Kia ora  

   
Thank you for contacting the Wellington City Council Official Information
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If you have submitted a new request, you will hear from us as soon as
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Kia ora,

Thank you for your email dated 2 June requesting information.

Our team will manage your request under the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 which requires us to provide a decision as soon as possible, but no later than 1 July, being 20 working days of receipt.

The reference number for your request is IRC-8538 (combined with WNHT: Funding provided by WCC)

Please contact us if you have any further questions.

Kind regards

Official Information & Privacy Team
Email: [Wellington City Council request email]
Wellington City Council | W Wellington.govt.nz | |

The information contained in this email is privileged and confidential and intended for the addressee only.
If you are not the intended recipient, you are asked to respect that confidentiality and not disclose, copy or make use of its contents.
If received in error you are asked to destroy this email and contact the sender immediately. Your assistance is appreciated.

show quoted sections

Kia ora Wellington City (Brooklyn) Rate Payer
Please see attached response for both funding and accountability request
on WNHT. 
Kind Regards

Asha Harry

Official Information | Wellington City Council
E [1][email address] | W [2]Wellington.govt.nz 

The information contained in this email is privileged and confidential and
intended for the addressee only. If you are not the intended recipient,
you are asked to respect that confidentiality and not disclose, copy or
make use of its contents. If received in error, you are asked to destroy
this email and contact the sender immediately. Your assistance is
appreciated

show quoted sections

This is an Official Information request made via the FYI website.

Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[email address]

Is [Wellington City Council request email] the wrong address for Official
Information requests to Wellington City Council? If so, please contact us
using this form:
[4]https://aus01.safelinks.protection.outlo...

Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on
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Kia ora Wellington City (Brooklyn) Rate Payer.
Thank you for your email dated 11 July requesting information.

Our team will manage your request under the Local Government Official
Information and Meetings Act 1987 which requires us to provide a decision
as soon as possible, but no later than 8 August, being 20 working days of
receipt.

The reference number for your request is IRC-8736.

Please contact us if you have any further questions.

Kind regards

Official Information & Privacy Team
Email: [Wellington City Council request email]
Wellington City Council | W Wellington.govt.nz | |

Asha Harry

Official Information | Wellington City Council
E [1][email address] | W [2]Wellington.govt.nz 

The information contained in this email is privileged and confidential and
intended for the addressee only. If you are not the intended recipient,
you are asked to respect that confidentiality and not disclose, copy or
make use of its contents. If received in error, you are asked to destroy
this email and contact the sender immediately. Your assistance is
appreciated

show quoted sections

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Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
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Tēnā koe Wellington City (Brooklyn) Rate Payer

 

Thank you for your email dated 11 July 2025, to Te Kaunihera o Pōneke |
Wellington City Council (the Council), requesting the following
information: 

* As noted in our original request, we specifically asked for evidence
of accountability to confirm whether the funds disbursed were used as
intended. This evidence was not provided in your reply. We are
therefore reiterating this request, now in relation to specific line
items listed in your response:

 1. 2015 Funding – $6,300 - Purpose listed: “Facilitating Public
Access to Long Gully Bush Reserve & small mammal monitoring.”

 1. How was funding approved for a purpose that is evidently not
being fulfilled?

 2. b) Aerial Boneseed Control – 21 May 2024, $11,500

 1. We request any documented evidence that this activity took
place—such as photographs, flight logs, or third-party
monitoring reports, or maybe start with a contract with an
aerial company to include precisely this property. In the
absence of such verification, how is this expenditure
substantiated?

* 

* Governance and Oversight

 1. Your reply noted “site visits with Council Officers & WNHT.”
(previous response attached) Could you please clarify:

 1. Were these Council Officers are independent staff, or are
any of them also trustees or members of WNHT (e.g., Tim
Park, a founding member of the trust)?

 2. What governance structures are in place to ensure separation
between those who approve or monitor funding and those who may
have a vested interest in the Trust?

* 

* I would appreciate clear documentation of the decision-making and
evidence that supports why Wellington City Council is effectively
paying $100 per hour to manage what is, in substance, a private
property.

