The 2015/16 Transport Rate Calculations used for the GWRC Long Term Plan

Tony Randle made this Official Information request to Wellington Regional Council

The request was partially successful.

From: Tony Randle

Dear Wellington Regional Council,

Hi

I am interested in the proposed GWRC 2015/16 Long Term Plan and, in particular, how the Transport Rates have been calculated. Can you please provide me with a complete copy of the detailed calculations that were used to provide the transport rates information in the draft 2015/16 Annual Plan ?

I assume that the Transport Rates Calculation information is held in electronic spreadsheet form and I would prefer it was provided to me in its complete, original electronic format as I wish to understand how the calculations were made including the formula used. Please advice if this assumption is not correct and advice what format this information is held. If this information is not to be provided in its complete, original electronic format, please provide the grounds for the GWRC refusal to provide this information in the requested format.

I am also interested in changes to the Transport Reserve. Can you please provide me with a listing of the changes (contributions and withdrawals) from the Transport Reserve over the past three years including the source for the contributions and the target for the withdrawals ?

If the Transport Reserve information is held in electronic form, I would prefer it was provided to me in its complete, original electronic format.

Please contact me if this will assist you in clarifying my request and/or providing the requested information.

Finally, can you please acknowledge your receipt of this information request ?

Yours faithfully,

Tony Randle

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From: Tony Randle

Dear Wellington Regional Council,

On March 12th 2015, I sent you a request for information about the 2015/16 Transport Rate Calculations used for the GWRC Long Term Plan via the FYI.ORG.NZ web site. I have asked for this information to support a submission to the GWRC 10 Year Plan that is currently open for public submission but submissions must be made by the 20th April (less than one week away).

I understand that I should have received a response from the GWRC by the 13th April 2015.

Can you please confirm you have received my request for information about the 2015/16 Transport Rate Calculations used for the GWRC Long Term Plan ?

If you have received my request, can you please update me on why I have not yet received a response and when I may expect to receive the substantive response.

Finally, I should note that the failure by the GWRC to provide the requested information within the legally required time-frame will likely compromise my ability to make a considered submission to the GWRC on its 10 year plan which is very disappointing.

Regards
Tony Randle

Yours faithfully,

Tony Randle

Link to this

From: Christine Kelly
Wellington Regional Council


Attachment OIA 2015 024 response Tony Randle transport rates.pdf
62K Download View as HTML

Attachment PT Reserves OIA.XLSX.xlsx
48K Download View as HTML


Good afternoon, please find attached a letter of response and excel
spreadsheet to your request for information.

 

Regards

Christine

Christine Kelly | Executive Secretary
GREATER WELLINGTON REGIONAL COUNCIL
Te Pane Matua Taiao
Shed 39, 2 Fryatt Quay, Pipitea, Wellington 6011 | PO Box 11646, Manners
St, Wellington 6142
T: 04 830 4201 | M: 021 368 779
[1]www.gw.govt.nz | [2]www.facebook.com/greaterwellington

 

ATTENTION: This correspondence is confidential and intended for the named
recipient(s) only. If you are not the named recipient and receive this
correspondence in error, you must not copy, distribute or take any action
in reliance on it and you should delete it from your system and notify the
sender immediately. Unless otherwise stated, any views or opinions
expressed are solely those of the author, and do not represent those of
the organisation.

References

Visible links
1. http://www.gw.govt.nz/
2. http://www.facebook.com/greaterwellington

Link to this

From: Jared Humm
Wellington Regional Council


Attachment OIA 2015 024 response Tony Randle transport rates.pdf
62K Download View as HTML

Attachment PT Reserves OIA.XLSX.xlsx
48K Download View as HTML


Hi Tony

 

The response should have been sent to you yesterday as per below?

 

Apologies if this did not get through to you.

 

Kind regards

Jared

 

Jared Humm | Policy Adviser, Public Transport
GREATER WELLINGTON REGIONAL COUNCIL
Te Pane Matua Taiao
142 Wakefield St | PO Box 11646, Manners St, Wellington 6142
T: 04 830-4310 | www.gw.govt.nz

From: Christine Kelly
Sent: Tuesday, 14 April 2015 3:52 p.m.
To: Jared Humm
Subject: FW: Letter of response.

 

 

 

Christine Kelly | Executive Secretary

GREATER WELLINGTON REGIONAL COUNCIL

T: 04 830 4201 |  M: 021 368 779

[1]www.gw.govt.nz

 

From: Christine Kelly
Sent: Monday, 13 April 2015 12:12 p.m.
To: '[FOI #2578 email]'
Subject: Letter of response.

 

Good afternoon, please find attached a letter of response and excel
spreadsheet to your request for information.

 

Regards

Christine

Christine Kelly | Executive Secretary
GREATER WELLINGTON REGIONAL COUNCIL
Te Pane Matua Taiao
Shed 39, 2 Fryatt Quay, Pipitea, Wellington 6011 | PO Box 11646, Manners
St, Wellington 6142
T: 04 830 4201 | M: 021 368 779
[2]www.gw.govt.nz | [3]www.facebook.com/greaterwellington

 

ATTENTION: This correspondence is confidential and intended for the named
recipient(s) only. If you are not the named recipient and receive this
correspondence in error, you must not copy, distribute or take any action
in reliance on it and you should delete it from your system and notify the
sender immediately. Unless otherwise stated, any views or opinions
expressed are solely those of the author, and do not represent those of
the organisation.

