When replying please quote: 8824532
24 August 2022
Spencer Jones
Email:
[mailto:[FYI request #19839 email]]
Dear Spencer Jones
CSM22/504492 - LGOIMA - SPENCER JONES - LOCAL GOVERNMENT IMPLEMENTATION OF
WATER FLUORIDATION
I refer to your email request for official information received 21 July 2022 and our subsequent
correspondence on 3 August 2022 transferring part of your initial request for information (questions
2-6) dated 6 July to the Ministry of Health.
In response to your further request for information on 21 July, we have searched our records and
attach the information requested generally as separate pdf documents. Certain information has
been removed or redacted from the information attached with reference to reasons for the refusal
under section 7 of the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987. The
documents to which this applies are attached as a bundle entitled “LGOIMA CSM22 504492 Water
Fluoridation Documents Redacted”.
In summary, certain information has been withheld from these documents for the following reasons:
To protect the privacy of natural persons (section 7(2)(a)) we have removed names, phone
numbers and email addresses of some natural persons;
To protect information where the making available of the information would be likely
unreasonably to prejudice the commercial position of the person who supplied or who is the
subject of the information (section 7(2)(b)(ii)). The information requested would reveal
commercially sensitive matters, including costing information and options. The release of
such information would be likely to disadvantage the Council during negotiations with
potential delivery suppliers involved in community water fluoridation;
To enable any local authority holding the information to carry out, without prejudice or
disadvantage, commercial activities (section 7(2)(h)). The information requested relates to
potential delivery supplier’s commercial activities, pricing and is commercially sensitive. It is
considered that releasing the information requested is likely to harm the potential delivery
supplier’s commercial position in the industry, be prejudicial to their competitive position
and cause commercial harm to potential delivery suppliers.
In addition to the above reasons, some information has been redacted as it is outside the scope of
the request. Please note that some emails have blank boxes after the signatory section which
indicates a picture or business card which has been removed from an archived email.
The Council has carefully considered, in relation to your request, whether any public interest factors
exist that would favour release of the information. Although there is public interest in this matter
Document Set ID: 8824532
Version: 2, Version Date: 25/08/2022
the Council is satisfied that the public interest factor does not outweigh the need to withhold the
information. You have the right to seek an investigation and review by the Ombudsman of the
Council’s decision to redact this information.
In response to your further questions following your review of the Ministry of Health
correspondence, we respond using your numbering:
1.
No capital works have been raised, approved, completed for community water fluoridation.
2.
No funding applications have been either raised or submitted by Council for all matters
relating to community water fluoridation.
3.
No Council meetings have taken place regards all matters relating to community water
fluoridation.
4.
Response to media enquiry is included in redacted documents file.
5.
Council does not hold any information on risk assessments of community water
fluoridation apart from information provided by the Ministry of Health.
6.
Council has sought prices for the supply of equipment to provide a temporary method of
fluoridating the New Plymouth water supply, emails are attached.
7.
Council has water infrastructure in New Plymouth, Inglewood, Okato and Oakura.
8.
Please find links to long term plans and annual reports on the NPDC website from 2020 to
the present which contain financial budgets regards all water and waste water
management.
Long Term and Annual Plans (have information on budgets, LTPs are ten year budgets and annual
plans are annual budgets):
https://www.npdc.govt.nz/media/c4mgnw3t/ltp-2018-2028.pdf
https://www.npdc.govt.nz/media/uqvnf5cq/appendix-1-long-term-plan-2021-2031.pdf
https://www.npdc.govt.nz/media/x4tfnpvs/annual-plan-2019_20-adopted-by-the-council-21-may-
2019.pdf
https://www.npdc.govt.nz/media/rd3hypgy/annual-plan-2020-21.pdf
https://www.npdc.govt.nz/media/itsbuiwm/annual-plan-2022_23.pdf
Annual reports (have information on actual spend for the financial year):
https://www.npdc.govt.nz/media/grpdnutw/annual-report-2019_20.pdf
https://www.npdc.govt.nz/media/mqfp5f2o/annual-report-2020-21.pdf
Yours faithfully
Mark Hall
THREE WATERS MANAGER
Document Set ID: 8824532
Version: 2, Version Date: 25/08/2022
