Kia ora Adam,

Thank you for your email dated 4 October requesting information on the Town Hall repairs.

Our team will manage your request under the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 which requires us to provide a decision as soon as possible, but no later than 2 November, being 20 working days of receipt.

The reference number for your request is IRC-5516.

Please contact us if you have any further questions.

Kind regards

The Assurance Team
Email: [email address]
Wellington City Council | W Wellington.govt.nz | |

The information contained in this email is privileged and confidential and intended for the addressee only.
If you are not the intended recipient, you are asked to respect that confidentiality and not disclose, copy or make use of its contents.
If received in error you are asked to destroy this email and contact the sender immediately. Your assistance is appreciated.

-----Original Message-----
From: Adam Irish <[FOI #24341 email]>
Sent: Wednesday, 4 October 2023 3:39 pm
To: BUS: Assurance <[email address]>
Subject: Official Information request - Wellington Town Hall repairs procurement

Dear Wellington City Council,

I request under the Official Information Act how many quotes have been sought for the claimed additional spend of $330m for the Wellington Town hall. Was this quote from the current contractor and how many other quotes have been sought. Was any of the contractors or consulting firms involved in the town hall earthquake strengthing project from the lets get Wellington moving project. How can the public have trust and confidence that the Wellington Council has robust procurement processes inplace. Has the council been proactive and sought other quotes.

Are any of the Mayor's friends or associates connected to or consulting for the project or involved as contractors in anyway for the town hall project. Does the Mayor have any declared conflicts of interest. It is alarming to hear that the person the Mayor was caught on her boozy night out with was a highly paid contractor for lets get Wellington Moving, which has spent $39 million on consultants so far.

What anti-corruption policies does the council have in place. What body does the Mayor's spending need to pass through to be approved. Does the mayor get to decide on travel spend or is there independent oversight. How is procurement managed to ensure no kickbacks, vested interests or conflicts of interests are occurring.

Yours faithfully,

Adam

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Dear Adam,

 

I write in respect of your email to the Council received on 4 October 2023
in which you asked a number of questions relating to the Town Hall
earthquake strengthening project.

 

Given the scope of your request, this information is still being collated.

 

The Act requires that we advise you of our decision on your request no
later than 20 working days after the day we received your request.
Unfortunately, it will not be possible to meet that time limit and we are
therefore writing to notify you of an extension of the time to make our
decision to 16 November 2023.

 

This extension is necessary because consultations necessary to make a
decision on your request are such that a proper response cannot reasonably
be made within the original time limit.

 

Right of review

 

You have the right to seek an investigation and review by the Ombudsman of
this decision. Further information is available on the Ombudsman website,
[1]www.ombudsman.parliament.nz.

 

Thank you again for your request, if you have any question please feel
free to contact me.

 

Kind regards,

Ian

 

 

Ian Hunter
Senior Advisor | Official Information Team | Wellington City Council
E [2][email address] | W [3]Wellington.govt.nz 
The information contained in this email is privileged and confidential
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If you are not the intended recipient, you are asked to respect that
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If received in error you are asked to destroy this email and contact the
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Good afternoon Mr Irish,

Further to my email dated 2 November 2023, I can advise that under section
13 of the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 your
request is granted.

I am currently in the process of collating this information and will look
provide this within the next five working days.

Should you have any further questions please feel free to contact me.

Kind regards,

Ian

 

Ian Hunter
Senior Advisor | Official Information Team | Wellington City Council
E [1][email address] | W [2]Wellington.govt.nz 
The information contained in this email is privileged and confidential
and intended for the addressee only.
If you are not the intended recipient, you are asked to respect that
confidentiality and not disclose, copy or make use of its contents.
If received in error you are asked to destroy this email and contact the
sender immediately. Your assistance is appreciated.
[3][IMG]  

 

 

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Dear Adam,

 

Further to my email dated 16 November 2023 in which I advised your request
had been granted, I am now able to provide you with a formal response to
your questions.

 

In your email dated 4 October 2024 you asked a number of questions in
respect of the Town Hall and any involvement by the Mayor.

 

I will address your questions in the order of your email.

 

1) “…how many quotes have been sought for the claimed additional spend of
$330m for the Wellington Town hall? Was this quote from the current
contractor and how many other quotes have been sought. Was any of the
contractors or consulting firms involved in the town hall earthquake
strengthening project from the lets get Wellington moving project. How can
the public have trust and confidence that the Wellington Council has
robust procurement processes in place. Has the council been proactive and
sought other quotes.”

 

The recent cost forecast for the Town Hall project is based on an
impartial and objective assessment provided by the Project Quantity
Surveyor accounting the project scope and risk. The estimates were also
reviewed by an independent reviewer RCP.

