4 November 2022

Chris Milne

[FYI request #20785 email]

Tēnā koe Chris
Request for Information – Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act
(LGOIMA) 1987

We refer to your official information request of 7 October 2022, to the Chief Executive of Hutt
City Council, in which you ask for information about the removal of candidate signage prior to
the local body elections.  The Chief Executive has asked that I respond to your official
information request.

The information you have requested is addressed below:

1.  All correspondence within Hutt City Council and from Hutt City Council about the time
extension regarding hoarding removal.
2.  All correspondence, texts or any other messages received by anyone at Hutt City
Council about the email on Thursday 6th or Friday 7th October 2022.
3.  Information identifying who made the decision.
4.  When the decision was made.
5.  When the decision was communicated to candidates
6.  How the decision was communicated to candidates
7.  Whether all candidates were contacted at the same time.

The correspondence you requested in 1. and 2. above is enclosed.  These communications
also provide you with the information you requested in 3. above.  Please note some names,
email addresses and other personal information in these documents have been withheld
under section 7(2)(a) of the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act, to
protect the privacy of individuals. In doing so, we considered the public interest in making the
information available and have determined that it does not outweigh the need to protect the
privacy of these persons.

In answering questions 4-7 above, we advise that, on 6 October 2022, Hutt City Council sent
the email to those election candidates who had applied to Hutt City Council to put election
hoardings on Council land.  Each recipient received the same email, but the timing of receipt
varied marginally.  Copies of these emails are enclosed, with the names of the recipients and
their email addresses withheld under section 7(2)(a), to protect the privacy of those
candidates who did (and who did not) apply to place hoardings on council land.

The decision to send this email was made on Thursday 6 October 2022, because the
inclement weather could have restricted candidates’ access to some hoardings or their ability
to safely dismantle them.

You have the right to seek an investigation and review by the Ombudsman of this response.
Information about how to make a complaint is available at www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or
freephone 0800 802 602.

Please note that this letter may be published on the Council’s website.

Nāku noa, nā

Susan Sales
Senior Advisor, Official Information and Privacy

Encl:
Correspondence and communications received and sent (internal and external)

Act
Meeting
and
Information
Official
Government
Local
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Released

Email thread 1
From: Bruce Hodgins <[email address]>
Sent: Friday, 7 October 2022 8:10 am
To:
s 7(2)(a)

Subject: RE: [EXTERNAL] Re: Election Hoarding signs
Thanks  s 7(2)(a)  I spoke tos 7(2)(a)  last night.
Bruce Hodgins
Act
Strategic Advisor
Hutt City Council, 30 Laings Road, Lower Hutt 5040
P: 04 570 6839  M:
s 7(2)(a)
  W: www.huttcity.govt.nz
Meeting
and
From:
s 7(2)(a)
>
Sent: Thursday, 6 October 2022 4:50 PM
Information
To: Bruce Hodgins <[email address]>
Subject: FW: [EXTERNAL] Re: Election Hoarding signs
Hi Bruce
Official
I had sent out an email to candidate reminding them of when signs need to go down,  s 7(2)(a)  said you
said this was ok to have signs go down Saturday. Do you mind replying to this one please.
Thank you
Government
Kind regards
s 7(2)(a)
Local
s 7(2)(a)
the
Administrator
Hutt City Council, 30 Laings Road, Lower Hutt 5040
P:  M:  s 7(2)under
(a)
  s 7(2)(a)
  W: www.huttcity.govt.nz
Released

From:
s 7(2)(a)
Sent: Thursday, 6 October 2022 4:31 pm
To:
s 7(2)(a)

