Dog Control Act
Andy Langford made this Official Information request to Dunedin City Council
The request was partially successful.
From: Andy Langford
Dear Dunedin City Council,
1. For the 2023-2024 dog registration year Council provided a lifetime registration tag for dogs, rather than a tag for the current registration year, stating this “… replaces the current system… “. Please provide:
a) All information relating to the decision to adopt this scheme and the justification for doing so*, and a copy of the documentation presented to Councillors when making the decision to implement this scheme, the records of the decision, and any discussion before the decision was made.
b) The amount expended on the scheme to date, including all advertising costs, in adequate detail for the categories of costs to be separately identified, and identify which costs where charged to the dog control or general rates budget.
c) The Dog Control Act requires a TA to provide a “… tag for the registration year…” and the owner must ensure the current tag is attached to a collar worn by the dog (s46), or the dog is deemed unregistered (s44) and liable to be impounded (s50). Please provide the authority relied on to replace that statutory scheme.
d) As the Lifetime tags do not provide visual confirmation a dog is registered please provide the projected costs of obtaining warrants for searches to confirm registration for the next year registration year, including how many are expected to be obtained for dogs subsequently shown to be registered. If it is not intended to obtain warrants, please provide the statutory authority for searching property without a warrant or the projected income generated by impounding dogs so Council can check the registration number, or the projected costs of defending legal action taken by the owners of dogs when Council exceeds its statutory authority.
2. During July 2023 the Bookbus service was extended to accept dog registration applications. Given Council has accepted s 36 of the Dog Control Act requires dog owners to apply to register their dogs is on or by 1 July, please provide:
a) All information relating to the decision to provide a service for owners who had breached their legal obligations, and the justification for doing so*, including a copy of the documentation presented to Councillors when making the decision to implement this scheme, the records of the decision, and any discussion before the decision was made.
b) The costs of providing the service, including all advertising, and identify which costs where charged to the dog control or general rates budget.
c) The number of dogs registered using the Booksus option and the number of infringement fees issued to owners who did so.
* Whether called a business case, s17A report, or other name, and including but not limited to an analysis of options, cost/benefits, environmental impact, risks, decision-making criteria, justifications for selecting this scheme not other options, etc.
This information is required to prepare submissions for the upcoming Annual Plan so please provide it in a timely manner to avoid disadvantaging the preparation of those submissions. Given the results of pervious Ombudsman investigations, ignoring the request or refusing the information will be treated as a refusal because the information does not exist or would be inconvenient if disclosed.
Then let me know when you have done that so I can keep a track of the dates. Thanks you!
Yours faithfully,
Andy Langford
Sent request to Dunedin City Council again, using a new contact address.
From: Customer Service
Dunedin City Council
Kia ora Andy,
Thank you for your email.
I have forwarded this information to the Animal Services Team for their
attention.
Ngā mihi
Victoria Hooper
Customer Services Officer
Customer Services
P 03 477 4000 | E [1][Dunedin City Council request email]
Dunedin City Council, 50 The Octagon, Dunedin
PO Box 5045, Dunedin 9054
New Zealand
[2]www.dunedin.govt.nz
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From: Lauren Riddle
Dunedin City Council
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FINAL RESPONSE LGOIMA lifetime dog registration 23 April 2024.pdf
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Metal Dog Tags memo approval.pdf
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Kia ora Mr Langford
Please find attached our response to the information request, received on
26 March 2024, via FYI for information on the lifetime registration tag
for the 2023-2024 registration year.
Ngā mihi
Lauren Riddle
Mana Whakahaere Kairuruku / Governance Support Officer
Governance Group
P 03 477 4000 | DD 03 474 3428 | E [email address]
Te Kaunihera a Rohe o Ōtepoti - Dunedin City Council
50 The Octagon, Dunedin
PO Box 5045, Dunedin 9054
New Zealand
[1]www.dunedin.govt.nz
[2]DCC - Annual Plan 2024
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From: Andy Langford
Dear Lauren Riddle,
Request 1a) asked for all information relating to the decision to provide lifetime tags, and assisted by listing the type of information that can be expected to be held, and therefore able to be provided. The response was an argument favouring the scheme, and a memorandum from 2022 prepared for the same purpose. The response did not provide the type of information requested, or respond to the request to do so. Please provide the information requested, or information of a similar type, or state why it is not being provided consistent with the LGOIMA requirements.
1b) asked for the amount expended on the lifetime tag scheme in adequate detail for the categories of costs to be separately identified. The response provided a total for purchasing a 3 year supply of tags and rings, but did not specify how many tags and rings were purchased, or the costs of postage and packaging to get the items to Dunedin. Please provide the information requested or state why it is not being provided consistent with the LGOIMA requirements.
Neither part of request 1d) was answered. Request 2a) was not answered and the response to request 2b) did not refer to advertising and other Council actions proven to have been taken. Please provide the information requested, or similar type, or state why it is not being provided consistent with the LGOIMA requirements.
Yours sincerely,
Andy Langford
From: Lauren Riddle
Dunedin City Council
Dear Mr Langford
I acknowledge receipt of your email of 18 May and advise that I will
follow up on your queries and respond as soon as possible.
Lauren
Lauren Riddle
Mana Whakahaere Kairuruku / Governance Support Officer
Governance Group
P 03 477 4000 | DD 03 474 3428 | E [email address]
Te Kaunihera a Rohe o Ōtepoti - Dunedin City Council
50 The Octagon, Dunedin
PO Box 5045, Dunedin 9054
New Zealand
[1]www.dunedin.govt.nz
[2]DCC Main Page
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From: Andy Langford <[FOI #26243 email]>
Sent: Saturday, 18 May 2024 10:21 p.m.
