29 August 2025
Gerard Paver
By email:
[email address] Dear Mr Paver,
LOCAL GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL INFORMATION AND MEETINGS ACT 1987 (LGOIMA)
REQUESTS
I refer to your official information requests dated 30 July 2025 and 4 August 2025.
Given the number of individual requests, the decisions on these requests are set out in the
attached Appendix to this letter. These have been collated and grouped by subject matter.
As identified in the Appendix, part of the information you have requested is enclosed.
However, we have decided to refuse your requests for certain information as explained below.
In other cases, we are extending the time period for our decision. We have provided further
details below, and in the Appendix. The request numbers respond to those used in the
Appendix.
Request 1 We understand your request to be a summary of the content of all records disposed of by
Horizons since 2018. Unfortunately, it will not be possible to advise you of Horizons decision
within 20- working days of your request, and we are notifying you of an extension of time for
our decision, to 15 September 2025.
This extension is necessary as the scope of your request is broad and will necessitate a search
through a large quantity of information to inform Horizons decisions. Meeting the original
operations due to staff needing to be
reassigned to this task.
Request 2(d)
information. These requests are therefore refused under s 17(e) as the information requested
no longer exists.
Request 3 Horizons does not hold records of each individual file in its archives. Further detail is provided
in the appendix below. These requests are refused under s 17(e) as the information requested
no longer exists.
Taumarunui | Whanganui | Marton | Woodville | Palmerston North | Kairanga
24 hour freephone 0508 800 800 | fax 06 952 2929 | email [Manawatu-Wanganui Regional Council request email]
Private Bag 11025,
Requests 8-9
As we have indicated, we are required to advise you of our decision on your request no later
than 20 working days after the day we received your request. Unfortunately, it will not be
possible to meet that time limit, and an extension is necessary on our decision on these
requests, to 15 September 2025.
Again, this request is for a large quantity of information, which requires a search of a large
quantity of information. Council officers will need to be reassigned from existing tasks to do
so wi
operations.
In light of the above, we again ask whether you would please consider our request to clarify
dated 8 August 2025 and refine your requests 1, and 8-9. This would assist us in responding to
your requests. We further note that the amount of resource required to process your request
means that Horizons may consider charging for making any requested information available.
You have the right to seek an investigation and review by the Ombudsman of this decision.
Information about how to make a complaint is available
at www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or
freephone 0800 802 602.
Yours sincerely,
On behalf of LGOIMA
Appendix
NO.
REQUEST
DECISION
COMMENT / RESPONSE
Information management and record keeping
Confirm in writing what documentation (if any) has been actually
Extension of time for decision until 15 September
1.
deleted since my initial request to Grant Cooper 2018 and our
2025
subsequent meeting in 2019.
the following records, which were those
confirmed to have been disposed of in our
response to your 2 July LGOIMA request:
The date(s) of visits by Derek Ryan to
Regarding the deleted records, please provide copies of all disposal
2.
DMPFarm in relation to the River Accord or
authorisation documentation, including:
Environmental Planning, and copies of any
meeting notes.
The names of property owners visited by
Derek Ryan as part of the sign-up process
mentioned in the 2013 Environmental
Committee report.
DA418 appears to be a Disposal Authority relevant
to the Inland Revenue Department. It does not
The classification of the records under the Local
records are classified under that Disposal
a.
Government Retention and Disposal Schedule (DA418),
Granted
Authority.
specifically under section 5.4.2 or any other relevant section;
Horizons uses the ALGIM Toolkit T2 Retention
and Disposal Schedule (and is authorised to do so
by the Chief Archivist). Based on the description
Taumarunui | Whanganui | Marton | Woodville | Palmerston North | Kairanga
24 hour freephone 0508 800 800 | fax 06 952 2929 | email [Manawatu-Wanganui Regional Council request email]
Private Bag 11025,
NO.
REQUEST
DECISION
COMMENT / RESPONSE
of the records in question, we determined they
would have been classified Z23.5.5 (Statutory and
strategic planning and reporting, programme
management, internal communications) under
that schedule. See a copy of the ALGIM attached.
Confirmation of the retention period used and how it was
Confirmed as 3 years, assessed from the date
b.
Granted
assessed;
information was last entered into the record.
A copy of the ALGIM Toolkit T2 Retention and
Any internal documentation, forms, or approvals used to
Disposal Schedule is provided alongside this
c.
Granted
justify or support the disposal decision;
response, which reiterates the justification for
disposal explained above.
The name or position title of the staff member or records
d.
Refused s 17(e)
not identify the individual responsible for
manager who authorised the disposal;
authorising disposal of this information.
Horizons does not hold individual records in its
archives records are categorised into folders
relating to their subject matter. When a folder is
assessed as eligible for disposal, it is recorded
that the contents of the folder have been
A copy of the disposal log or register showing all records deleted in
disposed of. However, the individual files within
relation to the environmental grant or land management plan I
the folder are not recorded. This request is
3.
Refused s 17(e)
raised concerns about, including, record titles, dates and methods of
therefore refused as the specific information you
disposal, and responsible individual.
have requested does not exist.
However, based on the description of the records
in question, we determined they would have been
classified Z23.5.5 (Statutory and strategic planning
and reporting, programme management, internal
communications) under that schedule.
NO.
REQUEST
DECISION
COMMENT / RESPONSE
Confirm if HRC maintains system-level backups (e.g., disaster
4.
Granted
Confirmed.
recovery, server backups, email archives).
5.
Confirm if HRC uses tools such as:
a.
Off-site backups
Confirmed.
Horizons does not currently use these tools. It
Microsoft SharePoint, cloud archives, or file versioning
b.
Granted
plans to begin rolling these out from October
platforms.
2025 onwards.
c.
Email archiving systems
Confirmed.
d.
Any other secondary storage
Confirmed.
Grants/funding documents
Provide the original signed document(s) between HRC and the
6.
Refused s 17(e)
These documents no longer exist.
sharemilker.
Disclose all correspondence, meeting notes, approvals, and internal
7.
Refused s 17(e)
These documents no longer exist.
discussions relating to the EFP process and visits to our farm.
Details of all grants, gifts, donations, or public financial contributions
8.
issued under the Manawatu River Leaders Accord including
Extension of time to 15 September 2025
riparian fencing and planting grants, from inception to date:
a.
Date awarded
b.
Name or location of farm.
c.
Name of recipient or recipient organisation
Amount awarded or contributed (regardless of whether
d.
classified as a grant, gift, donation, or ratepayer-funded
support)
NO.
REQUEST
DECISION
COMMENT / RESPONSE
Purpose of the award (e.g. fencing, planting, or both as
e.
described in the original application)
f.
Total funding pool available by year
g.
Names of the awarding committee members for each year
If there are other granting bodies (such as in Pahiatua, Dannevirke,
Extension of time to
9.
Norsewood, or Wairarapa), please advise the details and provide the
15 September 2025
list for those areas.
Other
Confirm actions taken by CEO and Audit Chair in response to 2019
10.
Granted
fraud concerns.
Confirm actions taken after Dr Roygard confirmed unauthorised use
11.
Granted
of funds in 2023.
Confirmation of whether the Chief Archivist was formally advised of
12.
Granted
confirmation of unauthorised use of public monies.
Confirm measures taken to ensure grants were given to intended
13.
Granted
landowners.
