Kia ora Craig

 

I write to acknowledge your information request of 25 November 2020 as
below.

 

Please be advised that your request has been passed on to the relevant
team within Council and you will be informed of the outcome.

 

The Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 requires
that we advise you of our decision on whether the Council will provide the
requested information or not “as soon as reasonably practicable”, no later
than 20 working days after the day we received your request. We will
respond to you no later than 23 December 2020.

 

 

Ian Loiterton

Governance Advisor | Kaitohu komiti

Governance Unit

 

Email: [email address]

 

 

 

Hamilton City Council | Private Bag 3010 | Hamilton 3240 |
www.hamilton.govt.nz

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This email and any attachments are strictly confidential and may contain
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or its attachments without written authorisation from the originating
sender. Hamilton City Council does not accept any liability whatsoever in
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with computer viruses, data corruption, delay, interruption, unauthorised
access or unauthorised amendment. Unless expressly stated to the contrary
the content of this email, or any attachment, shall not be considered as
creating any binding legal obligation upon Hamilton City Council. Any
views expressed in this message are those of the individual sender and may
not necessarily reflect the views of Hamilton City Council.

 

 

 

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Kia ora

 

I refer to your information request of 25 November 2020, Hamilton City
Council is able to provide a response.

 

You requested:

 

Official Information Request: Hamilton City Council Cat Desexing Fund

 

Please supply the following information under the Local Government
Official Information and Meetings Act (LGOIMA).

 

 1. The names of any successful applicants to the aforementioned fund, and
the amount of funding allocated to them/their organisation in the
latest round of funding (2020)

 

 2. The level of oversight into successful applicants, in particular,
whether or not proof is required of an appropriate use of allocated
funds. I.e, each entity is able to show that any cats being desexed
are from a catchment area confined to the Hamilton City boundaries;
that the cats are stray, abandoned, or otherwise un-owned; and that
the cats are being rehomed.

 

 3. Whether or not, to your knowledge, any organisation used funds from
the preceding round of funding in an inappropriate manner. E.g.
advertised subsidised desexing for owned cats on social media with the
requirement that owners sign an ‘adoption contract’ as a condition of
receiving that subsidy.

 

 4. The number of cats desexed by SPCA Waikato per year according to a.
their application for this funding round, and b. any accountability
report for any previous round, and whether or not funds for the
preceding round of funding were paid to the main bank account of SPCA
NZ or to a separate account used only by SPCA Waikato.

 

The Council’s Decision and Response:

 

 1. The names of any successful applicants to the aforementioned fund, and
the amount of funding allocated to them/their organisation in the
latest round of funding (2020)

 

Royal New Zealand Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
Incorporated                  $20,000

New Lives Animal Rescue
Trust                                                                                            
               $15,000

 

Paws 4 Life Charitable
Trust                                                                                                  
               $58,000

 

Waikato Animal Outreach
Trust                                                                                                          
$  7,000

 

 

 2. The level of oversight into successful applicants, in particular,
whether or not proof is required of an appropriate use of allocated
funds. I.e, each entity is able to show that any cats being desexed
are from a catchment area confined to the Hamilton City boundaries;
that the cats are stray, abandoned, or otherwise un-owned; and that
the cats are being rehomed.

 

In 2019 each applicant was visited by a team of four Council staff to
assess their premises and processes.  Council staff were satisfied that
each successful applicant had the capacity to deliver the outcomes of
de-sexing and rehoming cats within the Hamilton area and that their record
keeping process would capture the required information. 

 

Each application received is assessed by four Council staff from across
Animal Control, Parks and Community units in Council.  An allocation
meeting is held, and a consensus decision is reached.  A memo/report is
written, and the grant allocation approved under the delegated authority
of the General Manager of City Growth.  Both Council and each applicant
are advised of the outcome. 

 

Prior to receiving a grant, each successful applicant is required to sign
a grant agreement form which clearly outlines the conditions and purpose
the grant is being made.  This agreement includes what the funds can and
cannot be spent on, stipulation that the cats being de-sexed are stray 
and from the Hamilton area and will be re-homed.  

 

With any contestable grant system, a level of trust is required that the
grant recipient will honour the grant agreement and carry out the project
as outlined in good faith.   

 

Upon expending their grant each applicant is required to complete an
online grant accountably form noting where cats came from,  provide
records of the cats that were re-homed and veterinary verification of the
cat de-sexing that was undertaken. 

