LGOIMA Requests

I refer to your official information request dated 05 December 2022.  

Here is a link to the information you have requested – LG_2137_Documents_for_Release.zip
Please save files for continued access as this link will expire in 7 days. 

Some information has been withheld under Section 7(2)(b)(ii) of the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act, as it would be likely to unreasonably prejudice the commercial position of the person who supplied the information. 

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. 

I refer to your official information request dated 01 December 2022.  

The information you have requested is below.   

3 Waters Public Feedback – September 2021 

The total at the cut-off date for feedback was 2430 – confirmed.   A further 338 responses were received after the cut-off date and are not included in the figures below. 

However, I can confirm there were 8 for Option 1, 334 for Option 2, and 1 for Option 3. 

Option 1: In Favour   Option 2: NO   Option 3: Undecided 
 

Tap/drinking water quality 

Annual Report on Drinking Water Quality 2019-2020 (health.govt.nz)  

Manawatū District Council operate seven potable water schemes within the Manawatū District. Up until 15 November 2022, the quality of drinking water was controlled by the Drinking Water Standards for New Zealand 2005 revised 2018. There are essentially two parts to this standard, of which are bacteria and protozoa compliance:  

• During the 2021/22 assessment period there was 100% compliance with - bacteria requirements with no instances of E.coli being detected post treatment and free available chlorine remaining above 0.2g/m3.  
• With the exception of one rural scheme 100% compliance with the protozoa requirements was achieved. Council are in the process of upgrading the treatment for the rural scheme to ensure 100% protozoa compliance is achieved across all schemes in the future.  
  
  Based on this the potable water quality within the Manawatū District is of international standards and safe to consume.   
  
  As of 15 November 2022, the quality of potable water is controlled by Drinking Water Quality Assurance Rules 2022. Two of the seven schemes have been identified as requiring minor upgrades due to the associated amendments. Council are in the process of finalising programmes to complete these upgrades.   
  
  Manawatū District Council are in the process of centralising the council wastewater systems, within the district. As a result, the wastewater from small community systems and the NZDF Ohakea Air Base will be pumped to the Manawatū WWTP. In doing so wastewater will be removed from over 100km of waterways and treated to a higher standard of which only can be afforded at the Manawatū WWTP. To provide an indication of the quality of the effluent at the Manawatū WWTP, the median concentrations between 1 January 2020 and now have been presented below: 
  
   
  
  E.coli                                                   20MPN/100ml 
  
  scBOD5                                               2g/m3 
  
  Soluble Inorganic Nitrogen                 42.6g/m3 
  
  Dissolved Reactive Phosphorous         0.011g/m3 
  
   
  
  In terms of E.coli, scBOD5 and Dissolved Reactive Phosphorous the median concentrations are at or below the relevant instream targets. The Soluble Inorganic Nitrogen is high due to the industrial industries within Feilding. Manawatū District Council are in the process of constructing a separate trade waste line so the industrial waste can be treated separately to address this issue. Based on the current quality of effluent and proposed upgrades the treatment of wastewater within the Manawatū District is of international standard, especially when compared with equivalent communities.     
  
  In 2022 a spill occurred at a pumpstation due to rags impacting the pump capacity. A major upgrade of pump stations across the district is currently underway to reduce the risk of similar incidents occurring in the future. Council use international technology and equipment to try and reduce the risk of spills of this nature occurring.   
  
  The wastewater networks in the Manawatu District are in relatively good condition due to most of the smaller villages not having networked wastewater until the 1970s or 1980s.  
  
  Asset Management Plans | Manawatū District Council (mdc.govt.nz)  
  
  Information on the wastewater networks is covered on pages 127 – 152 in the above plan.  
  
  Other than the spills mentioned above there have been no other notified discharges from the wastewater networks. 
  
  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. 

Dear Jack, 

LG 2133 Official information request - ​​Details of 3Waters debt and assets and staff transition guidelines for transfer and recruitment of staff 

I refer to your official information request dated 29 November 2022. 
The information you have requested is below. 

1. Copies of any estimates on the value of three waters debt and assets as at 30^th June 2022 and any consolidated reporting undertaken by officials.  

1. How does the above information compare and contrast to estimates provided to in 2020 at both a territorial authority and consolidated level.  
   
    
   
   Manawatū District Council carry out an annual valuation of the 3 waters assets as at 1 July each year and the most recent valuation is currently being finalised for the assets as at 1 July 2022. For this reason preliminary values have been provided here. The valuation was performed at a component level for the 43,243 water, wastewater, and stormwater assets held in the asset register at 1 July 2022. A summary of the valuation is shown below in Table 1. 
   
    
   
   Table 1. Summary of preliminary 3 Waters valuation as at 1 July 2022 

The value of the 3 waters assets as at 1 July 2020 is summarised in Table 2. 

Table 2. Summary of 3 Waters asset valuation as at 1 July 2020 

Council Debt 

The movement in value from 1 July 2020 to 1 July 2022 is due to investment in new assets and inflation.  

1. Copies of Three waters proposed staff transition guidelines that outline the transfer and recruitment of staff to the water services entities including those prepared in July 2022 and updated in late 2022, including any information re implementation timelines.  
   
