10 July 2025
Official information request 8140016479
(Please quote this in any correspondence)
John Smith
By email
: [FYI request #31326 email]
Tēnā koe John
Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 (LGOIMA)
RE: Requesting the Mayor’s Office to Clarify the Recovery Office’s use of
Consultants, Cost Controls, and Procurement Process for House Relocators.
Thank you for your official information request which we received on 17 June 2025. The
specific details of your request and our response is below:
In light of the recent increase in rates, and acknowledging the Mayor’s publicly stated
commitment to avoiding unnecessary spending, I am seeking clarification on how the
Recovery Office is managing its expenditure on sustainability initiatives, particularly in
relation to the use of external consultants.
Specifically, I request the following information:
1. Use of Sustainability Consultants Despite Prequalified Panel Contractors
Auckland Council’s Deconstruction Panel was established through a competitive
procurement process that placed strong emphasis on environmental and sustainability
credentials. The panel consists of contractors with demonstrated expertise in
sustainable deconstruction, structural dismantling, and house removal. As part of that
process, several very capable companies, including Ward Demolition and Yakka, were
found not to meet the required environmental benchmark and were therefore not
appointed.
Given this context:
a. Why is the Recovery Office engaging additional sustainability consultants?
The recovery resource advisors have been engaged to ensure the project meets the goals of
the Waste Management and Minimisation Plan and the Low Carbon Auckland Plan, by
assessing each home to make sure all options—such as relocation, deconstruction, or
demolition—are fully considered before a final decision about the fate of the building is
made.
b. What specific capability gaps are these consultants addressing that are not already
covered by the deconstruction panel contractors?
Private Bag 92300, Auckland 1142 |
aucklandcouncil.govt.nz |
Ph 09 301 0101
The advisors bring specialist skills and a structured approach to resource recovery, helping
Auckland Council achieve its low carbon and waste minimisation goals. They have broad
knowledge and strong networks in recovery and relocation, and provide a more methodical
way of determining each building’s future.
c. What steps are being taken to avoid duplication of expertise or unnecessary cost?
The advisors do not carry out any removals or deconstruction. There is no duplication of
expertise with panel suppliers
.
2. Cost Control and Value-for-Money Mechanisms
Please describe the internal processes, tools, or frameworks used by the Recovery
Office to ensure sustainability-related spending delivers best value for money. In
particular:
a. Are sustainability consultants engaged on a project-by-project basis, or are they
retained more generally across the programme of work?
They are retained across the programme of work.
b. Are formal cost-benefit assessments, benchmarking tools, or similar evaluations
applied before consultants are engaged?
This work is based on a cost-benefit analysis of deconstruction conducted by Auckland
Council in 2019.
c. Is there a requirement to demonstrate that consultant input cannot be sourced from
within the existing Deconstruction Panel? The Resource Recovery advisors provide a different role, being coordination and advisory
across the Deconstruction Panel, compared to the panel contractors. This ensures the
deconstruction contractors are delivering in accordance with the deconstruction works
contracts, and this includes providing independent advice to internal council teams.
d. How is the performance and impact of sustainability consultants assessed following
their engagement, and are those results reviewed or reported?
Performance of the programme overall and achievement of outcomes is tracked by the
Recovery Office. These outcomes cover a range of financial and non-financial outcomes
including carbon reduction, social procurement and support for emerging suppliers.
e. Are there any tools or evaluation methods used during or after a project that
specifically measure and demonstrate the financial benefit of having these consultants
on board?
The results for each property that goes through the home removal process is tracked
against the overall financial and non-financial outcomes of the programme.
The decision on behalf of Auckland Council to respond to your request as above was made
by
Mace Ward, Group Recovery Manager.
Private Bag 92300, Auckland 1142 |
aucklandcouncil.govt.nz |
Ph 09 301 0101
3. Oversight by the Mayor’s Office
We have interpreted the below questions to be specifically concerning the Mayor’s Office
involvement and knowledge.
a. What oversight or review function does the Mayor’s Office have over the Recovery
Office’s sustainability-related expenditure?
The Mayor and Mayor’s office staff are part of the advisory group delegated to oversee
recovery activity including providing political guidance on indicative plans for activity like
deconstruction or house removals. There is no involvement in operational decision making.
b. Has the Mayor or the Office issued any guidance, expectations, or thresholds to
ensure that such spending is necessary, cost-effective, and aligned with Council’s
procurement framework, particularly where qualified panel providers are already in
place?
Yes, the Mayor was very clear that value for money and minimising costs to ratepayers was
the primary driver to achieve recovery outcomes.
d. Can the Mayor’s Office confirm whether house relocation contractors have been
subject to the same panel procurement process as deconstruction contractors? If not,
what is the justification for this difference? The Mayor’s office has not been part of the procurement process so can not comment on
this.
e. If contractors such as Ward Demolition and Yakka were excluded from the panel for
not meeting environmental benchmarks, what criteria or process permitted the
appointment of house relocators who may not have been held to the same standard?
These contractors, along with others, invested thousands of dollars in preparing formal
submissions and presentations to meet the Council’s benchmark requirements. Given
that level of commitment and scrutiny, it is important to understand whether the same
level of rigour has been applied consistently across all supplier categories. The Mayor’s office has not been part of the procurement process so can not comment on
this.
Given the financial pressure currently being placed on Auckland ratepayers, I believe
there is strong public interest in ensuring that Recovery Office spending is not only
environmentally principled but also fiscally disciplined and consistent with Council
procurement strategy. The Mayor’s office has not been part of the procurement process so can not comment on
this.
The decision on behalf of Auckland Council to respond to your request as above was made
by
Lou-Ann Ballantyne, General Manager Governance and Engagement.
Private Bag 92300, Auckland 1142 |
aucklandcouncil.govt.nz |
Ph 09 301 0101
You have the right to complain to the Ombudsman if you believe we have not responded
appropriately to your request. Information about how to make a complaint is available at
www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or freephone 0800 802 602.
If you have any questions, please contact us on 09 301 0101 or at –
[email address]
Ngā mihi
Molly Janes Te Hoa Kaipakihi Pārongo Matatapu, Ōkawa hoki |
Privacy and Official Information Business Partner
Te Wheako ā-Kirihoko me ngā Ratonga Matihiko | Customer Experience & Digital Services
Te Kaunihera o Tāmaki Makaurau | Auckland Council
Private Bag 92300, Auckland 1142 |
aucklandcouncil.govt.nz |
Ph 09 301 0101
