CCTV cameras on road reserve

Andrew Riddell made this Official Information request to Far North District Council

The request was partially successful.

From: Andrew Riddell

Dear Far North District Council,

In the last few months several CCTV cameras have been installed on road reserves, between Opua and Haruru Falls, and at Orongo Bay.

These cameras have been installed and are operated by Focus Paihia, according to small signs near the cameras.

With respect to these Vision Paihia cameras I request the following:
- a copy of the application by Focus Paihia to Far North District Council for permission to erect and operate the cameras on the public roads between Opua and Haruru Falls
- all reports, assessments and communications by Far North District Council to Focus Paihia related to the processing of the application to install cameras at selected locations along State Highway 11.

With respect to the CCTV cameras on the corner of Aucks Road and the Russell-Whakapara Road, Orongo Bay, I request the following:
- a copy of the application to Far North District Council for permission to erect and operate the camera on this public road intersection
- all reports, assessments and communications by Far North District Council to the applicant related to the processing of the application to install cameras on this public road intersection.

This request follows up on an earlier request about these CCTV cameras. The answer to that request was that the cameras were not Far North District Council ones.

With respect to the Orongo Bay CCTV camera, a 2019 information request about a CCTV camera previously located there resulted the camera being removed as it had been installed without the permission of the District Council.

Yours faithfully,
Andrew Riddell

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From: Ask Us Team
Far North District Council

Thank you for contacting the Far North District Council.

We have received your message and a member of our customer service team
will issue a reference number for your enquiry within 5 working days.

Urgent Enquiries: If you feel your enquiry requires urgent attention,
please contact us on our service number 0800 920 029 or 09 401 5200 -
available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Kind regards,
Ask Us Customer Services Team

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From: Ask Us Team
Far North District Council

Kia ora Andrew 

Thank you for contacting the Far North District Council.

We have received your request for information under the Local Government
Official Information and Meetings Act on 20/01/2022.

This request has been referred to our legal services.  We will endeavour
to provide a full response within 20 working days. Should we not meet this
20 day timeframe, we will contact you to advise further.

If you need to contact us regarding this request, please quote reference
number RFS-4094248.

Nga mihi,

Gloria 

Ask Us Team
District Services
Far North District Council  |  24-hour Contact Centre 0800 920 029
DDI 09 401 5200  |  [1][Far North District Council request email]
  [2]Website  |   [3]Facebook   |  [4]LinkedIn   |  [5]Careers

 

 

From: [FOI #18269 email]

Sent: Thursday, January 20, 2022 2:05 PM

To: [Far North District Council request email]

Subject: Official Information request - CCTV cameras on road reserve

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Dear Far North District Council,

In the last few months several CCTV cameras have been installed on road
reserves, between Opua and Haruru Falls, and at Orongo Bay.

These cameras have been installed and are operated by Focus Paihia,
according to small signs near the cameras.

With respect to these Vision Paihia cameras I request the following:
- a copy of the application by Focus Paihia to Far North District Council
for permission to erect and operate the cameras on the public roads
between Opua and Haruru Falls
- all reports, assessments and communications by Far North District
Council to Focus Paihia related to the processing of the application to
install cameras at selected locations along State Highway 11.

With respect to the CCTV cameras on the corner of Aucks Road and the
Russell-Whakapara Road, Orongo Bay, I request the following:
- a copy of the application to Far North District Council for permission
to erect and operate the camera on this public road intersection
- all reports, assessments and communications by Far North District
Council to the applicant related to the processing of the application to
install cameras on this public road intersection.

This request follows up on an earlier request about these CCTV cameras.
The answer to that request was that the cameras were not Far North
District Council ones.

With respect to the Orongo Bay CCTV camera, a 2019 information request
about a CCTV camera previously located there resulted the camera being
removed as it had been installed without the permission of the District
Council.

Yours faithfully,
Andrew Riddell

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References

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From: Erica Cooney
Far North District Council


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Andrew Riddell

By email only to: [1][FYI request #18269 email]

 

Tçnâ koe Mr Riddell

Official information request: RFS 4094248

 

Thank you for your official information request to Far North District
Council (‘Council’) received today, 20 January 2022. This has been
referred to Legal Services for consideration in accordance with the
provisions of the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act
1987 (the ‘LGOIMA’). A response will be provided to you as soon as
reasonably practicable, and by 19 February 2022 at the latest. (This
timeline allows for the relevant statutory holidays). If we are unable to
respond to your request by then, we will notify you of an extension of
that timeframe.

