LGOIMA Requests

Date received: 21/11/2024

Requested information: Details of rating arrears, rates recovery from mortgagee and rating sales from 2018 to 2024

Status: Complete

Response:

I refer to your official information request dated 21 November 2024.  

The information you have requested for the 2023/24 rating year is below.  

For details of the rating years 2018 – 2022 please see the response to your previous request, which was sent to you on 04 October 2023.  

How many MDC rating units were in arrears at the end of 2023/24 rating year?  1125 

What was the value of MDC rating unit arrears at the end of 2023/24 rating year? $1,579,576.45 

How many MDC rating units were subject to rates recovery from mortgagee in 2023/24 rating year? 58 

How many MDC rating units were subject to a rating sale during 2023/24 rating year? Nil  

Date received: 10/11/2024

Requested information: Organisational and financial information about MDC operations

Status: Complete

Response:

I refer to your official information request dated 10 November 2024.  

The information you have requested is below.  Documents are included in this link –   LG_2313_Documents_for_release.zip  The link will expire after 7 days so remember to save any documents you wish to have continued access to.  We recommend that this link is opened on a PC.

1.         Provide a copy of the Manawatu District Council (MDC) complaints register. Include all details of complaints made about council processes, employees and elected members in the past 5 years and how these were resolved.   
We do not have an active complaints register at MDC that covers council processes, employees and elected members. Any complaints that are made to the Council are directed to the relevant area of Council and are dealt with and responded to from that area.  

2.         Current guidelines, policy and procedures relating to how complaints are dealt with by MDC.  
Complaints related to Elected Members are potentially covered by the Code of Conduct for Elected Members (available on this page of our website: Elected Member Roles | Manawatū District Council). Complaints related to employees are evaluated by the management of that staff member's area, and if appropriate, the Employee Code of Conduct or Disciplinary Policy would be used to respond.  

3.         Breaches of Health and Safety over the past 5 years, how these were resolved and whether changes were made to any policies or procedures at MDC.  
Manawatū District Council has maintained full compliance with the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 (HSWA), with no breaches in the last 5 years. However, in the event of a breach, immediate action would be taken to address the situation. The first priority would be to eliminate the hazard or risk entirely. If elimination is not practicable, steps would be taken to minimise the risk to ensure the health and safety of workers and others are protected as far as is reasonably practicable. This approach reflects our commitment to proactive risk management and continuous improvement in health and safety practices. 

4.         Key Performance Indicators (KPI'S) set by MDC for the 2024/25 year.  Any documents relating to how they are set for the organisation and how they cascade down to the frontline including copies of KPI's for each part of the organisation, whether they be generic or personal.  
Council's overall performance measures are established by the Long-Term Plan (every three years) or the Annual Plan (in the intervening two years), and the organisation's performance is reported each year in the Annual Report. These are all available on our website: (Long Term/10 Year Plan | Manawatū District Council; Annual Report | Manawatū District Council). 

The Council sets the Chief Executive's KPIs each year based on the performance measures in the Long-term or Annual Plan, with the process being driven by the Chief Executive Employment Committee, and the Chief Executive Performance Sub-Committee. The Chief Executive then cascades the appropriate objectives to the members of the Executive Leadership Team, who work with their teams to set KPIs for all staff. The Council's performance year is 1 July to 30 June, in line with our Annual Planning and Annual Reporting processes.  

5.         Any policies, guidelines or instructions relating to how MDC manages business process improvements. 
While we do not have an organisational policy on business process improvements, all areas of the Council are looking continually to improve processes, systems and services. We undertake process-mapping and engage both internal and external audits periodically to benchmark our processes and seek improvement ideas.  

6.         Organisation structure for MDC each year for the past five financial years.    

The organisational structure charts for 2020, 2022 and 2024 are contained in the document link above. Please note that some of the roles on the charts may not be recruited or budgeted for. 

7.         Documents relating to any changes in the structure over this period explaining what has changed and why.  
Like many organisations, Council continually is refining and updating our structure to be aligned with the organisation's needs. The documents associated with these processes are confidential employment-related documents. 

8.         Reports to Council over the past five financial years relating to organisational changes or restructure and any responses or directions made by any elected Council member.  
Organisational changes or restructures are operational matters for the organisation and therefore are not reported to Council (who deal with governance matters).  

