By email
Shed 39, 2 Fryat Quay
Pipitea, Wellington 6011
22 March 2019
PO Box 11646
Manners Street
Wellington 6142
File Ref: OIAP-7-10164
T 04 384 5708
F 04 385 6960
Ben Hassall
www.gw.govt.nz
[FYI request #8373 email]
Dear Mr Hassall
Response to request for information 2019-106
I refer to your request for information dated 16 January 2019, which was received by Greater
Wellington Regional Council (GWRC) on 17 January 2018. Due to an internal oversight, this
request for information was not logged in accordance with GWRC’s usual procedures, and
we acknowledge this response is overdue. We appreciate your patience in this matter.
You have requested the following information:
“...
However there is one remaining point of confusion in the information I have requested. This
relates to my follow-up request of 27 August 2018 asking for information about the GWRC
"series of workshops" that decided on the initial Transport Rate Differentials outlined in the
discussion paper presented to the Public Transport Review of Revenue Financing Policy
Working Group on the 20th September 2017:
Attachment 2: Discussion Paper Council Working Group 20 September 2017 Public
Transport Review of Revenue Financing Policy: This document outlines two options
for further consideration as well as the initial Benefit Ratios for different ratepayer
groups under the “Level of Benefit Option”. It states “These suggested differentials
were derived in a series of workshops with economics, policy, finance, and public
transport staff, exploring the relative benefits and impacts of public transport”.
Can I please have a copy of the meeting or management decision that eliminated two
of the initial four options as well as the assessing information on which this decision
was based?
Can I please have a copy of the meeting agendas, presentation information and
minutes for the “series of workshops with economics, policy, finance, and public
transport staff, exploring the relative benefits and impacts of public transport”?
RESPONSE TO REQUEST FOR INFORMATION 2019-106106
The GWRC response to this information was provided on 12th November 2018 and
stated:
I refer to your request for information dated 27 August 2018:
“8. Can I please have a copy of the meeting agendas, presentation information and
minutes for the “series of workshops with economics, policy, finance, and public
transport staff, exploring the relative benefits and impacts of public transport”?
GWRC’s response to the requests listed above follows:
8. The meeting agendas, presentation information and minutes for the “series of
workshops with economics, policy, finance, and public transport staff, exploring the
relative benefits and impacts of public transport”, including the time and place of the
workshops as well as a list of all who attended these workshops.
The series of workshops referred to did not have agendas and were not minuted.
However, the relevant findings and information presented were documented in the
working group presentations and papers that you have received (attachments 1 – 7 of
this request). Furthermore, we do not have a recorded list of attendees for these
meetings; it is only recorded those who were invited to the meetings. Those details
follow:
2-4pm on Friday, 28 July 2017: Revenue & Financing Policy Working Group (Shed
39, 2 Fryatt Quay, Pipitea) Invited attendees:
Dave Humm, General Manager, Corporate Services/Chief Financial Officer
Wayne Hastie, General Manager, Public Transport
Chris Laidlaw, Council Chair
Paul Swain, Councillor
Barbara Donaldson, Councillor
Roger Blakeley, Councillor
Ian McKinnon, Councillor
Mark Ford, Strategic Finance Manager
Samantha Gain, Manager, Legal, Asset Management & Procurement
Paul Kos, Manager, Public Transport Planning
Helen Chapman, Senior Transport Planner
Helen Gilbert, Revenue & Finance Policy Contractor
1-3pm on Wednesday, 20 September 2017: Revenue & Financing Policy Working
Group (Shed 39, 2 Fryatt Quay, Pipitea) Invited attendees: ...
1:30-3pm on Wednesday, 11 October 2017: Revenue & Financing Policy Working
Group (Shed 39, 2 Fyatt Quay, Pipitea) Invited attendees: ...
Approximately 1pm on Wednesday, 18 October 2017: Council Workshop (Westpac
Stadium conference room) Invited attendees: ...