Your request is being considered under the Local Government Official
Information and Meetings Act 1987 (LGOIMA).  

 

This letter is to advise you that the Council needs to extend the due date
of your response for 5 working days, pursuant to section 14(1)(b) of the
LGOIMA, as consultations necessary to make a decision on the request are
such that a proper response to the request cannot reasonably be made
within the original time limit. 

 

For this reason, you can expect a response from the Council no later
than ​15 August 2025.

 

You have the right, by way of complaint under section 27(3) of the LGOIMA,
to request an investigation and review of the Council’s decision to extend
by the Ombudsman. Information about how to make a complaint is available
at [1]www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or freephone 0800 802 602.  

 

If you require further information, please contact
[2][Wellington City Council request email].  

 

Nāku noa, nā 

Asha Harry

Official Information | Wellington City Council
E [3][email address] | W [4]Wellington.govt.nz 

The information contained in this email is privileged and confidential and
intended for the addressee only. If you are not the intended recipient,
you are asked to respect that confidentiality and not disclose, copy or
make use of its contents. If received in error, you are asked to destroy
this email and contact the sender immediately. Your assistance is
appreciated

show quoted sections

From: Wellington City (Brooklyn) Rate Payer
<[FOI #31179 email]>
Sent: 11 July 2025 22:52
To: BUS: Official Information <[email address]>
Subject: Re: IRC-8538 - Official Information request - WNHT: Funding
provided by WCC
 
Dear BUS: Official Information,

Addendum
I would like to add the following to my earlier request.

The current action plan from the Wellington Natural Heritage Trust
(available here:
[7]https://aus01.safelinks.protection.outlo...) notes
a total of 53 days of contributed activity per year. Assuming a standard
8-hour workday, this equates to approximately 424 hours.

As a ratepayer—along with many others—I would appreciate clear
documentation of the decision-making and evidence that supports why
Wellington City Council is effectively paying $100 per hour to manage what
is, in substance, a private property. This level of expenditure seems
difficult to justify in the current economic climate, where many
households are under pressure.

Yours sincerely,

Wellington City (Brooklyn) Rate Payer

show quoted sections

Kia ora Wellington City (Brooklyn) Rate Payer
I am writing to advise that I have been unable to complete the necessary
consultation within the extended timeframe due to officer unavailability.

Accordingly, I am extending the timeframe for responding to your request
under section 14(1)(b) of the Local Government Official Information and
Meetings Act 1987 (LGOIMA), as the consultations required to make a
decision on your request are such that a proper response cannot reasonably
be made within the original time limit.

You can expect to receive a response from the Council no later than 20
August 2025.

I apologise for the delay and appreciate your patience while we work to
finalise our response.

You have the right, by way of complaint under section 27(3) of the LGOIMA,
to request an investigation and review of the Council’s decision to extend
by the Ombudsman. Information about how to make a complaint is available
at [1]www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or freephone 0800 802 602.  

 

If you require further information, please contact
[2][Wellington City Council request email].  

Asha Harry

Official Information | Wellington City Council
E [3][email address] | W [4]Wellington.govt.nz 

The information contained in this email is privileged and confidential and
intended for the addressee only. If you are not the intended recipient,
you are asked to respect that confidentiality and not disclose, copy or
make use of its contents. If received in error, you are asked to destroy
this email and contact the sender immediately. Your assistance is
appreciated

show quoted sections

From: BUS: Official Information <[email address]>
Sent: 15 July 2025 08:59
To: Wellington City (Brooklyn) Rate Payer
<[FOI #31179 email]>
Cc: BUS: Official Information <[email address]>
Subject: IRC-8736 - Official Information request - WNHT: Funding &
Accountability
 
Kia ora Wellington City (Brooklyn) Rate Payer.
Thank you for your email dated 11 July requesting information.

Our team will manage your request under the Local Government Official
Information and Meetings Act 1987 which requires us to provide a decision
as soon as possible, but no later than 8 August, being 20 working days of
receipt.

The reference number for your request is IRC-8736.

Please contact us if you have any further questions.

