DCC Draft Long Term Plan 2015/16 to 2024/25 —CONSULTATION OPEN

There is no SMALL CITY in this image.
Guess we haven’t started building yet. When we do it will take consolidated council debt to way over the existing +$600M which, of course, Mayor Liability Cull is already bleakly and ‘creatively’ responsible for.

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Dunedin City Council – Media Release
Long Term Plan Consultation Document Unveiled

This item was published on 27 Mar 2015

‘Building a Great Small City’, the consultation document for the DCC’s Long Term Plan (LTP) 2015/16 – 2024/25, has been released.

Mayor of Dunedin Dave Cull says the LTP is designed to enable the Council to examine the bigger picture and set a strategic direction for the city covering the whole range of DCC activities. Now priorities have been proposed, the Council wants to hear from residents.

The consultation document is now available at http://www.dunedin.govt.nz/ltp
Public consultation on the LTP opens on Saturday (today) and closes at 5pm on 28 April. People are encouraged to provide their feedback early and, if possible, use the online form.

A snapshot of what is proposed, presented in a map fold newsletter, will be delivered to every Dunedin household. Once consultation has started, there will be further information on the DCC website and copies of the LTP consultation document will be available at DCC facilities such as libraries and the Customer Services Agency in the Civic Centre. There will also be public workshops and LTP stands in public places and at events, with the opportunity for face-to-face discussion with Councillors. These will be held around the wider city during the consultation period.

For the first time, comments on the DCC Facebook page and tweets to @DnCityCouncil using #LTP will also be considered as feedback.

█ 28.3.15 ODT: Council accepts social media feedback

Mr Cull says, “The LTP allows us to look at the aspirations outlined in our strategy documents and how we should prioritise these over the next 10 years. This means the LTP needs to balance our financial goals, such as debt reduction, and our desire to develop Dunedin to make it a more attractive place to live and do business. Our Financial Strategy imposes a 3% rate increase limit unless there are exceptional circumstances. This is in line with the average 3% ‘cost of living’ increases faced by local government. Under current proposals, an overall 3.8% rate increase is proposed for 2015/16. The exceptional circumstances are that, in addition to our usual inflationary pressures, we have had to provide an extra $1.5 million for the Forsyth Barr Stadium and budget for losing $4.5 million of dividend from Dunedin City Holdings Limited, which owns companies on the DCC’s behalf. We have absorbed some of those costs, but cannot absorb them all. We also need to balance rate limits against a range of new proposals in the LTP which the Council believes are worth investing in. We need public input on these, plus feedback on several other projects that have been included as unfunded items, such as new aquatic facilities for Mosgiel and lighting for the University of Otago Oval.”

Amendments to the Local Government Act have changed the way LTPs are developed and consulted on with the community. Past long term plans have involved first producing a full draft plan which was then put out for public consultation and feedback. Under the new system the DCC is required to produce this consultation document which sets out the issues the city is facing and the options for managing them. Key issues include putting the Stadium on a more achievable financial footing, tackling the city’s ageing infrastructure and addressing low economic growth.

The consultation period will be followed by hearings and deliberations in May and a final LTP will be adopted by the Council in June.

A range of supporting documents and an online submission form will be available at http://www.dunedin.govt.nz/ltp from 7am on Saturday (today).

Contact Dave Cull Mayor of Dunedin on 477 4000. DCC Link

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Related Posts and Comments:
25.3.15 DCC Long Term Plan: Green-dyed chickens home to roost
24.3.15 Noble property subdivision —DELTA
23.3.15 Noble property subdivision: “Denials suggest that we have not learned.”
12.3.15 Snaky Stedman —not answering … questions ratepayers must ask
4.3.15 DCC internal audits
20.2.15 Audit NZ making up for previous huge inadequacies over DCC books ?
21.1.15 Dunedin City Council to set rates WAY ABOVE….
14.1.15 DCC Draft Long Term Plan: more inanity from Cull’s crew pending
18.12.14 DCC: Deloitte report released on Citifleet #whitewash
21.11.14 Stadium Review: Mayor Cull exposed
19.11.14 Forsyth Barr Stadium Review
3.11.14 DCC: What happened to $20 million cash on hand? #LGOIMA
31.10.14 Whaleoil on “dodgy ratbag local body politicians” —just like ours at DCC
28.5.14 DCC: Audit and risk subcommittee
31.3.14 Audit services to (paying) local bodies #FAIL ● AuditNZ … LynProvost
26.2.14 DCC: New audit and risk subcommittee a little too late !!