1-3:30pm on Monday, 20 November 2017: Revenue & Financing Policy Working
Group (Shed 39, 2 Fryatt Quay, Pipitea) Invited attendees: ...
RESPONSE TO REQUEST FOR INFORMATION 2019-106
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Approximately 1pm on Wednesday, 13 December 2017: Council Workshop
(WestpacStadium conference room) Invited attendees: ...
The 12th November response appears to list the date/time and attendees of the Public
Transport Review of Revenue Financing Policy Working Group as it includes Councillor
representation but fails to provide any information on the date/time and attendees of the
"series of workshops with economics, policy, finance, and public transport staff, exploring
the relative benefits and impacts of public transport" referred to in the discussion paper
presented to the 20 September 2017 Working Group meeting. This is why I again, on the
22nd November 2018, requested:
Furthermore, in regards to my question 8, I asked for:
“The meeting agendas, presentation information and minutes for the “series of
workshops with economics, policy, finance, and public transport staff, exploring the
relative benefits and impacts of public transport”, including the time and place of the
workshops as well as a list of all who attended these workshops.”
The GWRC response on 18th December on this issue is very confusing:
As for the Councillor workshops, I ask for and want to know what information the GWRC
does have about “series of workshops with economics, policy, finance, and public transport
staff".
A) For each of these “workshops with economics, policy, finance, and public
transport staff", can you please provide the date/time, location, attendees and any
workshop information provided to the attendees (either before, during or after the
workshop)?
Greater Wellington Regional Council’s response follows.
8.A) The dates, times, locations and invited attendees were provided to you in the
request for information sent on 12 November 2018. The only information presented to
the attendees was by way of the discussion papers that you have previously received.
The latest GWRC response that "The dates, times, locations and invited attendees were
provided to you in the request for information sent on 12 November 2018" appears to be
confuse the request for:
I) the date/time and attendees of the Public Transport Review of Revenue Financing Policy
Working Group meetings and the date/time with the request for:
II) the date/time and attendees of the “series of workshops with economics, policy, finance,
and public transport staff, exploring the relative benefits and impacts of public transport”
referred on in Section 6.4 (Page 15) of the "Review of Revenue & Financing Policy – Public
Transport - Discussion paper for Councillor working group, 20 September 2017" provided as
Attachment 2 in the GWRC response of 12 November 2018.
I have received the information related to i) but I am yet to receive the requested information
related to II).
RESPONSE TO REQUEST FOR INFORMATION 2019-106
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Can I please have the date/time and attendees of the workshops referred to in the statement
“These suggested differentials were derived in a series of workshops with economics, policy,
finance, and public transport staff, exploring the relative benefits and impacts of public
transport” in Section 6.4 (Page 15) of the "Review of Revenue & Financing Policy – Public
Transport - Discussion paper for Councillor working group, 20 September 2017" provided as
Attachment 2 in the GWRC response of 12 November 2018?”
Greater Wellington’s response follows:
The dates and times of the “series of workshops with economics, policy, finance, and public
transport staff, exploring the relative benefits and impacts of public transport” has not been
wholly recorded in Greater Wellington’s Outlook system as this process was run through an
external consultant.
Through liaison with the external consultant we have ascertained that administrative records
of the workshops are not held in full, however, we have endeavoured to procure this
information from the Outlook calendars of the involved officers. As has been previously
disclosed, the series of workshops did not have agendas or minutes, otherwise this
information would be provided.
Below are the times, dates and invitees of the aforementioned workshops that can be found in
staff calendars:
PT Funding Review Shortlisting workshop 29 March 2017
1:30 – 3 p.m.
