23 February 2026
Trevor Mil s
Email Address: [FYI request #33574 email]
Kia ora Trevor
OFFICIAL INFORMATION REQUEST
I refer to your official information request dated 22 January 2026 seeking:
1. The total salaries and wages paid to employees for the period 1 January 2025 to 31
December 2025;
2. The total number of salaried and waged employees on the day before the current
Chief Executive commenced with Gisborne District Council; and
3. The total payout for al consultants employed by Gisborne District Council for the period
1 January 2025 to 31 December 2025, and what projects they were employed on.
Council wrote to you on 27 and 29 January 2026 seeking clarification in relation to Questions 2
and 3. As at the date of this letter, no clarification has been received.
Accordingly, Council has proceeded to respond to the parts of your request that are
sufficiently clear and has made a decision on the remaining parts as set out below.
Question 1 – Total salaries and wages (1 January 2025 to 31 December 2025)
$42m this figure reflects total salaries and wages paid during the specified calendar period.
Question 2 – Total number of employees on the day before the current Chief Executive
commenced
Council sought clarification as to whether you were referring to the Chief Executive’s original
commencement date or commencement of a subsequent term. As no clarification has been
received, this part of your request is refused under section 17(e) of the Local Government
Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 (LGOIMA), as the information requested cannot
be made available without substantial clarification of the request.
Question 3 – Consultant expenditure
For the period 1 January 2025 to 31 December 2025, total expenditure recorded in relation to
consultant and professional services is: $4.4m.
Council notes that there is no strict accounting distinction between “professional fees” and
“consultant costs”. In practice, external providers may be engaged to deliver professional
services (for example, legal, technical, or advisory services), and these costs may be recorded
across different cost centres depending on the nature of the engagement. Additional y,
consultant-related expenses may form part of broader service contracts and are not always
separately itemised.
In relation to the request for “what projects they were employed on”, Council sought
clarification as this phrase is broad and could encompass a wide range of operational and
capital activities. As no clarification has been received, this part of the request is refused under
section 17(e) of LGOIMA, as it cannot be reasonably interpreted without further clarification.
You have the right to seek an investigation and review of this decision by the Ombudsman.
Information about how to make a complaint is available a
t www.ombudsman.parliament.nz
or by cal ing 0800 802 602.
If
you
have
any
questions
regarding
this
response,
please
contact
[email address].
Noho ora mai
Melanie Hartung
Finance and Performance Manager
