LGOIMA Requests

I refer to your official information request dated 10 May 2023.  The information you have requested is below. 

• What chemicals (pesticides, herbicides, fungicides etc.) does the council apply to areas of wood chip or bark mulch on council owned and / or operated parks, recreational areas, and reserves (any public area where people may be foraging for mushrooms)? 
  Wood chip is natural and unprocessed initially, once it starts to decompose glyphosate is used to control weeds coming through any applied mulch. 
   
• What chemicals (pesticides, herbicides, fungicides etc.) does the council apply to grass areas on council owned and / or operated parks, recreational areas, and reserves (any public area where people may be foraging for mushrooms)? 
  Picloram, aminopyralid, and triclopyr are the active ingredients in Tordon Brushkiller used to control flatweeds in turf. Glyphosate is used for non-selective weed control. 
   
• What steps are undertaken to notify the public about areas that have been sprayed? 
  
  “Caution Spraying in Progress” signs are placed on area being sprayed and removed once recommend re-entry time has been achieved. 

If you wish to discuss this decision with us, please feel free to contact the LGOIMA Response Team on 06 323 0000 or by replying to this email.  

The information you have requested is below. 

1.         Staff sickness absence figures for each department in the Council. Also detail average departmental sickness days against departmental sickness targets. 

2.         Number of resignations within each department in the Council. If you do not collate resignation figures for each department please provide figures for the Council as a whole. 

2020/2021                   53 

2021/2022                   50 

2022/2023                   53 to April 2023 

The information you have requested is attached.

The audited Financial Report to 30 June 2022 was adopted by Council on 4^th May 2023 and will be available the Council website shortly. 

If you wish to discuss this decision with us, please feel free to contact the LGOIMA Response Team on 06 323 0000 or by replying to this email.  

Manawatū Community Trust is a Council Controlled Organisation (CCO) which holds the housing stock on behalf of Manawatū District Council. 

Housing Section  

1. Manawatū District Council housing stock (number of complexes and number of units owned)  

• 15 Complexes and 205 units owned  

1. Manawatū District Council housing stock typology/configuration (number of bedrooms) 

• 204 one bedroom units and 1 two bedroom unit   

1. Approximate age of units   
   
   1950s x 22 
   1960s x 56 
   1970s x 57 
   1980s x 48 
   1990s x 22  

1. Condition of units (e.g., percentage meeting healthy homes criteria, any recent or planned major refurbishments)   

• Approximately 70% of units meet healthy homes criteria, all will be compliant by June 2024 
• Approximately 10 refurbishments will be completed by June 2023  

1. Accessibility of units (e.g., do they have accessibility features for elderly / disabled tenants like step free access, wider doorways etc. Do any units meet universal design standards)  

• One custom renovation to universal designs standards    

1. Ownership and/or management of housing (with CHPs or Māori/iwi/hapū housing)  

1. If working in partnership - what is your role?  

• 100% MCT owned and tenancy services are provided by MCT   
  
  Policy Section  

1. Summary of rent policy, how are you calculating rent (is the rent set based on market rent or something else, is your rent policy being implemented or are there other considerations like affordability)  

• (gross superannuation and accommodation supplement) x 30%  
  
  Tenants Section   

1. Tenant profile (demographic of tenants: age, ethnicity, income range, gender) 

• 14% supported living (under 65 years) 
• 86% pensioners 
• 117 female 

• 91 male  
  
  6 x 40-50 years 
  12 x 50-60 years 
  56 x 60-70 years 
  76 x 70-80 years 
  38 x 80-90 years 
  5 x 90-100 years  

• Income and ethnicity not recorded.    

1. What category do tenants fall under (Pensioner, benefit, working, family)  

• Employment status is not recorded 
• No families 
• 14% supported living beneficiaries 

• 86% pensioners  

1. If families, what do they look like (number of children, solo parents)  

• Not applicable 

1. How are tenants selected   

• Assets under 80k, pensioner or on a supported living benefit, need based, ability to live independently, fit with other residents.  

1. What services are being provided to tenants  

• Tenancy services   
  
  Finance Section (Optional Questions)  

1. How is CH funded (how much rate funding, how much borrowing)  

• Tenant rental income. No rate payer funding. Debt of $6.1million  

1. Are you operating at a surplus or deficit 

• Surplus    

1. Cost of maintenance of stock   

• Approximately 650k per year    
  
  Future Plans Section  

1. How do you see your housing role, and what strategic plans you have in relation to housing  

• Strategic plans include establishing a Feilding based CHP 
• Increasing housing stock to support aging population 
• Improve accessibility of housing stock  

1. Future plans councils have for stock   

1. 45 additional units by 2030  
   
   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.   

I refer to your official information request dated 27 April 2023. 

The information you have requested is below. 

• What is the total number of council-owned playgrounds in your area? 

• 16 

• What is the number of disability accessible council-owned playgrounds in your area? 

• 1 

• Please provide details of what accessibility features they provide 

• Wheelchair accessible spinner, wheelchair friendly playground matting to allow access to the entire site and all equipment, Musical instruments area accessible.  

• What is the total number of council-owned public toilets in your area? 

• 73 pans across 32 facilities 

• What is the number of disability accessible council-owned public toilets in your area? 

• 32 accessible cubicles   

• What is the total number of council-owned public swimming pools in your area? 

• 3 

• What is the number of disability accessible public swimming pools in your area? 

• 1 

• Please provide details of what accessibility features they provide 

• Chair lift, aquatic wheelchair, accessible changing rooms with crane and adjustable height bed, ramp access to pool  

• What is the current population size your council serves 

• 33,900  (2022 estimate from Statistics New Zealand) 

I refer to your official information request dated 24 April 2023.  

The information you have requested is below. 

• How many members of staff working for your organisation were suspended in the 2022/23 financial year?  
  We have not suspended any staff in the 2022/23 financial year. 
• How many members of staff are currently suspended for any reason?  N/A 

• How many members of staff are currently suspended and are still receiving their salary?  N/A 
• For those suspended and still receiving their salaries, please indicate the reason for their suspension and the duration of their suspension so far.  N/A