 

Please quote our reference RFS 4094248 for any further enquiries in
relation to this request.

 

Thank you for your enquiry.

 

Ngâ mihi

 

Erica Cooney

 

[2][IMG] Erica Cooney
Solicitor
Corporate Services, Far North District Council   |  24-hour
Contact Centre 0800 920 029
[3][email address]
  [4]Website  |   [5]Facebook   |  [6]LinkedIn   |  [7]Careers
[8][IMG]  

 

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Get it done online at your convenience, visit our website -
www.fndc.govt.nz

show quoted sections

Far North District Council | Te Kaunihera o Tai Tokerau Ki Te Raki
Ph. 09 401 5200 | Fax. 09 401 2137 | Email. [Far North District Council request email]
Address. Memorial Avenue, Private Bag 752, Kaikohe 0440, New Zealand

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8. https://bookmyvaccine.covid19.health.nz/

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From: Erica Cooney
Far North District Council


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Andrew Riddell

By email only to: [1][FOI #18269 email]

 

Tçnâ koe Mr Riddell

Official information request: RFS 4094248

 

Thank you for your official information request to Far North District
Council (‘Council’) received 20 January 2022. This was referred to Legal
Services for consideration in accordance with the provisions of the Local
Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 (the ‘LGOIMA’).

 

Your request

1.        You noted that “In the last few months several CCTV cameras have
been installed on road reserves, between Opua and Haruru Falls, and at
Orongo Bay. These cameras have been installed and are operated by Focus
Paihia, according to small signs near the cameras.”

 

“With respect to these Vision Paihia cameras [you] request the following:

-     the application by Focus Paihia to Far North District Council for
permission to erect and operate the cameras on the public roads between
Opua and Haruru Falls

-     all reports, assessments and communications by Far North District
Council to Focus Paihia related to the processing of the application to
install cameras at selected locations along State Highway 11.”

 

2.     “With respect to the CCTV cameras on the corner of Aucks Road and
the Russell-Whakapara Road, Orongo Bay, [you] request the following:

-     the application to Far North District Council for permission to
erect and operate the camera on this public road intersection

-     all reports, assessments and communications by Far North District
Council to the applicant related to the processing of the application to
install cameras on this public road intersection.

 

Council’s response

 1. In relation to the information sought, Council has decided to provide
you with the information that it holds – subject to any withholding /
redactions Council considers are necessary to make under the LGOIMA.

Although Council has reached a decision to grant the request, it will take
a small amount of time to prepare the information for release. Council
hopes to be in a position to provide this to you by tomorrow, 22 February
2022.

 

 2. Council notes your enquiry about these CCTV cameras in your official
information request dated 2 December 2021. As Council advised on 3
December 2021, the CCTV cameras are not owned or managed by Council;
they appear to be owned by Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency.  No
 application about the cameras’ installation and operation has been
received by Council. Council must therefore refuse your request
for a copy of this application and copies of reports,
assessments and communications relating
to this application under section 17(e) of the LGOIMA -
because the documents alleged to contain the
requested information do not exist.  

Section 17 Refusal of requests

“A request […] may be refused only for 1 or more of the following reasons,
namely:

(e)    that the document alleged to contain the information requested does
not exist […]”.

 

You have the right to seek a review by the Ombudsman of this decision,
should you wish to do so. Information about how to make a complaint is
available at [2]www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or Freephone 0800 802 602.

 

Thank you for your enquiry, and we will be in touch shortly. If you wish
to discuss any aspect of this decision, please feel free to contact me.

 

Ngâ mihi

 

Erica Cooney

 

[3][IMG] Erica Cooney
Solicitor
Corporate Services, Far North District Council   |  24-hour
Contact Centre 0800 920 029
DDI +6494015306  |  [email address]
  [4]Website  |   [5]Facebook   |  [6]LinkedIn   |  [7]Careers

[8][IMG]

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Get it done online at your convenience, visit our website -
www.fndc.govt.nz

show quoted sections

Far North District Council | Te Kaunihera o Tai Tokerau Ki Te Raki
Ph. 09 401 5200 | Fax. 09 401 2137 | Email. [Far North District Council request email]
Address. Memorial Avenue, Private Bag 752, Kaikohe 0440, New Zealand

Please consider the environment before printing this email.

