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