Kind regards

Official Information & Privacy Team
Email: [Wellington City Council request email]
Wellington City Council | W Wellington.govt.nz | |

Asha Harry

Official Information | Wellington City Council
E [9][email address] | W [10]Wellington.govt.nz 

The information contained in this email is privileged and confidential and
intended for the addressee only. If you are not the intended recipient,
you are asked to respect that confidentiality and not disclose, copy or
make use of its contents. If received in error, you are asked to destroy
this email and contact the sender immediately. Your assistance is
appreciated

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Wellington City (Brooklyn) Rate Payer
<[FOI #31179 email]>
Sent: 11 July 2025 22:52
To: BUS: Official Information <[email address]>
Subject: Re: IRC-8538 - Official Information request - WNHT: Funding
provided by WCC
 
Dear BUS: Official Information,

Addendum
I would like to add the following to my earlier request.

The current action plan from the Wellington Natural Heritage Trust
(available here:
[11]https://aus01.safelinks.protection.outlo...) notes
a total of 53 days of contributed activity per year. Assuming a standard
8-hour workday, this equates to approximately 424 hours.

As a ratepayer—along with many others—I would appreciate clear
documentation of the decision-making and evidence that supports why
Wellington City Council is effectively paying $100 per hour to manage what
is, in substance, a private property. This level of expenditure seems
difficult to justify in the current economic climate, where many
households are under pressure.

Yours sincerely,

Wellington City (Brooklyn) Rate Payer

show quoted sections

Kia ora Wellington City (Brooklyn) Rate Payer
Please see attached response to your request for information. 
Thank you for your patience on this request. 
Kind Regards

Asha Harry

Official Information | Wellington City Council
E [1][email address] | W [2]Wellington.govt.nz 

The information contained in this email is privileged and confidential and
intended for the addressee only. If you are not the intended recipient,
you are asked to respect that confidentiality and not disclose, copy or
make use of its contents. If received in error, you are asked to destroy
this email and contact the sender immediately. Your assistance is
appreciated

show quoted sections

From: BUS: Official Information <[email address]>
Sent: 08 August 2025 14:34
To: Wellington City (Brooklyn) Rate Payer
<[FOI #31179 email]>
Cc: BUS: Official Information <[email address]>
Subject: Re: IRC-8736 - Official Information request - WNHT: Funding &
Accountability
 

Tēnā koe Wellington City (Brooklyn) Rate Payer

 

Thank you for your email dated 11 July 2025, to Te Kaunihera o Pōneke |
Wellington City Council (the Council), requesting the following
information: 

* As noted in our original request, we specifically asked for evidence
of accountability to confirm whether the funds disbursed were used as
intended. This evidence was not provided in your reply. We are
therefore reiterating this request, now in relation to specific line
items listed in your response:

 1. 2015 Funding – $6,300 - Purpose listed: “Facilitating Public
Access to Long Gully Bush Reserve & small mammal monitoring.”

 1. How was funding approved for a purpose that is evidently not
being fulfilled?

 2. b) Aerial Boneseed Control – 21 May 2024, $11,500

 1. We request any documented evidence that this activity took
place—such as photographs, flight logs, or third-party
monitoring reports, or maybe start with a contract with an
aerial company to include precisely this property. In the
absence of such verification, how is this expenditure
substantiated?

* 

* Governance and Oversight

 1. Your reply noted “site visits with Council Officers & WNHT.”
(previous response attached) Could you please clarify:

 1. Were these Council Officers are independent staff, or are
any of them also trustees or members of WNHT (e.g., Tim
Park, a founding member of the trust)?

 2. What governance structures are in place to ensure separation
between those who approve or monitor funding and those who may
have a vested interest in the Trust?

* 

* I would appreciate clear documentation of the decision-making and
evidence that supports why Wellington City Council is effectively
paying $100 per hour to manage what is, in substance, a private
property.

Your request is being considered under the Local Government Official
Information and Meetings Act 1987 (LGOIMA).  

 

This letter is to advise you that the Council needs to extend the due date
of your response for 5 working days, pursuant to section 14(1)(b) of the
LGOIMA, as consultations necessary to make a decision on the request are
such that a proper response to the request cannot reasonably be made
within the original time limit. 

