10 October 2025
File Ref: IRC-9053
David Tripp
[FYI request #32231 email]
Tēnā koe David
Thank you for your request of 24 September 2025 to Te Kaunihera o Pōneke | Wel ington City Council
(the Council) requesting information regarding dog control across Te Ara Tupua
. Your request has
been considered under the Local Government Of icial Information and Meetings Act 1987 (LGOIMA). I
have addressed your questions in turn below.
Dear Wel ington City Council,
Hutt City Council has recently considered dog control issues of the Te Ara Tupua Cycling and
Walking Path from Ngauranga to Petone. Much of this path is within Wel ington City Council's
jurisdiction.
Documents from Hutt City Council reference communications with WCC and assessments
done by WCC.
We request:
- all internal or external reports, assessments, and emails dealing specifical y with issues
regarding dog control issues on this path, and
The Te Ara Tupua Cycling and Walking Path from Ngauranga to Petone was not open during the
latest review of the Dog Policy and Animal Bylaw. As a result, the Council’s Policy team did not
consider its status for off-leash, restricted, or prohibited status. Therefore, your request for
assessment of dog control issues on this path is refused pursuant to section 17(e) of the LGOIMA as
the document alleged to contain the information requested does not exist or, despite reasonable
efforts to locate it, cannot be found.
Additionally, I can confirm that from 2020 to the date of your request, Animal Services (dog control)
have had no complaints about any dogs on the Te Ara Tupua Cycling and Walking Path between
Ngauranga to Petone.
In accordance with our Dog Policy, the default requirement is that dogs must remain on a lead in
public areas. The Dog Policy grants specific exemptions permitting off-leash activity in designated
public spaces, or where dogs are specifical y restricted or prohibited.
The pathway will restrict dogs to being on-lead (the default under the Council’s Dog Policy) and
restricts dogs to formed sections of the path. This decision was approved under the COVID-19
Recovery (Fast-track Consenting) Act 2020, and details on the decision ar
e here. Please refer to
conditions EM.7 and EM.7A on pages 41 and 42 of
the decision for further information.
Please find attached to this letter as
Appendix 01, correspondence within the scope of this part of
your request. Some information has been withheld pursuant to the fol owing sections of the LGOIMA:
˗ Section 7(2)(a) to protect the privacy of natural persons, including that of deceased natural
persons; and
˗ Some information has also been provided to you as an excerpt in accordance with section
15(1)(e) of the LGOIMA, by giving an excerpt or summary of the contents.
Additionally, some information in the Appendix has been removed as out of scope, as the information
was mixed and we are releasing to you the information relating to the scope of your request.
As per section 7(1) of the LGOIMA, I do not consider that in the circumstances of this response, the
withholding of this information is outweighed by the other considerations which render it desirable to
in the public interest to make the information available.
- all communications (including emails) between the area(s) of WCC responsible for issues
relating to dog control issues and WCCs Sustainable Transport staff.
No correspondence was found in scope of this part of your request. Therefore, this question is refused
pursuant to section 17(e) of the LGOIMA.
I trust this information is helpful. If you have any concerns about this response please contact
of [email address]. Alternatively, you are advised of your right to raise any concerns
with the Of ice of the Ombudsman at
www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or freephone 0800 802 602.
Nāku noa, nā
Laura McIlhone
Advisor
Of icial Information & Privacy
Wellington City Council
Wel ington City Council | 2 of 2