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

*Image source: DCC

University of Otago landscaping

[NOT about Hyde street Keg Party and damage to an emergency response vehicle – the timing of this facelift announcement isn’t subtle]

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UNI NEWS via Otago Bulletin
Major landscaping project will enhance the Dunedin campus

Friday, 27 March 2015

Landscaping plans include “town square” outside Staff Club

From early April, university staff will start to see works underway as part of a landscaping project to give the grounds of the Dunedin campus a major facelift. But the benefits are promising to be very much worthwhile for both staff and students alike, with new paving, outdoor seats, trees, LED lighting, signage and improved shelter within a large area located between the northern end of the Richardson Building, and the intersection of Castle and Dundas Streets.

Vice-Chancellor Professor Harlene Hayne says the intention is to vastly improve access to known sunny, sheltered sitting areas for staff, students and visitors; to replace paving that has come to the end of its life with safer materials; and to create new outdoor sitting, walking and recreational areas to improve the visual linking between spaces on the campus.

The area outside the St David Café is the first in line for a facelift. The project will be underway from early next month, beginning with work on the St David Café courtyard.

The overall project is to include the replacement of old drainage with new drains in parts of the central campus, on behalf of the Dunedin City Council. Also, major works completed last year when the West bank of the Leith outside the Clocktower was lowered for flood protection purposes had resulted in a substantial visual change requiring further improvements.

Professor Hayne believes the enhancements are necessary and important, and they will further benefit what is already a stunning campus environment.

“We want to both maintain and enhance our well-known advantage as one of the world’s most beautiful campuses in which to work and study.”

“We want to both maintain and enhance our well-known advantage as one of the world’s most beautiful campuses in which to work and study. This is an exciting and innovative project that further capitalises on the potential here for greater outdoor utilisation of our beautiful, green areas, and spaces such as the north end of the Richardson building, where people have traditionally liked to sit because it is so sheltered and sunny. We will be using quality materials, timbers, and real blue-stone that blends in with our heritage buildings. We want this development to stand the test of time.”

Professor Hayne is mindful that this is a major task, and that there will be disruption to staff and students as work progresses. Information signs will be erected, and work will progress with as few interruptions and as little noise as possible. The University aims to have the project completed by the end of January 2016. Staff and students will receive regular updates as work patterns change via the Bulletin Board.

Highlights of the landscaping project include:

• The creation of an enclosed courtyard allowing for a more well-defined and better sheltered seating area outside St David café, with low bluestone walls.

• A new paved ‘town square’ outside the Staff Club in the area known as the Castle Walk. This will involve the relocation of some memorial trees, and the removal of others that arborists have said have come to the end of their natural life. An artwork (to be commissioned) will feature in the middle of this new square, as well as seating.

• A new entranceway and Oamaru stone University sign at the entrance to the University from Castle Street, near the Centre for Innovation, and also a new sign on top of blue-stone and caste iron fencing at the entrance to Castle Street from Dundas Street.

• Castle Street in the section housing Selwyn and the new University Childcare Centre, Te Pā, will be re-paved, with wider footpaths, and bike racks. The area will become more bike-friendly, with adjustments to parking spaces, and more trees. The street will be raised to be level with the footpath, with more trees added.

• The newly created concrete steps on the new embankment leading down to the Leith Stream opposite the Clocktower will have railings, and improved safety adjustments, while matured specimen trees will be added to increase shade and improve visual values.

• The tiled walkway over the Union St bridge will be re-paved in high-quality durable pavers, and there will be seismic strengthening underneath the bridge.

• Further extensive new landscaping with trees, seating and paving, as well as wider walkways and steps, will be installed in the area that runs east of the Union Street bridge, up past the Archway Lecture theatres, and around to the front of Allen Hall where Theatre Studies is housed.

• A community garden with fruit trees will be cultivated between the villas at the University end of Castle Street; and also rain gardens planted with native grasses added throughout the newly-developed area.

• In total, there will be about 15,000 square metres of paving replaced or re-laid.

• No changes are planned for the grass bank and historic mature trees directly in front of the Clocktower.

█ http://www.otago.ac.nz/otagobulletin/news/otago089520.html

More: The Campus Landscape

28.3.15 ODT: $8 million facelift for university
Next month, the University of Otago will embark on a 21-month multimillion-dollar landscaping project to transform Dunedin’s campus.

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

DESTROYED, beautification project —two totally different stories

Taieri Herald 6.5.97 (page 6) – Re: Gladstone Road railway corridor, Mosgiel
[click to enlarge]

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### dunedintv.co.nz March 26, 2015 – 7:01pm
Nightly interview: Lester Harvey
The removal of plants and shrubs from the Gladstone Road railway corridor has angered some Mosgiel residents. Lester Harvey has spent years co-ordinating beautification efforts in the area, and hopes a meeting with KiwiRail will lead to a positive outcome.
Video

█ What if? fathoms that some strong politics care of DCC/ex-DCC/Community Board/KiwiRail is putting Lester Harvey in the spotlight. Not terribly nice being fall guy for the under-table politicians involved.

