FOR ATTENTION: Enquiries National - OIA Request # 2 ex-Melville High School, Hamilton

M.R.M. made this Official Information request to Ministry of Education

Response to this request is long overdue. By law Ministry of Education should have responded by now (details and exceptions). The requester can complain to the Ombudsman.

From: M.R.M.

Dear Ministry of Education,

I refer to my 7 December 2023 OIA request to the Minister of Education, Erica Stanford. See: https://fyi.org.nz/request/25062-ministe...

For ease of reference I am copying below the history behind my (original / # 1 OIA request on the same summary subject as this request # 2):

"In a news story - refer link provided below - published on today's date, the ex Principal of Melville High School, Mr Clive Hamill, was quoted as having said that he was at a meeting where the ministry (of education) promised $40 million of revitalisation funds which had not materialised".

Please provide me with a copy of the agenda and a copy of the minutes of the above stated meeting where the ministry of education promised $40 million of funds for revitalising the now closed Melville High and Melville Intermediate Schools that will re-open in 2024 with the new name of Mangakootukutuku College, but, without building a new school that Mr Chris Hipkins last year said he was satisfied would be the best interests of south-west Hamilton.

Please also provide me with a copy of the ministry of education's documented decision to withdraw the promised $40 million abovementioned with the reasons and causes given for this change in funding.

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/5040....

My (original / # 1 OIA request) was transferred to Enquiries National Team | Te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga | Ministry of Education | AG who advised me in its reply dated 23 December 2023;

a. "the Ministry has not promised or allocated any funds towards Mangakootukutuku College", and
b. "no meeting has occurred where funding had been promised or allocated".

It has now come to light that a meeting was held between Melville Intermediate School, Melville High School Board of Trustees, and the Ministry of Education (Waikato Region), at which Ministry officials noted;

* "Schools that are restructured “come with a serious chunk of money”

* That (sic) estimate of the amount available for the restructure was reported at a Joint Meeting between Melville Intermediate, Melville High School Board of Trustees and the Ministry of Education (Hamilton) on Tuesday 9 July 2019 to be a resource pool in excess of $40,000,000".

Now that it is irrefutable that a meeting took place at which $40 million in revitalisation funds were promised by the Ministry of Education, as stated by Mr Hamill when he was interviewed by RNZ on 7 December 2023, I am requesting that you arrange to have the Ministry of Education (Waikato Region) provide you with a copy of the Minutes or other notes made (either in writing or through voice recording) at the above stated Joint Meeting that took place on 9 July 2019.

Furthermore, and as requested originally, please also provide me with a copy of the ministry of education's documented decision to withdraw the promised $40 million with the reasons and causes given for this change in funding.

My preference and request is that all of the above requested information be published at the FYI.org.nz website.

Yours faithfully,

M.R.M.

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From: Enquiries National
Ministry of Education

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From: Enquiries National
Ministry of Education

Kia ora M.R.M.

Thank you for your request for information below. The Ministry will consider and respond to your request in accordance with the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act).

Under section 15(1) of the Act, we are required to make and inform you of our decision on your request as soon as reasonably practicable and in any case not later than 20 working days after the day on which your request is received. You can therefore expect to receive our decision on your request on or before the 13 of February 2024. If more than 20 working days are needed due to the potential workload and/or consultations involved in answering your request, we will notify you accordingly.

Please note, the period between 25 December – 15 January are not considered to be “working days” for the purposes of calculating the 20 working day timeframe for providing a response under the Act.

The Ministry may publicly release on our website the response to your request five days after you have received it. Any personal information will be removed.

In the interim, if you have any questions about your request, please email [email address].
Ngā mihi

Enquiries National Team | Ministry of Education | IB
8 Gilmer Terrace, Wellington

education.govt.nz

He mea tārai e mātou te mātauranga kia rangatira ai, kia mana taurite ai ōna huanga
We shape an education system that delivers equitable and excellent outcomes

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From: Enquiries National
Ministry of Education


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Attachment Appendix A.pdf
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Tçnâ koe M.R.M

OIA: 1320832 – Funding of Melville High School

Thank you for your email of 28 December 2023 to the Ministry of Education
(the Ministry) requesting the following information:

I refer to my 7 December 2023 OIA request to the Minister of Education,
Erica Stanford.  See: 
[1]https://fyi.org.nz/request/25062-ministe...


 

My (original / # 1 OIA request) was transferred to Enquiries National Team
| Te Tâhuhu o te Mâtauranga | Ministry of Education | AG who advised me in
its reply dated 23 December 2023;

a.  "the Ministry has not promised or allocated any funds towards
Mangakootukutuku College", and b.  "no meeting has occurred where funding
had been promised or allocated".

It has now come to light that a meeting was held between Melville
Intermediate School, Melville High School Board of Trustees, and the
Ministry of Education (Waikato Region), at which Ministry officials noted;

*  "Schools that are restructured “come with a serious chunk of money”

*  That (sic) estimate of the amount available for the restructure was
reported at a Joint Meeting between Melville Intermediate, Melville High
School Board of Trustees and the Ministry of Education (Hamilton) on
Tuesday 9 July 2019 to be a resource pool in excess of $40,000,000".

Now that it is irrefutable that a meeting took place at which $40 million
in revitalisation funds were promised by the Ministry of Education, as
stated by Mr Hamill when he was interviewed by RNZ on 7 December 2023,

 

1) I am requesting that you arrange to have the Ministry of Education
(Waikato Region) provide you with a copy of the Minutes or other notes
made (either in writing or through voice recording) at the above stated
Joint Meeting that took place on 9 July 2019.

2) Furthermore, and as requested originally, please also provide me with a
copy of the ministry of education's documented decision to withdraw the
promised $40 million with the reasons and causes given for this change in
funding.

 

My preference and request is that all of the above requested information
be published at the FYI.org.nz website.

Your request has been considered under the Official Information Act 1982
(the Act).

We are refusing part one of your request for a copy of the Minutes or
other notes made … at the above stated Joint Meeting that took place on 9
July 2019 in full under section 18(e) as the information requested does
not exist. However, we note that although the Ministry did not produce
minutes or notes for the meeting that occurred 9 July 2019, we are able to
provide to you a PowerPoint presentation which was used for this meeting
as Appendix A.

In response to part two of the request, for a copy of the ministry of
education's documented decision to withdraw the promised $40 million we
are refusing this part of your request under section 18(e) of the Act as
the document alleged to contain the information requested does not exist.

Thank you again for your email. You have the right to ask an Ombudsman to
review my decision on your request, in accordance with section 28 of the
Act. You can do this by writing to [2][email address] or to
Office of the Ombudsman, PO Box 10152, Wellington 6143.

 

Ngâ mihi

Enquiries National Team | Te Tâhuhu o te Mâtauranga | Ministry of
Education | TW

[3]education.govt.nz

We shape an education system that delivers equitable and excellent
outcomes
He mea târai e mâtou te mâtauranga kia rangatira ai, kia mana taurite ai
ôna huanga
[4]Te TD huhu o te MD tauranga

 

 

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M.R.M. left an annotation ()

It is highly improbable and implausible that the Ministry of Education did not document - by way of notes or minutes - what was discussed and agreed or disagreed at the 9 July 2019 meeting with Melville High School and Melville Intermediate School. If, however, no notes or minutes exist as the Ministry of Education has now claimed is the case, this would be a very serious dereliction of care and duty in my opinion.

I am now moving this matter forward under a complaint to the Ombudsman.

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Things to do with this request

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