9.         Documentation relating to staffing, outsourcing of work over the past five financial years relating to the planning team including the consents process, building inspections etc.   
The performance and funding of the consent team is detailed the Annual Report. The most recently published being 2022/23, available on page 68-70 of the document: MDC-Annual-Report-22-23_Final-V2_Web.pdf 
The 23/24 Annual Report was adopted by the Council in October, and will be published on our website shortly. Previous Annual Reports are available in this section: Previous Annual Reports | Manawatū District Council 
 

10.       Information relating to staff numbers at MDC for the past five financial years including, turnover, retention and redundancies and dismissals due to poor performance.   

The information that is able to be publicly released relating to this question is available on the following pages in the Council's Annual Reports:  

2019/20 – Annual Report page 106 section 29, 30 and 31.   

2020/21 – Annual Report page 127 section 29, 30 and 31.   

2021/22 – Annual Report page 152 section 29, 30 and 31. 

2022/23 – Annual Report page 157 sections 29, 30 and 31.  

11.       Staff costs for each position based on salary/total remuneration for the past five years.  
The information that is able to be publicly released relating to this question is available on the following pages in the Council's Annual Reports:  

2019/20 – Annual Report page 106 section 29 and 30  

2020/21 – Annual Report page 127 section 29 and 30  

2021/22 – Annual Report page 152 section 29 and 30  

2022/23 – Annual Report page 157 sections 29 and 30  

12.       The total number of managers employed by MDC for each year over the past three years.   
The numbers below cover the roles who have staff reporting to them and excludes the CE.      

2019/20 – 39   

2020/21 – 39 

2021/22 – 44 

2022/23 – 41 

13.       The ratio of management to total staff numbers for the same period.  

2019/20 – 1 to 4.55 staff 

2020/21 – 1 to 4.22 staff 

2021/22 – 1 to 5.25 staff 

2022/23 – 1 to 3.66 staff 

2023/24 – 1 to 4.26 staff 

14.       The average and median salary of a manager.  

2019/20 – Average $97k (excludes CE) and Median $91k 

2020/21 – Average $94k (excludes CE) and Median $91k 

2021/22 – Average $105k (excludes CE) and Median $95k 

2022/23 – Average $104k (excludes CE) and Median $101k 

2023/24 – Average $118k (excludes CE) and Median $109k 

15.       Total number of FTEs in paid employment by MDC each year for the past 5 years and including year to date for 2024. 

This information is available on the below the pages in the Annual Reports: 

2019/20 – Annual Report page 106 section 30  

2020/21 – Annual Report page 127 section 30    

2021/22 – Annual Report page 152 section 30  

2022/23 – Annual Report page 157 section 30 

16.       Legal costs incurred by MDC over the past five years on a per year basis relating to advice about planning consents or to support actions/decisions MDC wanted to take or implement as a part of the annual or ten-year plan, payments made to anyone due to Council negligence or as a part of settling a claim or for compensation.  

17. MDC’s level of net debt (total for the council) as a percentage of rates income for each of the last 5 financial years.  

18. The dollar amount of debt per rating unit for the same period. 

19. The dollar amount of interest paid per rating unit for the same period.  

20. Documentation relating to setting or managing the level of debt (total) MDC has accrued since 2019.  
The Debt Resolutions, showing Councils approved level of borrowing within each respective financial year are included in the documents link above. 

Date received: 08/11/2024

Requested information: Any correspondence with Central Government about the fast track process and any fast track projects in MDC area

Status: Complete

Response:

I refer to your official information request dated 08 November 2024. 

Please find our submissions on the Fast-track process in this link – LG_2314_Documents_for_release.zip

There has been no other correspondence with Central Government about this. 

Date received: 07/11/2024

Requested information: All funds Manchester House and Feilding District Promotions have received from our gambling corporations through grants over the last ten years

Status: Complete

Response:

CCO's do fall under the LGOIMA Act however neither Feilding District Promotions nor Manchester House are CCO's. Therefore, we cannot provide any information about these two organisations.

However, there is some information publicly available at https://granted.govt.nz/dashboard.html, This dashboard shows all the grants awarded from "pokie" funding. You can search by organisation on the "pokies grant by district" tab. 

A quick search showed Manchester House Social Services has received the following 

2019:   $10,298.09 

2020:   $  4,791.39 

2022:   $  8,000.00 

2023:   $10,000.00 

We could not find any information regarding Feilding and District Promotions.  