Gladstone Road, Mosgiel – minus Community plantings/beautification project.
Photos: Brian Miller

Related Post and Comments:
20.3.15 DESTROYED, beautification project —Railway corridor, Gladstone Road

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

DCC Long Term Plan: Green-dyed chickens home to roost

Updated post Wed, 25 Mar 2015 at 12:49 p.m.

[todayifoundout.com]

With a self-imposed aim to keep rates rises to no more than 3%, the council still needed to find millions of dollars in savings each year for the next decade.

### ODT Online Wed, 25 Mar 2015
Council accused of being in denial over long-term plan
By Chris Morris
Councillors say the Dunedin City Council is in “denial” over the need to raise rates, or cut services, to plug a $68 million budget shortfall over the next decade. The claims came amid warnings from Crs Aaron Hawkins and Jinty MacTavish yesterday, as councillors met to sign off on a public consultation document summarising the council’s long-term plan.
Read more

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Quelle surprise…. it’s not like these latest mumblings from Councillors on DCC budgets and projections is “News!” to the Dunedin ratepayers and residents who closely follow Council fortunes.

What IS news is the “greenie sustainables” of Greater Dunedin have finally woken up!

Is there a political split forming in Greater Dunedin? – when indeed, historically, we’ve been told by the ‘loose connection with incorporated society’ that its members have no shared policy, that their elected representatives are free to (think) and vote independently…. with some cohesion, nevertheless.

Well might Cr Lee Vandervis provide a standing ovation to Cr Aaron Hawkins’ voicing of major concerns. It was incumbent on Cr Jinty MacTavish, practically and politically… to agree with her Green Party confederate.
Interesting times. Wait for the YouTube video.

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Dunedin City Council Extraordinary Meeting 24 March 2015 at 12 noon
Council Chamber, Municipal Chambers

█ Agenda – Council – 24/03/2015 (PDF, 28.3 KB)
Extraordinary Meeting

Agenda Item 4
ADOPTION OF DRAFT LONG TERM PLAN 2015/16 – 2024/25 SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS AND CONSULTATION DOCUMENT
Report from the General Manager Services and Development (Simon Pickford). Refer to pages 4.1 – 4.8.
Supporting documents and consultation document circulated separately and are also available on the Dunedin City Council website.
Reports and recommendations contained in this agenda are not to be considered as Council policy until adopted.

█ Report – Council – 24/03/2015 (PDF, 176.8 KB)
Adoption of Draft Long Term Plan 2015/16 – 2024/25 Supporting Documents and Consultation Document

█ Report – Council – 24/03/2015 (PDF, 2.8 MB)
Adoption of Draft Long Term Plan 2015/16 – 2024/25 Supporting Documents and Consultation Document
Attachment 7 – Dunedin City Council Draft Long Term Plan Consultation document for adoption 24 March 2015

█ Report – Council – 24/03/2015 (PDF, 2.4 MB)
Adoption of Draft Long Term Plan 2015/16 – 2024/25 Supporting Documents and Consultation Document
Draft Infrastructure Strategy for adoption 24 March 2015 (replaces previously issued document)

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Related Posts and Comments:
12.3.15 Snaky Stedman —not answering … questions ratepayers must ask
4.3.15 DCC internal audits
20.2.15 Audit NZ making up for previous huge inadequacies over DCC books ?
21.1.15 Dunedin City Council to set rates WAY ABOVE….
21.11.14 Stadium Review: Mayor Cull exposed
19.11.14 Forsyth Barr Stadium Review
31.10.14 Whaleoil on “dodgy ratbag local body politicians” —just like ours at DCC
28.5.14 DCC: Audit and risk subcommittee
31.3.14 Audit services to (paying) local bodies #FAIL ● AuditNZ … LynProvost
26.2.14 DCC: New audit and risk subcommittee a little too late !!

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Town Belt Traverse 2015 —SUNDAY

● More walk/traverse details at the DAS website

Related Posts:
18.3.15 Town Belt Traverse 2015
13.3.15 Town Belt Traverse 2015
11.3.15 Town Belt Traverse 2015
4.3.15 Town Belt Traverse | Sunday 29 March
24.2.15 Town Belt Traverse 2015 —Sunday, 29 March

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

*Posters supplied by Dunedin Amenities Society

Noble property subdivision —DELTA

Received from Lee Vandervis
Tue, 24 Mar 2015 at 7:26 p.m.

█ Message: I have received confirmation today that DELTA are not just in a bad debt situation plus $1.5 million invested with the stalled Noble subdivision, but that they have subsequently invested even more in the Noble development than I had indicated yesterday.
Further claims from my business contacts associated with the Noble Subdivision are as follows:

“You are correct that Delta bought $1.5 million of Gold Bands first mortgage (a couple of years back).
Delta also bought another $1.5 million of the first mortgage recently (off Avanti Finance who had previously bought this off Gold Band).

