LGOIMA Request Details: LG2502

Date received: 18/08/2026

Requested information: Request for all council costs associated with the Government’s Head Start initiative from 5 May 2026 until the council’s response to the Government, including consultancy, consultation, meeting, workshop, and other related expenses.

Status: Complete

Date responded: 27/08/2026

Response:

1. What was the total cost to the council for of all activities and work undertaken to develop and finalise its response to the Government’s Head Start local government initiative? For clarification purposes, this request is for the total cost or the best estimate of the total cost to the council of the Head Start initiative. Points 2-5 below are for components of this total.

All items in response to the below questions are inclusive of GST.

Total cost (including GST): $13,778.85.

This figure does not include internal staff time, for the reasons outlined in response to question 5.

2. What consultants and contractors were engaged to advise or provided information or analysis for the council’s response to Head Start and what was the cost of each provider’s services? What were the titles of any reports provided by these consultants or contractors?

Morrison Low Advisory Ltd provided a report in June 2026 called “Head Start Pathway Horizons councils”. We contributed to the cost of this report, and work leading up to it, as below:

• $3,012.95 – relating to the facilitation of a Mayoral Forum on the Head Start pathway, and working on the scoping of a detailed report.
• $6,037.53 – direct contribution cost towards the completed report.

Little and Loud assisted with communication during a period of staff absence. They attended a regular Workshop meeting where the Head Start pathway was discussed, and drafted a public news item on it:

• $2,081.62

3. What was the total cost to the council for informing or consulting with local communities and how much was spent on surveys, advertising, informational publications (flyers, pamphlets, etc.), public meetings, websites and other such activities.

Newspaper adverts:

• $1,725

Radio advertising:

• $921.75

4. What was the total cost of any extraordinary or special council meetings or workshops held regarding Head Start or the council’s response to it?

No costs associated with these.

5. What other costs were incurred by the council under this initiative and what was the value of those costs?

No other direct costs have been identified. Council has not attempted to quantify internal staff time, as most roles do not record time against individual projects and the work associated with Head Start was largely undertaken as part of business-as-usual activities.