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From: Erica Cooney
Far North District Council


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Attachment FW Focus Paihia Community CCTV Project with Northland CCTV Permission to mount cameras on FNDC Light Poles FAO Aram Goes.html
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Attachment RFS 4094248 Paihia CCTV File Note 010921.doc
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Attachment FW Focus Paihia CCTV Waitangi Bridge Provision of an Exact Plan.html
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Andrew Riddell

By email only to: [1][FOI #18269 email]

 

Tēnā koe Mr Riddell

Official information request: RFS 4094248

 

Further to the Far North District Council’s (‘Council’) response to you
yesterday – please find attached a copy of the information that Council
holds that relates to part 1 of your request:

1.        that “In the last few months several CCTV cameras have been
installed on road reserves, between Opua and Haruru Falls, and at Orongo
Bay. These cameras have been installed and are operated by Focus Paihia,
according to small signs near the cameras.”

 

“With respect to these Vision Paihia cameras [you] request the following:

-     the application by Focus Paihia to Far North District Council for
permission to erect and operate the cameras on the public roads between
Opua and Haruru Falls

-     all reports, assessments and communications by Far North District
Council to Focus Paihia related to the processing of the application to
install cameras at selected locations along State Highway 11.”

 

It is noted that a small amount of personal detail has been redacted under
section 7(2)(a) of the LGOIMA. This withholding provision states:

“7 Other reasons for withholding official information

Section 7(1) “Where this section applies, good reason for withholding
official information exists […]

Section 7(2) […] if, and only if, the withholding of the information is
necessary to-

(a)          protect the privacy of natural persons […]”

 

A drawing of the electrical box to be used to house the plug in to the
power source at Waitangi Bridge has also been withheld under section
7(2)(c)(i) of the LGOIMA. This provides that:

7 Other reasons for withholding official information

Section 7(1) “Where this section applies, good reason for withholding
official information exists […]

7(2) […] if, and only if, the withholding of the information is necessary
to—

(c)[…] protect information which is subject to an obligation of confidence
[…] where the making available of the information—

(i)                 would be likely to prejudice the supply of similar
information, or information from the same source, and it is in the public
interest that such information should continue to be supplied;”

 

The decision to redact or withhold information under section 7 of
the LGOIMA is subject to a ‘public interest test’. In addressing
this point, Council believes that in the circumstances, there is no
public interest in releasing this personal information that would
outweigh the need to withhold it.

 

Council provides the following summary which it hopes is helpful to
provide context on the matter.

Although there was no formal written application as such, Council
was approached by Focus Paihia with a request to put CCTV cameras on
Council owned street light standards.  Discussions took place
between Focus Paihia, Council and the Northern Transportation
Alliance (‘NTA’). On expert advice from NTA,  Focus Paihia’s request
was turned down on health and safety grounds, (including the
structural challenges posed by the installation of cameras on street
light poles).

 

Focus Paihia came up with an alternate plan to install the CCTV
cameras on their own columns due to the electrical and structural
related issues. Council agreed with the proposed approach as it
removed any requirement to attach ancillary equipment to existing
Council Streetlighting assets (and therefore strength assessments of
poles would not be required to be undertaken.)

 

Council also notes its support of the initiatives on Community
Safety carried out by Focus Paihia; and as such the CEO authorised a
sum of up to $10,000 to contribute to Focus Paihia’s setting up of a
number of standalone poles onto which the cameras would be mounted.
 

Once the cameras were sited and operational, the grant funding was
paid.  

 

 You have the right to seek a review of this decision by the
Ombudsman if you so choose. Information about how to make a
complaint is available at [2]www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or
Freephone 0800 802 602.

 

Again thank you for your enquiry. If you wish to discuss any aspect of
this decision, please feel free to contact me.

 

Ngā mihi

 

Erica Cooney

 

[3][IMG] Erica Cooney
Solicitor
Corporate Services, Far North District Council   |  24-hour
Contact Centre 0800 920 029
DDI +6494015306  |  [4][email address]
  [5]Website  |   [6]Facebook   |  [7]LinkedIn   |  [8]Careers

[9][IMG]  

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Get it done online at your convenience, visit our website -
www.fndc.govt.nz

show quoted sections

Far North District Council | Te Kaunihera o Tai Tokerau Ki Te Raki
Ph. 09 401 5200 | Fax. 09 401 2137 | Email. [Far North District Council request email]
Address. Memorial Avenue, Private Bag 752, Kaikohe 0440, New Zealand

Please consider the environment before printing this email.

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