Delta (Dunedin ratepayers) also appear to be funding Gold Bands current High Court attempt to defeat [ ] caveats in a mortgagee sale. The sole purpose of this High Court action [ ] is so Delta as second mortgagor can profit at the expense of the private citizens prior interests.”

Below is a representative title for the Noble subdivision.
As you can see there is a mortgage on the titles which tells you which other titles are involved, and a myriad of caveats.
In short, DELTA have bought heavily into a stalled litigious mess, with far too many similarities to their Jacks Point/Luggate debacle.

Kind regards,
Cr. Lee Vandervis

█ Email Attachment: Copy title re Noble Investments Ltd

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18.3.15 ODT: Expects Delta to be paid ‘millions’

Related Posts and Comments:
23.3.15 Noble property subdivision: “Denials suggest that we have not learned.”
17.3.15 DCC —Delta, Jacks Point Luggate II….

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Noble property subdivision: “Denials suggest that we have not learned.”

Received from Lee Vandervis
Mon, 23 Mar 2015 at 2:48 p.m.

█ Message: It appears that ODT reporter Eileen Goodwin who so accurately broke the Noble subdivision story last week may not be allowed to continue to write on this follow-up as below. Consequently, I am forwarding the information as follows which I have received outside of DCC briefings to you in the hope that you may be able to help get public answers to questions raised that have traditionally been unavailable to this Councillor from the non-public DCC/DCHL.

—— Forwarded Message
From: Lee Vandervis
Date: Mon, 23 Mar 2015 11:40:51 +1300
To: Eileen Goodwin [ODT], Nicholas George S Smith [ODT]
Conversation: Noble property subdivision and Jacks Point/Luggate debacles. Denials suggest that we have not learned.
Subject: Noble property subdivision and Jacks Point/Luggate debacles. Denials suggest that we have not learned.

Hi Eileen,

Thank you again for your accurate quoting and for grasping the nettle regarding the Delta/Noble subdivision debacle.
I still am unable to ascertain precisely how many millions are at risk via DELTA, but an old business acquaintance of mine who claims to have reasonable knowledge of the project has given me the following information on the basis of complete confidentiality. It seems quite possible given the development scale. Hopefully you will be able to confirm some of the following with your media resources.

“Delta exposure is close to $19 million, about $1.5 million of that was cash investment to buy a portion of the first mortgage. Discussions have been for Delta to invest another nearly $4 million in cash to try and secure the balance of the first mortgage and a share of road adjustments.”

This is the most specific estimate of potential losses that I have received, but it accords with some other less specific estimates.

Information from other business people that I know personally suggests that Mr Crombie’s 18/03/15 ODT statement that “the situation should not be compared with Delta’s costly failed property investment at Jack’s Point” is misleading.
Both ‘investments’ are enormously expensive property speculations with enormous amounts of Dunedin ratepayers’ cash being used to gamble on high-risk ventures.
Both are speculative residential property subdivisions about 4 hours travel from Dunedin.
Both subdivision projects have had the involvement of Peak Projects International as Project Managers as indicated on their website http://www.peakprojects.co.nz/proj_infra.aspx
Both projects appear to have had the pivotal involvement not just of DELTA and sole surviving DCHL/DELTA Director Stuart McLauchlan but also of ex-DELTA Director Mike Coburn, although Mike Coburn’s centrality to the Noble development as a consultant is just business hearsay at this stage.
Both projects appear to have involved high levels of misrepresentation to Councillors, and lack of planning and foresight by DELTA.

Since I was first elected in 2004 I have had an on-going stream of complaints and allegations of mismanagement within DELTA, and this stream has periodically swollen since CEO John Walsh was replaced by CEO Grady Cameron. Allegations of massively top-heavy DELTA management, wasteful purchases of; management vehicles, plant and equipment, and overvalued smaller businesses etc. have come to me from DELTA staff, relatives of staff, and other involved business owners and their employees.
When I made a LGOIMA request for DELTA salary levels several years ago and discovered that CEO Cameron was on $460,000+ p/a when our DCC Paul Orders was ‘only’ on $350,000 p/a I went to advise CEO Orders whose response was “Yor forkin jokin!” Like my 2011 complaints of Citifleet fraud however, he seems to have done nothing about this top heaviness.
I have also for many years been calling for a restructuring of DELTA in non-public with the aim of maximising ratepayer value for the sale of DELTA and associated AURORA businesses, but the needed restructuring has not happened. Instead the current proposal is to spend $139,000,000 on ‘infrastructure upgrades’ for Aurora, which I interpret to mean expensive catch-up on long deferred maintenance with many contracts going to DELTA.