 

For this reason, you can expect a response from the Council no later
than ​15 August 2025.

 

You have the right, by way of complaint under section 27(3) of the LGOIMA,
to request an investigation and review of the Council’s decision to extend
by the Ombudsman. Information about how to make a complaint is available
at [7]www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or freephone 0800 802 602.  

 

If you require further information, please contact
[8][Wellington City Council request email].  

 

Nāku noa, nā 

Asha Harry

Official Information | Wellington City Council
E [9][email address] | W [10]Wellington.govt.nz 

The information contained in this email is privileged and confidential and
intended for the addressee only. If you are not the intended recipient,
you are asked to respect that confidentiality and not disclose, copy or
make use of its contents. If received in error, you are asked to destroy
this email and contact the sender immediately. Your assistance is
appreciated

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: BUS: Official Information <[email address]>
Sent: 15 July 2025 08:59
To: Wellington City (Brooklyn) Rate Payer
<[FOI #31179 email]>
Cc: BUS: Official Information <[email address]>
Subject: IRC-8736 - Official Information request - WNHT: Funding &
Accountability
 
Kia ora Wellington City (Brooklyn) Rate Payer.
Thank you for your email dated 11 July requesting information.

Our team will manage your request under the Local Government Official
Information and Meetings Act 1987 which requires us to provide a decision
as soon as possible, but no later than 8 August, being 20 working days of
receipt.

The reference number for your request is IRC-8736.

Please contact us if you have any further questions.

Kind regards

Official Information & Privacy Team
Email: [Wellington City Council request email]
Wellington City Council | W Wellington.govt.nz | |

Asha Harry

Official Information | Wellington City Council
E [11][email address] | W [12]Wellington.govt.nz 

The information contained in this email is privileged and confidential and
intended for the addressee only. If you are not the intended recipient,
you are asked to respect that confidentiality and not disclose, copy or
make use of its contents. If received in error, you are asked to destroy
this email and contact the sender immediately. Your assistance is
appreciated

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Wellington City (Brooklyn) Rate Payer
<[FOI #31179 email]>
Sent: 11 July 2025 22:52
To: BUS: Official Information <[email address]>
Subject: Re: IRC-8538 - Official Information request - WNHT: Funding
provided by WCC
 
Dear BUS: Official Information,

Addendum
I would like to add the following to my earlier request.

The current action plan from the Wellington Natural Heritage Trust
(available here:
[13]https://aus01.safelinks.protection.outlo...) notes
a total of 53 days of contributed activity per year. Assuming a standard
8-hour workday, this equates to approximately 424 hours.

As a ratepayer—along with many others—I would appreciate clear
documentation of the decision-making and evidence that supports why
Wellington City Council is effectively paying $100 per hour to manage what
is, in substance, a private property. This level of expenditure seems
difficult to justify in the current economic climate, where many
households are under pressure.

Yours sincerely,

Wellington City (Brooklyn) Rate Payer

show quoted sections

Kia ora Wellington City (Brooklyn) Rate Payer

 

Thank you for your email dated 18 August 2025, to Te Kaunihera o Pōneke |
Wellington City Council (the Council) requesting the following
information:

 

·         What other Trusts are this Trust's trustees involved in, that
also receive WCC and/or GWRC funding?

               

Your request has been considered under the Local Government Official
Information and Meetings Act 1987 (LGOIMA).

 

The Council can confirm that one Council employee is a trustee of the
Wellington Natural Heritage Trust (WNHT). This employee has declared
conflicts of interest in relation to other organisations that receive
Council funding. They are not involved in any funding decisions for these
organisations and have appropriately declared their interests.

In regards to this employee the Council is withholding further information
under the following provisions:

* Section 53(b)(i) of the Privacy Act 2020, as releasing the information
would involve the unwarranted disclosure of another individual’s
affairs.
* Section 7(2)(a) of the LGOIMA, to protect the privacy of natural
persons.

 

The Council’s Parks, Sport and Recreation team does not hold information
in a format that enables easy identification of trustee associations.
Officers are unable to recall whether trustees of the WNHT are associated
with other organisations that may have received Council funding.
Accordingly, this part of your request is refused under section 17(g)(i)
of the LGOIMA, as the information is not held by the Council and there are
no grounds to believe it is held by another local authority, department,
Minister of the Crown, or organisation.