Subject: [EXTERNAL] Re: Election Hoarding signs
Hi,
We were all told they had to be down by noon tomorrow.
To be sure, my team has been getting most down today.
Why are candidates now being told they have an extra 24 hrs until noon Saturday. This last minute
Act
change puts me at a disadvantage as now some other candidates will have their signs up right until
close of voting.
Regards
s 7(2)(a)
Meeting
and
On 6/10/2022, at 12:15 PM,
s 7(2)(a)
> wrote:
Hello
This is a friendly reminder that all your election hoarding signs have to go down Friday
Information   7th October
2022, if however you can’t get these down by tomorrow you have until Saturday 8th October before
12 noon at the latest.
Official
Thank you.
Kind regards
s 7(2)(a)
s 7(2)(a)
Government
Administrator
Hutt City Council, 30 Laings Road, Lower Hutt 5040
Local
P:  M:
s 7(2)(a)
  W: www.huttcity.govt.nz
the
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Released

Email thread 2
From:
s 7(2)(a)
Sent: Friday, 7 October 2022 3:49 PM
To: Bruce Hodgins <[email address]>
Subject: RE: [EXTERNAL] URGENT - Election signs
Hi Bruce,
I’m sorry Bruce, but this is an extremely poor process.
When we spoke on the phone yesterday you sounded surprised by the change, told me that you did
Act
not have any involvement in the sign management decisions and that this was managed in different
area. You also said that the email was not good and you apologized for it. Our administrator was told
the decision came from management, not the Electoral Officer. These were the reasons for my
follow up questions in my text last night and email this morning asking about the approval process.
Meeting
Now you are saying you made the decision – this doesn’t make sense to me.
and
If it is the same approach as last year, and you where okay with signs being taken down right up to
close of polling, why state a different rule in the handbook? Why then advise a change to the rules
with such short notice and after some candidates had already made arrangements with trucks and
labour? If the weather was the issue as you mention, why was the decision to change the rules not
made days before when the forecast came out, not after the cold morning’s work was over and the
weather eased up? Why extend the deadline beyond today as the weather has been excellent?
Information
I was not aware that the Council doesn’t adhere to District Plan rules about sizes. And even if that
was pointed out previously, I can’t see the relevance to this last minute decision to change the rules
about taking signs down.
Official
Yes we did start earlier than most due to be sure to get our signs down in accordance with your
rules. I cannot understand why you don’t think we have been disadvantaged by the slower
candidates being given an extra 24 hours exposure beyond Friday midday, and spanning the final
voting days, when some will be making their decisions who to vote for.
The whole team I’ve been working with felt very let down and that their hard work yesterday to
Government
comply with your process will cost them votes this election.
Regards,
Local
s 7(2)(a)
the
From: Bruce Hodgins <[email address]>
under
Sent: Friday, 7 October 2022 1:54 pm
To:
s 7(2)(a)
Subject: RE: [EXTERNAL] URGENT - Election signs
Thanks
s 7(2)(a)
Released
The decision to allow candidates to have their hoardings up until 12 noon Saturday was one that I
made yesterday morning in a discussion with a member of the Transport Team based on what has
happened in the past.
At the 2019 elections this occurred with some candidates removing signage on Saturday
morning. We were OK with that as long as they were down by the close of polling.

I have taken the same approach this year, particularly given the poor weather conditions yesterday.
The District Plan rules sets out the 6 week period for signage to  be up as well as some other matters
such as the size of signage. As you know we are not strictly adhering to the size requirements with
the standard 2.4M x1.2M corflute signs exceeding DP requirements.
I understand that most candidates are already in the process of removing their signs with many
currently down.
Act
I don’t agree that this matter has caused a significant disadvantage to candidates, noting that it was
your decision to remove signs on Thursday morning, more than 24 hours before the deadline
outlined in the candidate booklet.
Meeting
There is no written record to make available other than the email you received as the matter was a
conversation  between myself and the staff member concerned.
and
Bruce
Bruce Hodgins
Strategic Advisor
Hutt City Council, 30 Laings Road, Lower Hutt 5040
Information
P: 04 570 6839  M:
s 7(2)(a)
  W: www.huttcity.govt.nz
Official
Government
Local
the
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Released

Email thread 3
From:
s 7(2)(a)
Sent: Thursday, 6 October 2022 12:41 pm
To:
s 7(2)(a)

