Dear Wellington City Council,

This request for information aims to clear up some confusion about an ongoing case. It started when the rates computer system stopped sending rate documents for account 1833747, valuation #17270-45801-BC. Interestingly, only this account was affected; another account with the same contact details (property owner, address, email) was not.

The writer has faced several issues due to not receiving rate documents and tax invoices needed for IRD documentation and paying rates. It has taken till February 2022, over a year, to fix the council’s computer glitch and to email copies to missing rates documents. In 2021 the writer made three lump-sum payments in good faith and escalated the unacceptable situation by filed an online complaint, #SR-289187. To date, the case is still unresolved, which is why the information requested below.

[1] The writer would like to see WCC’s transaction records for Account 1833774 from 30/11/2020 to 1/03/2022.

[2] Additionally, the writer wants to get:
• A list of the council’s internal activities taken to fix the reported problems, including WCC’s standard operational timeframes and adherence to statutory requirements.
• Copies of related communications, such as internal emails and memos, to show how the council has managed this issue according to best practices and fulfilled its obligations.
• Information on the council's standard procedures for responding to complaint #SR-289187 submitted through the online portal, including expected response times.
• An explanation for why no response to the case provided has been received before July 2024 despite multiple reminders.

[3] This case was escalated for the second time in May 2022 when the writer objected to penalty claims made by the council for an issue (see [1]) that the council initiated itself. This dispute is still ongoing, and to conclude it, the writer wants to see:
• Records of any actions taken or decisions made regarding this case, and the steps the council has taken to resolve the dispute from May 2022 to July 2024.
• Any notes, memos, or other internal documents discussing how this case was handled.
• Proof that WCC’s actions met the statutory requirements of the Rates and Goods & Services Act
(for instance council’s failures to present “requested” copies of tax invoices, and finally posting them after due-date).
• Copies of all communications sent to the writer between May 2022 and May 2024.

Please note that a copy of the recent email received on 8 July 2024, signed by Michael Nyamudeza, is excluded, because he didn’t contribute to any of these questions above. If he is not the usual person handling these requests, please forward this email to the appropriate person.

If you need any clarification or have any questions about this request, please feel free to contact me.
Thank you for your help.
Yours faithfully,
Klaus Schliebe