Centre is closed from midday Wednesday 20 December 2023 and reopens on Monday 8 January 2024. Services such as water, rubbish and recycling, noise and animal control will continue to operate as normal during the holiday period. Rotorua Library and the Rotorua Aquatic Centre will be open except public holidays. This includes contractors.
Fines:
- Does the council have any plans to increase fines for parking offences or any other offences during the Christmas period?
- If so, which fines are increasing, why and what revenue is expected to be raised?
No changes are proposed.
