LGOIMA Requests

LG 2426 – Information and correspondence about grave sites in Feilding Cemetery​ 

Thank you for your request under the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 (LGOIMA).

All information within scope of your request is attached.

Please note some information has been withheld/redacted to protect personal privacy, in accordance with section 7(2)(a) of the LGOIMA.

Please find the information you requested below. 

2024/025

2025/2026

The information you have requested is below;

1. Personnel  as at 30 June 2025

• The total number of council staff dismissed due to poor performance in the financial year. None
• The total FTE number of staff employed by the council, excluding council-controlled organisations.  156.70 FTE
• If applicable, the FTE number of staff employed by CCOs.   5
• The total number of staff (non-FTE, including casual staff). If applicable, include CCOs separately.  CCOs – 7.4
• The total number of staff including those employed by CCOs receiving remuneration in excess of $100,000. 
  55 MDC
  1   CCO
• The total number of staff including those employed by CCOs receiving remuneration in excess of $200,000.
  4 MDC
  Nil CCO
• The total number of staff including those employed by council-controlled organisations receiving remuneration in excess of $256,800 (equivalent to a minister outside of Cabinet).  Information withheld due to privacy (section 7(2)(a) protect the privacy of natural persons) due to the small number of employees in the group.
• The mean and median renumeration for Council staff.  MDC - Mean $90,400 Median $83,636 (figures are based on total package)
  The mean and median renumeration for CCO staff.  N/A

 2.1. Management  

• The FTE number of managers employed by the council and, if applicable, the number of managers employed by CCOs as at 30 June 2025. 41.13 FTE Managers MDC
• The Taxpayers’ Union defines a manager as: any staff member who is responsible for a team of staff, or who has an employee/employees reporting to them and organises them to achieve their department’s or organisation’s specified goal. The Chief Executive team is included in this definition. 
• The ratio of management to total staff numbers.  If applicable, please provide a ratio for the group, including CCOs, and a ration for the council parent. 1 : 4.14 MDC
• The average and median salary of a manager. If applicable, please provide for both the group, including CCOs, and the council parent. Mean $136,810 Median $121,248 MDC

2.2. Communications  

• The FTE number of communications & marketing staff employed by the council and, if applicable, the number of communications & marketing staff employed by CCOs.
  3.55 MDC
• The average and median salary of communications & marketing staff. If applicable, please provide for both the group, including CCOs, and the council parent.
  Information withheld under section 7(2)(a) of LGOIMA, to protect the privacy of natural persons, due to the small number of employees in the group.

 3.  Audit and Risk Oversight  

• How many members are on the Council’s Audit and Risk Committee (or equivalent)?  Seven.
• Of those members, how many are elected and how many are independent of the council?  Five are elected and two are independent.
• Is the Chair of the Committee an independent member?  Independent.
• Does the Council have a lawyer (with a current practising certificate) on the Committee?  No. The Deputy Chair (independent) has a law degree and legal background, but not a practising certificate.
• Does the Council have an accountant (with a current practising certificate or a full member of the Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand) on the Committee?  Yes. The Chair (independent) is registered with Chartered Accountants New Zealand.
• Does the Council have a code of conduct requiring political neutrality from Council staff?  We have a policy for Council staff that addresses this area called the “Employees Expressing an Opinion About Council Policy”. It does not require staff to be politically neutral, however it prohibits the use of Council mediums or assets (Council’s social media, staff emails, facilities etc) for this purpose. Where staff wish to express an opinion that differs from the stated opinion of the Council, they are obligated to inform their manager and must qualify any such statements as being   personal in nature (ergo not representative of the Council’s view). 

  4. Unelected members

• Please list all appointments of unelected members onto council committees with spending and regulatory powers. Finance and Performance: Stuart Campbell (chair), John Fowke (deputy chair)
  Water Services Delivery Unit Committee: Colin McFadzean (chair)

5. Payments to third parties

• The total payments made by the Council (or any council-controlled organisation) to any Chamber of Commerce, including GST.  $6,118
• The total payments made by the Council (or any council-controlled organisation) to Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ), including GST.  $65,113
• The total payments made by the Council (or any council-controlled organisation) to the Taituarā including GST.  $52,905

The information you have requested is below; 

1. Contractors and consultants  

• Total expenditure on contractors by the council and the FTE equivalent as at 30 June 2025. Please provide the same information for CCOs, if applicable.  

• The Taxpayers’ Union defines contractors as per the Contractors and Consultants Guidance document published by the Public Service Commission. 

Total Expenditure as at 30 June 2025 on contractors: $2,850,067 

It is not possible for us to provide an accurate FTE equivalent  

• Total expenditure on consultants by the council and the FTE equivalent as at 30 June 2025. Please provide the same information for CCOs, if applicable. 