I would suggest also that any funding received may be within the Annual accounts of both organisations.  

If your request is about more than 'pokie' funding ie lotteries, you will need to make enquiries via the Lotteries Commission. 

Date received: 06/11/2024

Requested information: Liabilities for Council as a BCA and details of liability cover

Status: Complete

Response:

Date received: 06/11/2024

Requested information: Details of complaints relating to any stock road usage and dog complaints for our property

Status: Complete

Response:

I refer to your request dated 6^th November 2024, the information you have requested is contained in this link – LG_2311_Documents_to_release_redacted.zip

Please note; personal information has been redacted for privacy reasons under Section 7(2)(a) of the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 (LGOIMA).

Date received: 05/11/2024

Requested information: Information about District Licensing Committees and the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act (Community Participation) Bill Amendments

Status: Complete

Response:

Sections 192 and 193 Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012.docx

Date received: 02/11/2024

Requested information: Questions about trade waste separation and treatment and, what form of Nitrogen does the trickling filter convert NH4/NH3 to?

Status: Complete

Response:

The budgets for the Feilding Trade Waste Separation project are not highlighted on Page 100 of the Long Term Plan 2024-2034 document as was the focus of your previous questions and our previous responses for budgets for Reconsenting and Capital Improvements, Pivot Irrigation and Land Purchase for Application of Treated Wastewater.

The budgets available within the Long Term Plan 2024-2034 for Feilding Trade Waste Separation are as follows:

The Turners Road Extension is described on Page 86 of the Long Term Plan 2024-2034 document, and the Feilding Trade Waste Separation programme is described on page 187. The budgets for Feilding Trade Waste Separation are included on Page 109 of the infrastructure strategy within the Wastewater Expenditure table.

The source of funding for the Feilding Trade Waste Separation assets being installed with the Turners Road Extension project is growth. Wastewater growth funding is fully outlined on Page 109 of the Long Term Plan 2024-2034.

The source of funding for the Feilding Trade Waste Separation assets in 2024/25, 2025/26 and 2027/28 is New Level of Service (Debt Funding), and the source of funding for the Feilding Trade Waste Separation assets in 2026/27 is renewal (replacing Anaerobic Digester #1). 

The Trickling Bio-filter converts NH4/NH3 to Nitrites and Nitrates.

Date received: 25/10/2024

Requested information: Information about new CCTV cameras in Feilding CBD and entry/exit points

Status: Complete

Response:

Please provide all correspondence (includes all emails/notes/reports) between the MDC, Feilding & District Promotions and NZ Police including any third parties in relation to this project. 

Documents are contained in this link – LG_2306_Documents_for_release.zip
NB The attachment Feilding CBD CCTV Proposal September 2023 in the email named 'CCTV Cameras' has not been included, this should be requested from Feilding District Promotions.

Please provide any user guides or policies into the placement and use of these cameras.
Please direct this question to Feilding District Promotions, no information held by MDC 

Any correspondence in relation to consultation with the public including any residents and businesses in Manawatu.
Please direct this question to Feilding District Promotions, no information held by MDC

Any documentation about siting of these cameras and the legal right to surreal vehicles using ANPR technology especially when cameras are sited on private property
Please direct this question to Feilding District Promotions, no information held by MDC

Any correspondence with any third-party service provider with relation to management and storage of the data from these cameras.
Please direct this question to Feilding District Promotions, no information held by MDC

A copy of the PIA (Privacy Impact Assessment) undertaken.
Please direct this question to Feilding District Promotions, no information held by MDC

Copies of any agreements including MOU's and LOA's between MDC, Feilding & Districts Promotions and NZ Police in respect of these cameras.
MDC do not hold any MOU's regarding these cameras.

What process was used to acquire these cameras i.e. tender, single source and who was responsible for managing this?
Please direct this question to Feilding District Promotions, no information held by MDC

Is anyone at Feilding & District Promotions or MDC affiliated to or have any business interests with the supplier or installer?  If so, how was any conflict of interest managed?
No, MDC has no business interests or conflicts that we are aware of.

Date received: 25/10/2024

Requested information: Request for copy of service contract between MDC and FDP

Status: Complete

Response:

I refer to your official information request dated 25 October 2024. 

Here is a link to the information you have requested – Feilding_and_District_Promotion_Priority_Service_Contract_-_June_2022_(Signed).zip