My reasons for now going public include the poor result achieved for ratepayers for my mostly non-public efforts to expose the Jacks Point/Luggate DELTA debacle, and the unwillingness again of DCC/DCHL personnel to face facts and clean out those responsible for such awful ratepayer losses now threatened with the Noble subdivision.

Kind regards,
Cr. Lee Vandervis
—— End of Forwarded Message

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█ 18.3.15 ODT: Expects Delta to be paid ‘millions’

Related Post and Comments:
17.3.15 DCC —Delta, Jacks Point Luggate II….

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

University of Otago: More national and global publicity #HydeStreet

### tvnz.co.nz 7:03PM Saturday March 21, 2015
Drunk shoulder-barges ambulance at Dunedin street party
Source: ONE News
A drunk man shoulder-barged the windscreen of a St Johns ambulance during the Hyde Street student party in Dunedin, covering a woman paramedic with shattered glass fragments. Police say the man damaged three vehicles including the ambulance driven by a sole female paramedic, causing her to be covered in glass fragments. They’re asking for any witnesses to the incident on Albany Street around 4pm to come forward.

“This is yet another example of the harm alcohol causes and the poor decision making of those under the influence,” says Inspector Mel Aitken, the officer in charge.

Police arrested a dozen people for a variety of offences including assault on security staff, fighting, disorder and offensive behaviour. Police say the Hyde Street party is far from what they deem a safe event following a spate of incidents involving the excessive consumption of alcohol.

“Despite the best efforts of organising staff to create an enjoyable occasion for students, the level of alcohol related harm and the risk to public safety still remains too high,” Inspector Aitken says.

The Hyde Street party has become a major event in the social calendar for many of Dunedin’s ‘scarfie’ population. Otago University Students Association took over running the annual part three years ago after unruly scenes in 2012 embarrassed the university.
Read more + Video

****

The party was “far from being what police deem a safe event”. –Inspector Mel Aitken, NZ Police

### NZ Herald Online 9:00 PM Saturday Mar 21, 2015
Dozen people arrested at Dunedin street party
By Matthew Theunissen – Herald on Sunday
A dozen people were arrested and a man smashed an ambulance window, covering a paramedic in glass, at a Dunedin street party tonight. Some 4,000 tickets were sold for the Hyde St keg party, an annual student blow-out known for its excessive alcohol consumption. In a statement released about 8.30pm, police said a dozen people had already been arrested for offences including assault on security staff, fighting, disorder and offensive behaviour. A particularly distressing incident involved an intoxicated male who damaged three vehicles including shoulder-barging the windscreen of a St Johns ambulance.
Read more

● 3 News: Dunedin’s Hyde St party still far from safe – police [+ Video]
● ODT: Drunken incidents mar Hyde St party [+ Video]

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TooSurreal NZ Published on Apr 13, 2014
Hyde | 2014
Annual Hyde St keg party in Dunedin, New Zealand!
Music: “Strange clouds” – B.O.B feat. Lil Wayne
Music: “Wild for the Night” by A$AP Rocky featuring Skrillex & Birdy Nam Nam (Google Play • iTunes)

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Related Posts and Comments:
18.2.15 University of Otago: Toga Party 2015 #video
16.2.15 University of Otago can’t beat broadcast news and social media #image
18.12.14 University of Otago —um Harlene, what you sellin’ now, girl?
12.8.14 Cameras in North Dunedin
1.8.14 University Partyville, North Dunedin: Put the cameras in ~!!
16.7.14 Stadium: Out of the mouths of uni babes…. #DVML
30.4.14 Octagon mud
22.3.14 Dunedin North care less filthy slum
19.3.14 Dunedin North drunks
15.2.14 University of Otago: Starter questions for Harlene
10.2.14 University of Otago major sponsor for Highlanders
19.8.13 Cull on senility (firing up graduates)
25.3.13 UoO: NEGATIVE PRESS: Weekly disorder in Dunedin campus area
20.2.12 University of Otago student orientation
17.2.12 Salvation Army: The Growing Divide
17.12.11 Stadium + Cull love = University of Otago + OUSA party
23.11.11 Judge Oke Blaikie finally said it
9.11.11 DCC has PR problem

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

*Images: Hyde Street Party, Dunedin – ONE News screenshots by whatifdunedin

DESTROYED, beautification project —Railway corridor, Gladstone Road

Updated post Sat, 21 Mar 2015 at 11:55 p.m.
Brian Miller makes further comment, see below. More photographs.

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Received from Brian Miller
Fri, 20 Mar 2015 at 4:29 p.m.

VANDALISM —Nothing else goes near describing what is in this photo.
Let me start from the start.

Otago 150th Anniversary plantings scraped away at Gladstone Rd.

1997
As a Mosgiel-Taieri Community Board member I accepted the challenge of beautifying the railway corridor from Wingatui to Riccarton Road along a four-kilometre length of Gladstone Road. No other board member wanted anything to do with it, until I had it organised ready to go. They said. “It couldn’t be done.” Just the incentive I needed.