 

 

 3. Whether or not, to your knowledge, any organisation used funds from
the preceding round of funding in an inappropriate manner. E.g.
advertised subsidised desexing for owned cats on social media with the
requirement that owners sign an ‘adoption contract’ as a condition of
receiving that subsidy.

 

Council staff have no knowledge of this occurring 

 

 4. The number of cats desexed by SPCA Waikato per year according to a.
their application for this funding round, and b. any accountability
report for any previous round, and whether or not funds for the
preceding round of funding were paid to the main bank account of SPCA
NZ or to a separate account used only by SPCA Waikato.

 

RNZSPCA     

o stated number of cats de-sexed in their 2019 application:             
1007   (12-month period)
o stated number of cats de-sexed in their 2019 accountability:       
494   (period Jan – Sept 2020)
o 2019 grant was paid into RNZSPCA Inc Grant bank account:         
National bank account
o 2020 grant has not yet been paid

 

It is worth noting that due to COVID-19, some of the grant recipients did
not have access to vet services during lockdown levels 4 and 3 for routine
procedures like de-sexing.  This meant that the animals were held on site
longer than normal until their de-sexing programme could resume and the
cats re-homed.

 

Cat-sexing applicants did not receive the 2019 grant into their bank
accounts until late December 2019. Accountability for the grant was due by
30 Sept 2020.  By September RNZSPCA had not fully expended their grant and
advised us they had $4899 remaining.  They also advised that this would be
expended Oct – Nov 2020 and that they would provide further accountability
at this time. Given the circumstances they were not the only group to
request this.

 

 

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
[1]www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or freephone 0800 802 602.

 

 

Regards,

 

 

Ian Loiterton
Governance Advisor | Kaitohu komiti

Governance Unit

Email: [2][email address]

   
[3]Hamilton City Council
Hamilton City Council | Private Bag 3010 | Hamilton 3240 |  
[4]www.hamilton.govt.nz
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This email and any attachments are strictly confidential and may contain
privileged information. If you are not the intended recipient please
delete the message and notify the sender. You should not read, copy,
use, change, alter, disclose or deal in any manner whatsoever with this
email or its attachments without written authorisation from the
originating sender. Hamilton City Council does not accept any liability
whatsoever in connection with this email and any attachments including  
in connection with computer viruses, data corruption, delay,
interruption, unauthorised access or unauthorised amendment. Unless
expressly stated to the contrary the content of this email, or any
attachment, shall not be considered as creating any binding legal
obligation upon Hamilton City Council. Any views expressed in this
message are those of the individual sender and may not necessarily
reflect the views of Hamilton City Council.

 

 

From: official information <[Hamilton City Council request email]>
Sent: Wednesday, 25 November 2020 12:09 PM
To: Craig Hepihi <[FOI #14205 email]>;
official information <[Hamilton City Council request email]>
Subject: LGOIMA 20355: re Hamilton City Council Cat Desexing Fund

 

Kia ora Craig

 

I write to acknowledge your information request of 25 November 2020 as
below.

 

Please be advised that your request has been passed on to the relevant
team within Council and you will be informed of the outcome.

 

The Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 requires
that we advise you of our decision on whether the Council will provide the
requested information or not “as soon as reasonably practicable”, no later
than 20 working days after the day we received your request. We will
respond to you no later than 23 December 2020.

 

 

Ian Loiterton

Governance Advisor | Kaitohu komiti

Governance Unit

 

Email: [email address]

 

 

 

Hamilton City Council | Private Bag 3010 | Hamilton 3240 |
www.hamilton.govt.nz

Like us on Facebook     Follow us on Twitter

 

This email and any attachments are strictly confidential and may contain
privileged information. If you are not the intended recipient please
delete the message and notify the sender. You should not read, copy, use,
change, alter, disclose or deal in any manner whatsoever with this email
or its attachments without written authorisation from the originating
sender. Hamilton City Council does not accept any liability whatsoever in
connection with this email and any attachments including in connection
with computer viruses, data corruption, delay, interruption, unauthorised
access or unauthorised amendment. Unless expressly stated to the contrary
the content of this email, or any attachment, shall not be considered as
creating any binding legal obligation upon Hamilton City Council. Any
views expressed in this message are those of the individual sender and may
not necessarily reflect the views of Hamilton City Council.

 

 

 

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