Subject: Re: [EXTERNAL] Re: Election Hoarding signs
You're welcome!
Please don't hesitate to call me if there are any issues.
Cheers
Act
On Thu, 6 Oct 2022, 12:34
s 7(2)(a)
wrote:
Great, thanks!
Meeting
and
s 7(2)(a)
Administrator
Hutt City Council, 30 Laings Road, Lower Hutt 5040
P:   M:
s 7(2)(a)
  W: www.huttcity.govt.nz
Information
From:
s 7(2)(a)
Sent: Thursday, 6 October 2022 12:19 pm
To:
s 7(2)(a)

Official
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Re: Election Hoarding signs
Hi
s 7(2)(a)
We will be complying with page 26 of  the candidates handbook and will have them down by 12 noon
tomorrow.
Government
Thanks for your help
Local
On Thu, 6 Oct 2022, 12:15
s 7(2)(a)
wrote:
the
Hello
under
This is a friendly reminder that all your election hoarding signs have to go down Friday 7th October 2022, if
however you can’t get these down by tomorrow you have until Saturday 8th October before 12 noon at the
latest.
Thank you.
Released
Kind regards
s 7(2)(a)

Administrator
Hutt City Council, 30 Laings Road, Lower Hutt 5040
P:   M:
s 7(2)(a)
  W: www.huttcity.govt.nz

Email thread 4
From:
s 7(2)(a)
>
Sent: Friday, 7 October 2022 2:32 pm
To: ContactHCC <[email address]>
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Election rules breaches complaint
I wish to lodge official complaints regarding breaches of the rules relating to election advertising hoardings
being removed prior to 12noon October 7.
Campbell Barry has election hoardings still visible at
Act
51 Wainuiomata Rd Wainuiomata
61 Wainuiomata Rd
92 Wainuiomata Rd
88 Wellington Rd
Meeting
Josh Briggs has hoardings visible at 61 Wainuiomata Rd
and
92 Wainuiomata Rd
Brady Dyer has election hoardings visible at 2 Wellington Rd
Keri Brown has election hoardings visible at 61 Wainuiomata Rd
Information
These were sighted by me at 2.30pm on Friday October 8, 2022.
Please confirm receipt of this complaint
Official
s 7(2)(a)
Government
Local
the
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Released

Email thread 5
From:
s 7(2)(a)
Sent: Thursday, 6 October 2022 12:56 pm
To:
s 7(2)(a)

Subject: [EXTERNAL] Re: Election Hoarding signs
Thanks  s 7(2)(a)
Mine are all down.
Appreciate your email.
Thanks
Act
s 7(2)(a)
On Thu, 6 Oct 2022 at 12:32,
s 7(2)(a)
wrote:
Meeting
Hello
and
This is a friendly reminder that all your election hoarding signs have to go down Friday 7th October 2022, if
however you can’t get these down by tomorrow you have until Saturday 8th October before 12 noon at the
latest.
Thank you.
Information
Kind regards
s 7(2)(a)
Official
s 7(2)(a)
Administrator
Hutt City Council, 30 Laings Road, Lower Hutt 5040
P:   M:
s 7(2)(a)
  W: www.huttcity.govt.nz
Government
Local
the
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Released

Email thread 6
From:
s 7(2)(a)
Sent: Thursday, 6 October 2022 12:38 pm
To:
s 7(2)(a)

Subject: [EXTERNAL] Re: Election Hoarding signs
... thanks  s 7(2)(a)  .. appreciate the reminder!
Best Regards,
Act
s 7(2)(a)
Meeting
and
From:
s 7(2)(a)

Sent: Thursday, 6 October 2022 12:31 pm
To:
s 7(2)(a)
Information
Subject: Election Hoarding signs
Hello
Official
This is a friendly reminder that all your election hoarding signs have to go down Friday 7th October 2022, if
however you can’t get these down by tomorrow you have until Saturday 8th October before 12 noon at the
latest.
Thank you.
Kind regards
Government
s 7(2)(a)
Local
the
s 7(2)(a)
Administrator
Hutt City Council, 30 Laings Road, Lower Hutt 5040
under
P:   M:
s 7(2)(a)
  W: www.huttcity.govt.nz
Released

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Document Outline