I had to make sure that all the boxes were ticked, before Tranz Rail would let the project begin. With that done, Board members fell over themselves to get involved.

Thousands of hours of voluntary labour went into the project. Alex Griffin and his Taskforce Green did most of the hard work. The local community donated the use of trucks and other equipment, while Lester Harvey ferreted out the thousands of shrubs. We turned what was an eyesore entry into Mosgiel into what it is today. A more welcoming entry. Unfortunately, the story does not end there.

As I said earlier we met all Tranz Rail’s requirements when we did our planting.

Just imagine how I felt this morning when I travelled along the section from Riccarton Road towards the industrial area, and the destruction of the thousands of hours of voluntary labour and gifted plants that had been ripped out. Total destruction of this section of the project. It appears to be at the orders of KiwiRail. The photo tells the story I really don’t have to say much more.

I wonder how those Task Force Green workers and other unemployed workers feel to see what they had contributed to the Mosgiel community, in part, being ripped up.

KiwiRail weren’t the first to vandalise this project, the Dunedin City Council had first crack and destroyed over half of this area by putting in the footpath that you can see in the photo. When they could have quite easily put the footpath on the other side of the road. This would have made it much safer for the school children of East Taieri, as they wouldn’t have had to cross the road twice as they do now to get to school.

The Community Board made this project part of the Otago 150 years’ celebrations. There has been a Fonterra Environmental award, The Queens Service Medal award, and Keep Dunedin Beautiful Awards for this project, but it appears that hasn’t stopped the vandalism.

[ends]

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█ What if? Dunedin notes this has happened on Cr Kate Wilson’s watch (Cr Wilson has been appointed to Mosgiel-Taieri Community Board as the DCC representative). It seems incumbent on DCC and ORC to seek a compensatory amount from KiwiRail for instatement of a new Community Project in the immediate area taking into account the devastating loss of the local community’s green amenity, historical investment of effort to establish the plantings in a difficult location, and the years of plant growth and cover destroyed.
Clearly, a distress and a humiliation.

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Received from Brian Miller
Sat, 21 Mar 2015 at 6:15 p.m.

Message: The Vandals are on the way.
These new photographs show:
1) The metal plaque confirming that the Railway corridor project was a ‘150 year’ project.
2) The sign up the pole is rather interesting —it shows DCC promoting an illegal activity: riding a bicycle on the footpath. A shared footpath and cycleway…. this is completely opposite to what the Council’s Transportation Planning manager wrote in response to a letter to the editor (ODT 13.11.14). She said in the reply: ‘To clarify, cycling on the footpath is illegal in NZ unless you are a NZ post employee or the bike has a wheel diameter less that 355mm usually a tricycle or small child’s bicycle.’
3) ALL the shrubs and trees for removal at Mosgiel’s Memorial Park on the proposed site of the new pool complex —described in the Taieri Community Facilities Trust’s (the pool trust) documents as “minimal site impact”, located to “minimize the removal of existing vegetation”.

Regards
Brian Miller

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Stadium costs +$20M per annum, against one Fleetwood Mac concert….

THIS DOESN’T SINK NEWS OF LATEST DELTA FINANCIAL BLOWOUT – NOBLE VILLAGE SUBDIVISION

I experienced Fleetwood Mac at Western Springs, Auckland in the 1980s, there is no way I want to see them live now in a crap-for-sound covered stadium at Dunedin. This cat has already eaten the cream. I might see them at Mt Smart, however.

How much has DCC/DVML paid to the promoter to get the band here?
They’ve spent $350,000 on tired roller Rod Stewart, who has yet to perform.

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### ODT Online Fri, 20 Mar 2015
Fleetwood Mac to play Stadium
By Chris Morris
The rumours are true — Fleetwood Mac is coming to Dunedin. It was confirmed yesterday the group, one of the world’s best-selling bands, will perform its only South Island show at Forsyth Barr Stadium on Wednesday, November 18. Tickets costing between $100 and $300 plus fees will go on public sale from 10am on April 1, and a bumper crowd is predicted to pump millions of dollars into Dunedin’s economy. The British-American group’s Dunedin show will feature all five original band members, with Christine McVie having reunited with Mick Fleetwood, John McVie, Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks.
Read more

CroNix99 Uploaded on May 26, 2010
Fleetwood Mac – The Dance -1997 – Gypsy

CroNix99 Uploaded on Jul 2, 2010
Fleetwood Mac – Rhiannon – The Dance -1997

CroNix99 Uploaded on May 27, 2010
Fleetwood Mac – Landslide – 2004
Live In Boston – Say You Will Tour

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

*Image: Fleetwood Mac – Christine McVie rejoining Fleetwood Mac 12.1.14 [pitchfork.com]

DCC Shame: First, John Wilson Dr nonsense, now Portobello Rd cycleway

The agreement meant Portobello Rd, between Andersons Bay Rd and Portsmouth Dr, would remain a two-lane road, after the council last year reduced it from four lanes to accommodate a new cycleway.