   The Proposed Staff Transition Guidelines prepared by the National Transition Unit, which we received in July 2022, here is a link to the document -  Three_Waters_Proposed_Staff_Transition_Guidelines_-_July_2022.zip  
   We do not believe we have received any updated Transition Guidelines as yet. 
   
    

I refer to your official information request dated 24 November 2022.  

The information you have requested is below and in the attached spreadsheet. 

As part of a reconciliation project here at KiwiRail we are needing information on our past and present resource consents. If it’s possible, could we request a spreadsheet of any KiwiRail resource consents we hold with you, either present or expired.  

Please see attached excel spreadsheet showing consents in the name of KiwiRail (or former names). 

We are also interested in any potential updates on changes or reviews to your current plan. Any updates on this at all would be extremely helpful to ensuring all of our information is up to date.  

The Manawatū District Council has a Sectional District Plan Review underway.  This is a multi-year project to update the Operative District Plan.  The status of plan changes can be viewed at https://www.mdc.govt.nz/services/planning/district-plan/plan-changes. 

Council is currently consulting on: 

• Heritage & Notable Tree Review (Plan Change H(a)&(b)  
• Rongotea South Private Plan Change (Private Plan Change 1) 
  
  Information on current consultations is available at: https://www.mdc.govt.nz/have-your-say 
  
  Council is preparing plan changes on the following topics.  We have received early feedback from KiwiRail on our Rural & Residential work.  It is anticipated that these will be notified in 2023: 

• Plan Change A: Rural and Flood Hazard Review 
• Plan Change B: Feilding Residential Review 

What is the total value of all artwork (including sculptures) currently owned by your council?   
One small triptych artwork purchased for $850 which is on display in the Executive Wing foyer. 
 
‘Drover & Dog’ Statue, installed on Kimbolton Road, donated, reinstatement value $203,000.00 
 
‘Squabbling Birds’ statue, usually lives in front of the library, but refurbishments are underway and the statue is in storage, donated, value unknown 
 
3 paintings by the original owner of Mt Lees Homestead, installed at Mt Lees Homestead for public viewing,  donated, value unknown 
 
2 paintings by Sarah Platt, installed in Library for public viewing, donated, value unknown 
 
Māori carving, on display at Reception, received as an Environmental Award, value unknown 

How much has you council spent over the last 3 years on artwork?  Nil  

• How much the council has spent on lawyers on matters relating to the Opawe Rd  paper road since 2007.  The Council has spent $119,106.24, see attached spreadsheet 

• How much the council has spent on services from The Property Group on matters relating to the Opawe Rd paper road since 2007. The Council has spent $41,585.16 

• How much has the council spent on reports confirming the Opawe Rd paper road is a legal road since 2007. The Council has spent $2,490.35.  

• Could you tell me when these were done. These were done 2009 and 2014 

• How much the council has spent on having the paper road surveyed or employing any other external contractors on matters relating to Opawe Rd since 2007. The Council has spent $20,044.50.  

• Could you tell me when these were done. These were done 2017, 2011, and 2022 

Hello Michael,

Thank you for your email advising you wish to withdraw your request, I will close off our file accordingly.

Warm regards,

Dear Elin,  

Official information request - ​Documents and details relating to any air discharge consents and land/water discharge consents for piggeries operating within the Manawatu region  

I refer to your official information request 17 November 2022. 

The information you are requesting, namely air discharge consents and land/water discharge consents for piggeries operating within the Manawatu region, is not held by us but is a function of Horizons Regional Council.  In these circumstances, we are required by section 12 of the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act to transfer your request.  

Therefore, we have transferred your request to Horizons Regional Council.  

You will hear further from Horizons Regional Council concerning your request.   
You may contact them by emailing help@horizons.govt.nz or phoning 06 952 2800. 

Warm regards, 

I refer to your official information request dated 11 November 2022.

Here is a link to the correspondence to the owner between 2008 to 2013. – add link

Also, here is a link to the correspondence about LG 2113 – add link

These links will expire in 7 days, so please remember to save anything you wish to have continued access to.

Since then, there has been no direct correspondence between Council officers and the owner, all communication has been with the owners solicitor via Councils solicitor and is the subject of common interest privilege. Common interest privilege arises where privileged material is disclosed to another party with a common interest in the subject matter at the time of disclosure.

Correspondence on ‘other matters’ would be correspondence between Council and our solicitor, which is withheld under section 7 (2)(g) of the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act, in order to maintain legal professional privilege. 

The existing legal privilege in place between Council and our solicitor relates to litigation privilege (Council are defendants in a proceeding and being advised in respect of that litigation). There are then 3 prerequisites for the existence of common interest privilege:

• the parties who are alleged to be entitled to the privilege must have a common interest in the subject matter of the communications in respect of which the claim is made;
• the common interest must be identical or, if not identical, then closely related (so similar that it would be unsuitable to treat the parties claiming the privilege separately); and
• the common interest may be either legal or commercial.

In our view, these factors exist in this case. This means that the two parties are in effect treated as one for the purpose of privilege (including waiver, which would require the owners consent).