File ref: IRC-5827 
8 March 2024 
 
Chris McCashin  
[FYI request #25252 email] 
 
 
Kia ora Chris 
 
Information Request response – Golden Mile 
 
Thank you for your request made under the Local Government Official Information and Meetings 
Act 1987 (the Act), received on 20 December 2023. You requested the fol owing information in 
relation to the Golden Mile: 
•  Consultation assessment, to include where available: 
o  assessment of consultation 
o  written responses for and against project 
o  total number of written submissions for the project and a copy of these as pdf 
o  total number of written submissions against event 
o  total number of businesses impacted 
o  total number of businesses that WCC sat down with including dates, business, 
memo of meeting, cost / benefit analysis, total number of commercial landlords 
impacted, 
o  total number of commercial landlords that WCC sat down with, including dates, 
landlord, memo of meeting 
o  total number of Māori consulted that WCC sat down with, including dates, names, 
memo of meeting 
•  Noting that this project appears to be going to be litigated, please provide any and all legal 
memos, notes, advice prior to litigation and now. 
•  Please provide the law firm engaged on behalf of Wel ington City Council and the costs to 
date, itemised with what the cost is associated with. 
 
On 26 January 2024 Wellington City Council transferred the first part of your request, relating to 
consultation, to Waka Kotahi.   
The second and third parts of your information request were retained by Wel ington City Council. 
These are addressed below. 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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Wel ington City Council has granted your request for the information requested in the third bullet, 
for ‘… the law firm engaged on behalf of WCC and the costs to date itemised with what the cost is 
associated with’. 
 
Wel ington City Council has engaged Buddle Findlay in respect of the litigation.  As at 20 December 
2023, Council’s legal costs relating to the Golden Mile litigation were $45,312.95 (excl GST).  This 
covers both advice relating to the threat of legal proceedings and legal advice fol owing legal 
proceedings being filed against Council. 
 
These costs cover a range of work carried out by Buddle Findlay, including reviewing legal 
documents and correspondence, responding to correspondence, drafting legal documents and 
providing advice to Council. 
 
In your second bullet you have asked to be provided with ‘…any and all legal memos, notes, advice 
prior to litigation and now.’  All documentation relating to these legal matters is subject to legal 
privilege and are therefore being withheld in full under section 7(2)(g) of the Act. 
 
Right of review 
If you are not satisfied with the Council’s response, you may request the Office of the Ombudsman 
to investigate the Council’s decision. Further information is available on the Ombudsman website, 
www.ombudsman.parliament.nz. 
 
Please note, we may proactively release our response to your request with your personal 
information removed. 
 
Thank you again for your request, if you have any questions, please feel free to contact me. 
 
Kind regards 
 
Susan Sales 
Official Information 
 
Wellington City Council   |   2 of 2 

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