 

The forecast $329.1m value is derived from a combination of two key
components: the costs incurred to date and projections of future work
planned. In the circumstance that the scope of any existing supplier needs
to be varied, there are contract provisions / conditions in place with all
those suppliers to ensure that any changes are addressed methodically and
conform with contractual requirements. In the circumstance that new
suppliers need to be procured for any elements of works, Council
procurement processes will be adhered to.

 

The Town Hall Project and Let's Get Wellington Programme are separate and
unrelated initiatives with no contractual or commercial interrelationships
between. As each initiative requires construction industry services
required to support delivery, there is a possibility that some suppliers
may have an involvement in both initiatives.

 

Competitive processes have been undertaken in the sourcing of suppliers
for the Townhall project. Further information relating to how the Council
approaches procurement of products and services is available on the
Council’s website via the following link: [1]About the Council - Selling
your products and services to the Council - Wellington City Council

 

2) “Are any of the Mayor's friends or associates connected to or
consulting for the project or involved as contractors in anyway for the
town hall project?”

 

To the Best of the Mayor’s knowledge, no friends or associates are
connected to this project.

 

3) “Does the Mayor have any declared conflicts of interest?”

 

As per the Code of Conduct for Elected Members, all members are required
to comply with the provisions of the Local Authorities (Members ‘
Interests) Act 1968, and within 30 days of a triennial election complete a
declaration of interests.

 

The Code of Conduct is available on the Council’s website and can be
accessed via the following link: [2]Code of Conduct for Elected Members
(wellington.govt.nz)

 

A copy of the Mayor’s declared pecuniary interests can be accessed via the
following link: [3]summary-of-pecuniary-interests-mayor-whanau.pdf
(wellington.govt.nz)

 

In addition, elected members are required to declare any conflict of
interest in respect of the issues being tabled and discussed at Council
meetings.

 

4) “What anti-corruption policies does the council have in place?”

 

The Council’s Audit and Risk Committee oversees the work of the Council in
discharging its responsibilities in the areas of risk management,
statutory reporting, internal and external audit and assurance, monitoring
of compliance with laws and regulations, including health and safety.

 

Further information relating to the Audit and Risk Committee is available
on the Council’s website and can be accessed via the following links:

 

[4]Meetings - Audit and Risk Committee - Wellington City Council

 

[5]tor-2022-2025-audit-and-risk-committee.pdf (wellington.govt.nz)

 

In addition, the Council is also subject to the Protected Disclosures Act
2000.

 

A copy of the Council’s Protected Disclosures Policy is attached and the
Act can be accessed via the following link: [6]Protected Disclosures Act
2000 No 7 (as at 01 July 2022), Public Act Contents – New Zealand
Legislation

 

5) “What body does the Mayor's spending need to pass through to be
approved?”

 

If I have understood your question correctly, then I can advise that the
Mayor does not make spending decisions on behalf of the Council as
spending decisions are approved by either the full Council or Committee’s
with delegated authority.

 

I can advise that approval of the Mayor’s expenses is set out in the
Delegations Policy and “The Mayor’s expense claims are approved by the
Chief Strategy and Governance Officer, and periodically reviewed by
Assurance.”.

 

Whilst there is also a Mayoral Relief Fund of $20,000, this fund is
administered by the Wellington City Mission. Further information is
available on the Council’s website via the following link: [7]Community
support - Mayoral Relief Fund - Wellington City Council

 

6) “Does the mayor get to decide on travel spend or is there independent
oversight?”

 

I can advise that Mayoral international air travel is subject to approval
in advance by the Council. Please refer to paragraph 24 of the Elected
Member Allowance and Entitlements Policy: [8]Elected Member Allowances and
Entitlements Policy (wellington.govt.nz)

 

In addition, the Chief Executive officer in consultation with the deputy
mayor has the authority to approve international travel for the mayor
and/or elected members where an invitation is received and there is no
travel cost to the Council.  (see page 32 of [9]Agenda of Te Kaunihera o
Pôneke | Council - Wednesday, 16 November 2022 (wellington.govt.nz)

 

7) “How is procurement managed to ensure no kickbacks, vested interests or
conflicts of interests are occurring?”

 

Please find attached a copy of the Council’s Operational Procurement
Policy.

 

Kind regards,

Ian

 

 

Ian Hunter
Senior Advisor | Official Information Team | Wellington City Council
E [10][email address] | W [11]Wellington.govt.nz 
The information contained in this email is privileged and confidential
and intended for the addressee only.
If you are not the intended recipient, you are asked to respect that
confidentiality and not disclose, copy or make use of its contents.
If received in error you are asked to destroy this email and contact the
sender immediately. Your assistance is appreciated.
[12][IMG]  

 

 

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