To: Lauren Riddle <[email address]>
Subject: Re: Response to Official FYI request 26243-56e13b43 - Official
information request on lifetime dog registration (Dog Control)
Dear Lauren Riddle,
Request 1a) asked for all information relating to the decision to provide
lifetime tags, and assisted by listing the type of information that can be
expected to be held, and therefore able to be provided. The response was
an argument favouring the scheme, and a memorandum from 2022 prepared for
the same purpose. The response did not provide the type of information
requested, or respond to the request to do so. Please provide the
information requested, or information of a similar type, or state why it
is not being provided consistent with the LGOIMA requirements.
1b) asked for the amount expended on the lifetime tag scheme in adequate
detail for the categories of costs to be separately identified. The
response provided a total for purchasing a 3 year supply of tags and
rings, but did not specify how many tags and rings were purchased, or the
costs of postage and packaging to get the items to Dunedin. Please provide
the information requested or state why it is not being provided consistent
with the LGOIMA requirements.
Neither part of request 1d) was answered. Request 2a) was not answered and
the response to request 2b) did not refer to advertising and other Council
actions proven to have been taken. Please provide the information
requested, or similar type, or state why it is not being provided
consistent with the LGOIMA requirements.
Yours sincerely,
Andy Langford
show quoted sections
From: Jenny Lapham
Dunedin City Council
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Account.pdf
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Poster.pdf
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Correspondence.pdf
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Dear Mr Langford
I am writing in response to your email of 18 May. I apologise for the
time taken to respond.
In response to your request for all information held in relation to the
decision to provide lifetime tags, following a further search, additional
correspondence is on this matter is attached for your information.
Further information required to respond to question 1b) for the amount
expended on the lifetime tag scheme with categories separately
identified.
We have attached a copy of the invoice for the supply of dog tags,
including zinc rings and the freight costs, all totalling $38,490 (excl.
GST) as provided in our response of 23 April 2024.
Information requested in 1d) for projected costs for obtaining warrants
for searches to confirm dog registration. We advise that there are no
projected costs for obtaining warrants for searches to confirm dog
registration, and therefore no calculation exists. Your request for this
information is therefore refused under section 17(e) of LGOIMA, that the
document alleged to contain the information requested does not exist.
We re-state that Council requires its staff to act within their warrants
and empowering legislation, and does not exceed their statutory
authority. Staff are warranted for any work requiring a warrant. Council
does not have plans for staff to not be warranted.
2a) – This decision was an operational matter and not a governance matter,
therefore, pursuant to section 17(e) of LGOIMA this request is refused as
the document alleged to contain the information requested does not exist
or, despite reasonable efforts to locate it, cannot be found.
2b) – As advised previously, there was no additional cost for staffing
the bookbus registrations; all payments were collected by Animal Control
Officers and Administration staff. Additional advertising was the posters
(copy attached) , and social media posts on facebook letting people know
where the stops were. There was an ad in the Rock and Pillar newsletter
for our Middlemarch stop. There was no cost for the additional poster.
The advertisement in the Rock and Pillar newsletter was included in the
business as usual dog advertising.
Kā mihi
Jennifer Lapham
Mana Whakahaere Kairuruku/Governance Support Officer
Governance Group
P 03 477 4000 | E [1][email address]
Te Kaunihera a Rohe o Ōtepoti - Dunedin City Council
PO Box 5045, Dunedin 9054
New Zealand
[2]www.dunedin.govt.nz
[3]DCC Main Page
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If this message is not intended for you please delete it and notify us
immediately; you are warned that any further use, dissemination,
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From: Lauren Riddle
Sent: Monday, 20 May 2024 4:23 p.m.
To: Andy Langford <[4][FOI #26243 email]>
Subject: RE: Response to Official FYI request 26243-56e13b43 - Official
information request on lifetime dog registration (Dog Control)
Dear Mr Langford
I acknowledge receipt of your email of 18 May and advise that I will
follow up on your queries and respond as soon as possible.
Lauren
Lauren Riddle
Mana Whakahaere Kairuruku / Governance Support Officer
Governance Group
P 03 477 4000 | DD 03 474 3428 | E [5][email address]
Te Kaunihera a Rohe o Ōtepoti - Dunedin City Council
50 The Octagon, Dunedin
PO Box 5045, Dunedin 9054
New Zealand
[6]www.dunedin.govt.nz
From: Andy Langford <[7][FOI #26243 email]>
Sent: Saturday, 18 May 2024 10:21 p.m.
To: Lauren Riddle <[8][email address]>
Subject: Re: Response to Official FYI request 26243-56e13b43 - Official
information request on lifetime dog registration (Dog Control)
Dear Lauren Riddle,
Request 1a) asked for all information relating to the decision to provide
lifetime tags, and assisted by listing the type of information that can be
expected to be held, and therefore able to be provided. The response was
an argument favouring the scheme, and a memorandum from 2022 prepared for
the same purpose. The response did not provide the type of information
requested, or respond to the request to do so. Please provide the
information requested, or information of a similar type, or state why it
is not being provided consistent with the LGOIMA requirements.
1b) asked for the amount expended on the lifetime tag scheme in adequate
detail for the categories of costs to be separately identified. The
response provided a total for purchasing a 3 year supply of tags and
rings, but did not specify how many tags and rings were purchased, or the
costs of postage and packaging to get the items to Dunedin. Please provide
the information requested or state why it is not being provided consistent
with the LGOIMA requirements.
Neither part of request 1d) was answered. Request 2a) was not answered and
the response to request 2b) did not refer to advertising and other Council
actions proven to have been taken. Please provide the information
requested, or similar type, or state why it is not being provided
consistent with the LGOIMA requirements.
Yours sincerely,
Andy Langford
show quoted sections
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