### ODT Online Wed, 18 Mar 2015
Cycleway compromise earns praise
By Chris Morris
The Dunedin City Council has earned praise from a group of businesses after compromising to resolve a cycleway dispute in Portobello Rd. But the council has also been urged to learn lessons after initial changes introduced on the road prompted an outcry in the area. The deal was confirmed yesterday after a closed-door meeting between councillors, council staff, business representatives and cycling advocates, chaired by the Automobile Association Otago district councillor Norman Oakley.
Read more

****

Comment at ODT Online:

Money wasting madness from DCC
Submitted by photonz on Thu, 19/03/2015 – 1:09pm.

$320,000 spent already for 700m of cycleway, that was already sealed, is madness. And now it has to be redone.
Just like the cycle crossing on Victoria Road that was rebuilt three or four times at a cost of tens of thousands of dollars, yet despite passing over it multiple times a day, including rush hour, I’ve seen it used by bicycles just once in nearly a year.
Similar money wastage is now happening with total redesigns of intersection kerbing around St Kilda, at the cost of many thousands of dollars, including intersections which are some of quietest and least used in all of Dunedin.
Yet not a dollar for the very busy intersection at Allendale/Forbury/Bay View Roads, where opposing right turning traffic on Forbury Road, is channelled into a head-on collision.
Heads should roll at the DCC – this is madness. It’s a waste of our money to spend hundreds of thousands on barely used or needed pet projects, often redoing them several times, while not spending a cent on dangerous intersections.

****

The letter from Cr Vandervis was delayed for publication supposedly due to slow reply: [Psalms 118.1….]

ODT 19.3.15 (page 16)

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### dunedintv.co.nz March 18, 2015 – 5:54pm
Opposing parties reach agreement over Portobello Road development
Parties at loggerheads over plans to develop the southern part of Portobello Road have reached an agreement. The Dunedin City Council and Automobile Association has met with cycling advocacy group Spokes and business owners about changes to the road. Representatives have come up with a mutually agreeable plan to widen the section of road between Timaru Street and Portsmouth Drive. It will provide room for large trucks to safely enter and exit industrial sites along the road. And there will be a 3m cycleway separated from traffic, allowing cyclists to travel in both directions along the road. Construction is expected to be completed by the end of the year.
Ch39 Link [no video available]

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Dunedin City Council – Media Release
Positive Meeting on Portobello Road Plans

This item was published on 17 Mar 2015

A revised concept plan for the southernmost section of Portobello Road has been welcomed by key parties.
A meeting was held this morning between some Dunedin City Councillors, DCC staff and representatives from the Automobile Association (AA), cycling advocacy group Spokes Dunedin, local businesses and leaseholders. Those at the meeting, which was chaired by AA Otago District Councillor Norman Oakley, strongly supported the revised concept plan for the section of Portobello Road between Timaru Street and Portsmouth Drive. The proposed plan addresses concerns with the existing layout, by providing room for large trucks to safely enter and exit industrial sites along the road.
The revised concept plan increases the total road width to 10.1m, made up of a northbound and a southbound lane, with a 2.5m painted median strip between the lanes (such as in Hillside Road). A 3m wide, two way cycleway, separated from traffic, is still part of the plan. This concept means removing the current concrete median to make more room for the new lanes and the median strip. The intersections at either end of the road remain the same.
DCC Infrastructure Services Committee Chair Cr Kate Wilson says, “I congratulate all the groups involved for working collaboratively to reach such a positive result. Once the revised plans have been finalised, we will be asking other interested parties and the wider community for feedback.” Cr Wilson noted the revised concept plan did not propose major changes for residents on that stretch of road, who can still access their properties as they do now.
AA Otago District Councillor Hudson Biggs says the revised plan is a workable solution for all parties. “There has been a lot of work in the background to get to this point and what has been presented recognises the fact there needs to be cycle access from South Dunedin along Portobello Road, while still meeting the needs of other road users.” Spokes Dunedin Chair Robert Thompson also supported the revised layout. “It strikes the right balance between all road users, providing a high standard cycleway and improved vehicle access within a more intuitive road layout.”

CSL Containers Director Philip Chapman says the new plan addresses his concerns very well. “I couldn’t ask for anything better.”

DCC Group Manager Transportation Gene Ollerenshaw says the proposed design will now be finalised and released within the next two to three weeks for wider feedback from the community. Further consultation will include a mail drop to nearby residents, discussions with other parties such as Bayfield High School and signs to alert motorists who use that route. Following that feedback, the design will be finalised and construction completed as soon as possible before the end of the year.