Invitees:
Helen Gilbert, External Contractor
Helen Chapman, Senior Policy Advisor
Wayne Hastie, General Manager, Public Transport
Paul Kos, Public Transport Planning Manager
Charlotte Vaughan, Strategic Business Partner
Mark Ford, Strategic Finance Manager
Shane Mercer, Financial Reporting Team Leader
Angus Gabara, Rail Assets Manager
Barry Fryer, Rail Assets Team Leader
LTP – Revenue & Funding workshop with PT 5 May 2017
11 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Invitees:
Paul Kos, Public Transport Planning Manager
Angus Gabara, Rail Assets Manager
RESPONSE TO REQUEST FOR INFORMATION 2019-106
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Helen Chapman, Senior Policy Advisor
Shane Mercer, Financial Reporting Team Leader
Helen Gilbert, External Contractor
Charlotte Vaughan, Strategic Business Partner
Peter Doherty, Accountant
Helen Guissane, Corporate Planner
Dave Grimmond, Economist
PT Revenue & Financing 18 May 2017
8:30 – 10:30 a.m.
Invitees:
Helen Gilbert, External Contractor
Helen Guissane, Corporate Planner
Helen Chapman, Senior Policy Advisor
Peter Doherty, Accountant
Paul Kos, Public Transport Planning Manager
Shane Mercer, Financial Reporting Team Leader
Charlotte Vaughan, Strategic Business Partner
Dave Grimmond, Economist
PT Revenue Funding 9 June 2017
11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Invitees:
Wayne Hastie, General Manager, Public Transport
Mark Ford, Strategic Finance Manager
Charlotte Vaughan, Strategic Business Partner
Jonathon Gear, PT Senior Financial Advisor
Paul Kos, Public Transport Planning Manager
Helen Chapman, Senior Policy Advisor
PT Rating Model Options 3 July 2017
1 – 2 p.m.
Invitees:
Wayne Hastie, General Manager, Public Transport
Paul Kos, Public Transport Planning Manager
Helen Chapman, Senior Policy Advisor
RESPONSE TO REQUEST FOR INFORMATION 2019-106
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Jonathon Gear, PT Senior Financial Advisor
Charlotte Vaughan, Strategic Business Partner
Mark Ford, Strategic Finance Manager
PT Rating Model Options 26 July 2017
4 – 5 p.m.
Invitees:
Helen Chapman, Senior Policy Advisor
Wayne Hastie, General Manager, Public Transport
Jonathon Gear, PT Senior Financial Advisor
Charlotte Vaughan, Strategic Business Partner
Paul Kos, Public Transport Planning Manager
Mark Ford, Strategic Finance Manager
Helen Gilbert, External Contractor
PT Revenue Whiteboard Session
21 August 2017
10 – 11 a.m.
Invitees:
Helen Gilbert, External Contractor
Helen Chapman, Senior Policy Advisor
(Note: there were likely other officers in attendance, however, only these attendees
can be found in our system)
PT Rates – Policy Options 4 September 2017
2 – 3 p.m.
Invitees:
Helen Gilbert, External Contractor
Helen Chapman, Senior Policy Advisor
Charlotte Vaughan, Strategic Business Partner
Jonathon Gear, PT Senior Financial Advisor
Paul Kos, Public Transport Planning Manager
R & F Policy – PT 18 September 2017
4 – 5 p.m.
RESPONSE TO REQUEST FOR INFORMATION 2019-106
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Invitees:
Mark Ford, Strategic Finance Manager
Paul Kos, Public Transport Planning Manager
Helen Gilbert, External Contractor
Helen Chapman, Senior Policy Advisor
Marie Kitchener, Strategic Finance Planning Consultant
Charlotte Vaughan, Strategic Business Partner
Dave Humm, General Manager, Corporate Services/ Chief Financial Officer
Angus Gabara, Rail Assets Manager
If you have any concerns with the decision(s) referred to in this letter, you have the right to
request an investigation and review by the Ombudsman under section 27(3) of the Local
Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987.
Yours sincerely
Samantha Gain General Manager, Corporate Services
RESPONSE TO REQUEST FOR INFORMATION 2019-106
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