References

Visible links
1. file:///tmp/www.gw.govt.nz
2. http://www.gw.govt.nz/
3. http://www.facebook.com/greaterwellington

Link to this

From: Tony Randle

Dear Jared,
I asked for a copy of the 2015/16 Transport Rate calculation spreadsheets on March 12th 2015, via the FYI.ORG.NZ web site, which is 24 working days ago even if you don’t count the first day. I have asked for this information to support a submission to the GWRC 10 Year Plan that is currently open for public submission but submissions must be made by the 20th April in just three days’ time.

Your reply dated 13th April still did provide the requested Transport Rates calculation information. Even worse, it does not even say when I may receive this information only stating “The document will be sent to you when it is ready for release.” When will I receive it ??

I have requested this information every year since about 2008 and every year the GWRC takes the maximum amount of time to respond where the response does not providing the information requested. Every year the GWRC denies me access to this key information that I (and others) need to understand the real costs of the GWRC 10-Year and Annual Plan that you are supposedly consulting on. This refusal to provide key information during a public consultation is profoundly undemocratic but has become habitual for the Greater Wellington Regional Council.

It is now midday Friday and public submissions to the GWRC Annual Plan close on Monday. How am I to do a submission without the key requested information ? As I requested before, can you please update me on why I have not yet received a response within the required timeframe and when I may expect to receive the substantive response ?

The GWRC response also states:
“Please note that we are prepared to release certain cells within the column entitled “Price PA” which contain tendered contract prices and variations to contract prices reflecting changes to services. However, in order to do this we would be required to review our contract files for each of the individual contracts referred to in the column. We anticipate that it will take approximately 15 minutes to review each contract file. If you would like this information we will charge you for the time taken to prepare the information for release. Please advise us if you would like us to prepare this information for you.”

I cannot write a blank cheque to the GWRC to fund the provision of the “Price PA” information. Can you please inform me (as you are required to do under LGOIMA) of the cost of providing the information so that I may consider whether it is worth paying ? I also do hope the GWRC is not waiting for feedback on this issue before providing the information that it states it is in the process of releasing to me.

Finally, the failure by the GWRC to provide the requested rates calculation information within the legally required time-frame will again compromise my ability to make a considered public submission to the GWRC in this Significant Decision (under the Local Government Act) which is very disappointing.

Regards,

Tony Randle

Link to this

From: Christine Kelly
Wellington Regional Council


Attachment WGN DOCS 1475074 v1 No Formulas TRM 2015 024.XLSX.xlsx
187K Download View as HTML

Attachment WGN DOCS 1475089 v1 Formulas TRM 2015 024.XLSX.xlsx
220K Download View as HTML


Dear Mr Randle
 
Thank you for your email.
 
GWRC's decision was provided to you within the required maximum
timeframe.  However, if you are concerned with the time taken by GWRC to
respond to your request you should contact the Office of the Ombudsman.
 
An electronic copy of the Transport Rating Model in two formats is
attached to this email.
 
While the submission period for the draft Long-term Plan closes today, we
have granted you an extension  until Wednesday 22 April.
 
The offer to provide you with certain information relating to tendered
contract prices and variations to tendered contract prices which reflect
changes to services  contained within the column entitled "Price PA"
aligns with our approach to a similar request you made relating to the
2011/12 financial year; that approach has been reviewed by the Chief
Ombudsman.  At this stage we are proposing to send you the spreadsheet
with the complete column deleted; however, if you would like certain
individual cells provided we are prepared to release them  to you.  As set
out in the letter, you would be charged if you elect to be provided with
those cells which we are prepared to release.  As you will be aware our
practice is to send, and seek agreement, to a charge estimate before
proceeding with any request where we propose to charge.
 
TRM (no formulas)
TRM (incl formulas)
Regards
 
Leigh-Anne Buxton
 
General Manager
People and Capability
 
-----Original Message-----
From: Tony Randle
[[1]mailto:[FOI #2578 email]]
Sent: Friday, 17 April 2015 12:26 p.m.
To: Jared Humm
Subject: Re: FW: Letter of response.
 
Dear Jared,
I asked for a copy of the 2015/16 Transport Rate calculation spreadsheets
on March 12th 2015, via the FYI.ORG.NZ web site, which is 24 working days
ago even if you don’t count the first day. I have asked for this
information to support a submission to the GWRC 10 Year Plan that is
currently open for public submission but submissions must be made by the
20th April in just three days’ time.
 
Your reply dated 13th April still did provide the requested Transport
Rates calculation information.  Even worse, it does not even say when I
may receive this information only stating “The document will be sent to
you when it is ready for release.”  When will I receive it ?? 
 