• The Taxpayers’ Union defines consultants as per the Contractors and Consultants Guidance document published by the Public Service Commission. 

Total Expenditure as at 30 June 2025 on consultants: 

$1,031,689 It is not possible for us to provide an accurate FTE equivalent 

2. Mayor’s office 

• If applicable, please provide the total budget allocated to the mayor’s office for both the financial year ended 30 June 2025 and the current financial year. 
  Expenditure 
  2024/25 - $350,996 
  2025/26 - $372,356  

• If applicable, please provide the FTE number of staff employed to work in the mayor’s office and their job titles. 
  1 – Executive Assistant to the Mayor 

3. Depreciation and renewals – All figures are GST exclusive 

• The total amount of depreciation funded for all council-owned assets in the year ended 30 June 2025, broken down by source (e.g., rates, grants, levies). 

• The total cash amount spent on replacing, restoring, or upgrading existing assets to maintain levels of service in the year ended 30 June 2025. 

$23,760,298 

• What was the actual year-end balance of cash reserves held for depreciation, and did the balance increase or decrease over this period? 
  Council does not apportion cash balance to specific reserves.  

• The total amount of depreciation funds allocated for purposes other than renewals capital expenditure in the year ended 30 June 2025. Specifically, detail the amounts used for:   $3.6M of principle loan repayments for assets that are loan funded and Council funds depreciation for 

• New Capital/Growth Projects (i.e., new assets, not renewals). 
  New Capex - $18,274,000 
  Growth Capex - $6,929,000 

• Debt Repayment (i.e., principal or interest payments). 
  Interest on borrowings - $4,211,000 
  Principle Repayments - $3,607,780 

• Operating Expenses. 

Total Operating Expenditure - $49,509,000 

The information you have requested is below. 

MDC is not able to break down the General Rate and Targeted rate by differential category.  The table has been completed with the total rates charged by differential category (GST EXCL)   

Further to your information request, the information is below; 

1. Drain: all records noting/flagging the need to upgrade the open drain to an underground solution; maintenance/inspection history; incident/flood complaint history; asset ownership/responsibility details (including any asset ID); and any deferred renewal or upgrade programming.  

The subject drain is privately owned, and responsibility for its ownership and maintenance rests with the private owner. As previously communicated, Council has future plans to upgrade the upstream catchment, which will result in significant improvements to the subject area. At this stage, detailed design work has not yet been completed, however I can confirm that funding for the upgrade has been allocated in the Long Term Plan for Financial Year 4 (2028–2029). 

2. Tree: land ownership mapping for the poplar location; any existing arborist reports, risk assessments, inspection logs, maintenance records, and any prior complaints or service requests about the tree.  

Council holds no records on private trees. Private property owners are responsible for the maintenance of trees within their property. 

The information you have requested is below and in the attachments are included in the attachments.

1. Manawatu District Council complete paper trail of all approvals for fee increases at Himatangi Campground over the past 5 years including applications, approvals, conditions, correspondence and effective dates relating to any increases sought or granted. 
This information is detailed in the attachments including but not limited to: 

• Backdating of approval of fees and operative fees signed as part of the 2025 memo.  

• Agreement to waive clause 21 of Lease by both parties approved.  

Attachments supplied as part of LGOIMA request: 

• Email from Himatangi Beach Holiday Park to MDC requesting approval of operative fees by Minister of Conservation under delegated authority on 25^th September 2025 (phone call between MDC and Himatangi Beach Holiday Park about fees is unrecorded but written confirmation within the email acknowledges phone call and prices attached as spreadsheet to their email) 

• Email from MDC to tenants informing them of approval of fees by Minister of Conservation under delegated authority dated 6^th October 2025 

• MDC internal Memo of approval of fees under delegated authority as Minister of Conservation – signed by Chief Executive 2^nd October 2025 

Other meetings related to fee increases at Himatangi Beach Holiday Park with no relevant correspondence other than arranging the meetings: 

• In person meeting between Council and Himatangi Beach Holiday Park (tenants) to discuss proposed fee increases for 2026 on 17^th July 2025. 

• Zoom meeting between Himatangi Beach Holiday Park (tenants) and MDC 3.30pm on 18^th December 2025 to discuss ‘fees’ and process of their application for fee approval going forward (i.e. future fee increases requiring Minister of Conservation approval by Council under delegated authority and Councils expectations of fee increase information to be provided) 

• MDC internal employee meetings as necessary. 

2. When approvals were granted 
2^nd October 2025 including backdating of approval of fees. 

3. What increases were approved. 
Prices for 2025 / 2026 including backdating of approval of fees. 
 
4. A full and comprehensive list of all fee increases applied for and approved across all sites and Himatangi Campground at off peak and peak times, including powered sites, unpowered sites, cabins, luxury cabins any other accommodation categories. 

Already provided/answered in Answer 1 attachments.