Dear Whanganui District Council,

Dear Whanganui District Council,

The Splash Centre Council facility operates a real time lane availability system. Sadly it is often not correct.

Some recent examples are:
Saturday showing lanes available for swimmers at 6.30am Saturday. It isn’t open then.
During recent (sat 01 Nov) water problem it showed 4 public lanes available for 6am Monday after I rang and was told no public until 7.45am at 3.pm on Sunday. It was not changed at all period. People were misinformed even with Splash knowing over 12 hours in advance.

1. Why is the real time lane system often not keeping up with real time or why is it misinforming in real time?
2. When a change is made what is the formal procedure to be followed by staff from time change is known by staff to end with the system displaying correct information to ensure the real time lane system is displaying the changes that were needed / have been made?
3. Who is responsible for ensuring this procedure is carried out effectively? Web people? Pool people? Council staff?
4. Please explain how the system operates when working in real time.
5. What plans are in place to ensure we cease displaying wrong information on a regular basis including weekends when there may be reduced staff but unexpected.
6. What is the annual operating cost of the real time lane advice system?

Yours faithfully,

Gregory Soar

Dear WDC Information Request,

Thank you for your reply. I absolutely appreciate it albeit though it appears at this stage that it is not aligned to fact in some parts, as follows.

I am not in receipt of costs as stated by you in question 6 re February 24. That cost was for the two hand held scanning machines etc. I cannot see anything in your response then related to the real time lane advice operating costs. Could you please provide the information requested in my current request as I cannot for the life of me see it where you suggest / it has not been supplied as yet.? If you say it was in the answer Feb 24 please highlight it for me incase it has been missed by me? I simply see no such information re real time lane advice there at all. Please could you clarify clearly that information?

I only need that information or a lawful response to that part now to consider the request completed thank you. It has not been previously provided that I can see.

Hopefully then we can see an improvement in the errors and misleading information being provided to clients from time to time. It is the elderly and frail inconvenienced that I wish to see ended / reduced as much as possible.

Thank you for such a speedy response. Much appreciated. I’m am in no hurry for the last part re costs but don’t see that which was requested as having been responded to lawfully yet. I am not in receipt of those costs requested this time or a permitted response. Can this be provided please?

Yours sincerely,

Gregory Soar

Dear WDC Information Request,

Sorry that does not reply to questions asked. I cannot consider you have responded appropriately until you actually address the questions asked.

1. There is nothing above or as yet in regard annual operating costs of the real time lane advice system. Nothing at all and that was what was asked. Quite a simple question but after two attempts you have failed to address the question asked. There is nothing about those costs in the Feb 2024 reply and you can clearly read what we all can? Please do so to enable completion of my request?

2. Your response stated no staff were absent that lead to lane closures and had never had this occur. Again I never said that, never asked about that. Why have you written such a thing? I suggested that the real time lane advice was out date giving wrong information for multiple days and thus mislead clients. Yes, there was an error showing slots pre 6am or pre 8am on weekend as you say but also as you say they showed x indicating no lanes available. I agree. No wrong advice there.

However you chose to not mention what I raised, the fact the lane system was giving incorrect times advice showing the public could use lanes. This was wrong from at least 3pm Sunday 2nd November all the way through until Tuesday 4th November. Why did you not address this issue as asked? I know it was known at 3pm Sunday because I rang and asked yet you did not change the live lane advice for multiple days. This is the issue being asked about WDC.

People turned up expecting lanes because they were advised by the lane system they could have a choice of 4 lanes. This from 6am Mon until 7.30 when no lanes existed for the public due swim club use. Same on Tuesday.

Thus to recap for you clarity of comprehension:
Your lane system gave wrong advice for two days even though it was known those lanes would not be used because they were allocated to swim club. This was known bedore 3-m Sunday as I was to,d that when checking by phone. You chose to leave the lane real time system telling us all that these lanes were available.

My entire request is about finding out why the public were wrongly advised for mutlpile days that lead to elderly and others turning up only to be told no swimming until 7.30am.

It is not ok to say we posted on FB. One, many do not use FB. 2. The live lane availability system is live we are told. Your FB post said until further advised no lanes. One then looks at live lane after your FB post and assumes this advice, now being given AFTER your FB post is an UPDATE and should be believed! Why would anyone think a real time system is out of date for multiple days?

No, you have deliberately side stepped my questions with what can only be described as a deliberate attempt to pervert the purpose of the Official Information Act. I am disgusted about that and am trying to make an appointment with B. McKerrow to discuss such a deviation from the Act in such a continued and purposeful way.

The purpose fo the Act is to:
1. Increase the availability of Offical Information to the people of NZ.
2. Promote accountability of elected officials
3. Enhance respect for law including at local,body level
4. To provide proper information access by everyone when that information concerns themselves.

Your responses to date have failed to address what was actually asked. The responses, given in an extremely short period of less than one day are off mark and appear deliberately designed to not provide the information sought. Even after stating there was no response to the question of annual operating costs you failed to respond in your second reply with that information or any lawful response to it.

I ask you address my questions in a more serious manner. I ask you take time and use due diligence. I ask you apply the Act correctly and in the manner intended by those who enacted it.

Please answer as to why the real time live lane system was out of date for over 2 days thus inconveniencing client?

I have screen shots unable to be attached here. I am happy to send them if your enable a method. You advised clients that there were 4 lanes available in school pool 6am Monday . You further say no clients were inconvenienced but fact states otherwise. Please rectify these false advices? Please address what was officially asked?

Please actually address the questions asked in my original request as they have been avoided and quite deliberately and repeatedly it seems at this point. I consider WDC is deliberately interfering with my right to the provisions of the Official Information Act 1982 s(4)(a)(b).

Please comply with the Act requirements and within timeframes.

Yours sincerely,

Gregory Soar