 

You are welcome to look at our [1]funding decisions which is publicly
available to see what organisation receive funding. Alternative if you
have a specific trust name that we can search on your behalf please let us
know. 

 

The Council can not comment on Greater Wellington Regional Council
funding. We are happy to transfer this part of the request to them, if you
can please confirm if you would like us to do this for you. 

 

You have the right, by way of complaint under section 27(3) of the LGOIMA,
to request an investigation and review of the Council’s decision by the
Ombudsman. Information about how to make a complaint is available at
[2]www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or freephone 0800 802 602.

 

If you require further information, please contact
[3][Wellington City Council request email].

Kind Regards

Asha Harry

Official Information | Wellington City Council
E [4][email address] | W [5]Wellington.govt.nz 

The information contained in this email is privileged and confidential and
intended for the addressee only. If you are not the intended recipient,
you are asked to respect that confidentiality and not disclose, copy or
make use of its contents. If received in error, you are asked to destroy
this email and contact the sender immediately. Your assistance is
appreciated

Asha Harry

Official Information | Wellington City Council
E [6][email address] | W [7]Wellington.govt.nz 

The information contained in this email is privileged and confidential and
intended for the addressee only. If you are not the intended recipient,
you are asked to respect that confidentiality and not disclose, copy or
make use of its contents. If received in error, you are asked to destroy
this email and contact the sender immediately. Your assistance is
appreciated

show quoted sections

 From: BUS: Official Information <[email address]>
 Sent: 15 July 2025 08:59
 To: Wellington City (Brooklyn) Rate Payer
 <[FOI #31179 email]>
 Cc: BUS: Official Information <[email address]>
 Subject: IRC-8736 - Official Information request - WNHT: Funding &
 Accountability
  
 Kia ora Wellington City (Brooklyn) Rate Payer.
 Thank you for your email dated 11 July requesting information.

 Our team will manage your request under the Local Government Official
 Information and Meetings Act 1987 which requires us to provide a decision
 as soon as possible, but no later than 8 August, being 20 working days of
 receipt.

 The reference number for your request is IRC-8736.

 Please contact us if you have any further questions.

 Kind regards

 Official Information & Privacy Team
 Email: [Wellington City Council request email]
 Wellington City Council | W Wellington.govt.nz | |

 Asha Harry

 Official Information | Wellington City Council
 E [11][email address] | W [12]Wellington.govt.nz 

 The information contained in this email is privileged and confidential
and
 intended for the addressee only. If you are not the intended recipient,
 you are asked to respect that confidentiality and not disclose, copy or
 make use of its contents. If received in error, you are asked to destroy
 this email and contact the sender immediately. Your assistance is
 appreciated

 --------------------------------------------------------------------------

 From: Wellington City (Brooklyn) Rate Payer
 <[FOI #31179 email]>
 Sent: 11 July 2025 22:52
 To: BUS: Official Information <[email address]>
 Subject: Re: IRC-8538 - Official Information request - WNHT: Funding
 provided by WCC
  
 Dear BUS: Official Information,

 Addendum
 I would like to add the following to my earlier request.

 The current action plan from the Wellington Natural Heritage Trust
 (available here:
 [13]https://aus01.safelinks.protection.outlo...) notes
 a total of 53 days of contributed activity per year. Assuming a standard
 8-hour workday, this equates to approximately 424 hours.

 As a ratepayer—along with many others—I would appreciate clear
 documentation of the decision-making and evidence that supports why
 Wellington City Council is effectively paying $100 per hour to manage
what
 is, in substance, a private property. This level of expenditure seems
 difficult to justify in the current economic climate, where many
 households are under pressure.

 Yours sincerely,

 Wellington City (Brooklyn) Rate Payer

-------------------------------------------------------------------
Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #31179 email]

Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on
the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
[8]https://aus01.safelinks.protection.outlo...

If you find this service useful as an Official Information officer, please
ask your web manager to link to us from your organisation's OIA or LGOIMA
page.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

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