I have requested this information every year since about 2008 and every
year the GWRC takes the maximum amount of time to respond where the
response does not providing the information requested.  Every year the
GWRC denies me access to this key information that I (and others) need to
understand the real costs of the GWRC 10-Year and Annual Plan that you are
supposedly consulting on.  This refusal to provide key information during
a public consultation is profoundly undemocratic but has become habitual
for the Greater Wellington Regional Council.
 
It is now midday Friday and public submissions to the GWRC Annual Plan
close on Monday.  How am I to do a submission without the key requested
information ? As I requested before, can you please update me on why I
have not yet received a response within the required timeframe and when I
may expect to receive the substantive response ?
 
The GWRC response also states:
“Please note that we are prepared to release certain cells within the
column entitled “Price PA” which contain tendered contract prices and
variations to contract prices reflecting changes to services.  However, in
order to do this we would be required to review our contract files for
each of the individual contracts referred to in the column.  We anticipate
that it will take approximately 15 minutes to review each contract file. 
If you would like this information we will charge you for the time taken
to prepare the information for release.  Please advise us if you would
like us to prepare this information for you.”
 
I cannot write a blank cheque to the GWRC to fund the provision of the
“Price PA” information.  Can you please inform me (as you are required to
do under LGOIMA) of the cost of providing the information so that I may
consider whether it is worth paying ?  I also do hope the GWRC is not
waiting for feedback on this issue before providing the information that
it states it is in the process of releasing to me.
 
Finally, the failure by the GWRC to provide the requested rates
calculation information within the legally required time-frame will again
compromise my ability to make a considered public submission to the GWRC
in this Significant Decision (under the Local Government Act) which is
very disappointing.
 
Regards,
 
Tony Randle
 
-----Original Message-----
 
Hi Tony
 
 
 
The response should have been sent to you yesterday as per below?
 
 
 
Apologies if this did not get through to you.
 
 
 
Kind regards
 
Jared
 
 
 
Jared Humm | Policy Adviser, Public Transport  GREATER WELLINGTON REGIONAL
COUNCIL  Te Pane Matua Taiao
142 Wakefield St | PO Box 11646, Manners St, Wellington 6142
T: 04 830-4310 | [2]www.gw.govt.nz
 
From: Christine Kelly
Sent: Tuesday, 14 April 2015 3:52 p.m.
To: Jared Humm
Subject: FW: Letter of response.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Christine Kelly | Executive Secretary
 
GREATER WELLINGTON REGIONAL COUNCIL
 
T: 04 830 4201 |  M: 021 368 779
 
[1][3]www.gw.govt.nz
 
 
 
From: Christine Kelly
Sent: Monday, 13 April 2015 12:12 p.m.
To: '[FOI #2578 email]'
Subject: Letter of response.
 
 
 
Good afternoon, please find attached a letter of response and excel 
spreadsheet to your request for information.
 
 
 
Regards
 
Christine
 
Christine Kelly | Executive Secretary
GREATER WELLINGTON REGIONAL COUNCIL
Te Pane Matua Taiao
Shed 39, 2 Fryatt Quay, Pipitea, Wellington 6011 | PO Box 11646, Manners 
St, Wellington 6142
T: 04 830 4201 | M: 021 368 779
[2][4]www.gw.govt.nz | [3][5]www.facebook.com/greaterwellington
 
 
 
ATTENTION: This correspondence is confidential and intended for the named
recipient(s) only. If you are not the named recipient and receive this 
correspondence in error, you must not copy, distribute or take any action 
in reliance on it and you should delete it from your system and notify
the  sender immediately. Unless otherwise stated, any views or opinions 
expressed are solely those of the author, and do not represent those of 
the organisation.
 
References
 
Visible links
1. [6]file:///tmp/www.gw.govt.nz
2. [7]http://www.gw.govt.nz/
3. [8]http://www.facebook.com/greaterwellington
 
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[9][FOI #2578 email]
 
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[10]https://fyi.org.nz/help/officers
 
If you find this service useful as an OIA officer, please ask your web
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Christine Kelly | Executive Secretary
GREATER WELLINGTON REGIONAL COUNCIL
Te Pane Matua Taiao
Shed 39, 2 Fryatt Quay, Pipitea, Wellington 6011 | PO Box 11646, Manners
St, Wellington 6142
T: 04 830 4201 | M: 021 368 779
[11]www.gw.govt.nz | [12]www.facebook.com/greaterwellington
 
 
 
 
ATTENTION: This correspondence is confidential and intended for the named
recipient(s) only. If you are not the named recipient and receive this
correspondence in error, you must not copy, distribute or take any action
in reliance on it and you should delete it from your system and notify the
sender immediately. Unless otherwise stated, any views or opinions
expressed are solely those of the author, and do not represent those of
the organisation.

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[FOI #2578 email]
2. http://www.gw.govt.nz/
3. http://www.gw.govt.nz/
4. http://www.gw.govt.nz/
5. http://www.facebook.com/greaterwellington
6. file:///tmp/www.gw.govt.nz
7. http://www.gw.govt.nz/
8. http://www.facebook.com/greaterwellington
9. mailto:[FOI #2578 email]
10. https://fyi.org.nz/help/officers
11. http://www.gw.govt.nz/
12. http://www.facebook.com/greaterwellington

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