[click to enlarge]

█ Download: Portobello Rd cross section information (PDF, 96 KB)

Contact Infrastructure Services Committee Chair on 03 477 4000.
DCC Link

****

Dunedin City Council – Media Release
Further consultation on Portobello Road Changes

This item was published on 28 Nov 2014

The Dunedin City Council will work further with key parties to finalise a design for the southernmost section of Portobello Road.
DCC Infrastructure Services Committee Chair Cr Kate Wilson says the decision was made following a constructive meeting on Wednesday attended by Councillors, DCC staff and representatives from the Automobile Association (AA), cycling advocacy group Spokes, local businesses and leaseholders.
The meeting, which was chaired by the AA, discussed the recent changes to the section of Portobello Road between Andersons Bay Road and Portsmouth Drive. Discussions began with some context setting. The use of that part of Portobello Road has changed greatly, as has the land ownership in the area. Rather than being a high volume commuter route, it is now a relatively low volume road used by heavy transport, with industrial land on one side and residential on the other.
The road has been altered to accommodate one of the key cycleways in the new South Dunedin Cycle Network. The first stage of work was completed in May. The concept was not fully implemented then because of funding constraints, but the intention was to do further work if it was required as funds became available.
Cr Wilson says a preliminary layout for the second stage was developed in consultation with AA, Spokes and residents and businesses in the area. “However, further feedback from businesses, leaseholders and the public, conclusions we have drawn ourselves, issues around the look and feel of the road, access to the industrial properties and safety concerns at the Timaru Street end mean some further consideration of options is needed.” “We take seriously the concerns raised and following this week’s meeting we will seek further inputs from the affected businesses and leaseholders so we incorporate their concerns and needs into the options.”
DCC Group Manager Transportation Gene Ollerenshaw says in the meantime some interim improvements would be investigated with urgency, such as signage and road marking, particularly at the Timaru Street end. The DCC is still aiming to complete the project in the 2014/15 year.

Contact Group Manager Transportation on 03 477 4000.
DCC Link

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Town Belt Traverse 2015

● More details at the DAS website

Related Posts:
13.3.15 Town Belt Traverse 2015
11.3.15 Town Belt Traverse 2015
4.3.15 Town Belt Traverse | Sunday 29 March
24.2.15 Town Belt Traverse 2015 —Sunday, 29 March

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

*Posters supplied by Dunedin Amenities Society

Lee Vandervis releases emails #Citifleet investigation

Updated post Wed, 18 Mar 2015 at 4:53 p.m.

Site Admin
What if? Dunedin has received a total of 17 emails from Lee Vandervis, including two with email attachments. A further three emails have been withheld from publication due to privacy reasons, and which may be actionable.

The first batch of seven emails feature at this post, with the remaining ten emails (some repeats to different recipients as Mr Vandervis follows up with Kyle Cameron of Deloitte, responsible for the Citifleet investigation) to be added at Comments after being photographed and stitched back together to retain threads.

To be noted, this is part document proof of Cr Vandervis’ efforts from 2011 forward to elicit information on suspicion of fraud occurring at Citifleet. The emails show DCC Senior Management were aware of fraud allegations well prior to 2013/14, despite Council’s formal media statements to the contrary last year. They also support the obvious need that existed for a wider fraud investigation in regards to Council tendering processes, service contracts, traffic of car parts and tyres, staff credit card spending (by multiple available cards) and more – quite apart from disposal of at least 152 Council vehicles in the period 2003-2013, the set arbitrary window for investigation by Deloitte.

The DCC chief executive having taken a fraud complaint to Dunedin police was advised police had insufficient resources for follow up. There was then a three-month gap before police received the Deloitte investigation report commissioned by the Council. Three months is long amount of time to minimise and remove critical evidence within Council and about town. Dunedin City Council knows that. Deloitte knows that. Dunedin police know that. We can assume the Council’s insurers know that, yet they paid out $1 million in two instalments, for the ‘lost’ vehicles only [see DCC media release]. The three-month gap in itself is a suspicious if not criminal activity against Dunedin ratepayers and residents.

For more information at this website, enter the term *citifleet* in the search box at right.

Received from Lee Vandervis
Tue, 17 Mar 2015 10:19 a.m.

█ Message: I have had enquiries today from members of the public regarding my initial 2011 investigation of Citifleet complaints. For the public record, I am forwarding the related emails I have on record from that period, some of which you may find interesting enough to publish.

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Batch #1 (six emails distinguished by blue subject lines and flags)

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Attachment 1

Attachment 2

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

DCC —Delta, Jacks Point Luggate II…. Noble property subdivision

Updated post Wed, 18 Mar 2015 at 5:11 p.m.

What if? was quietly advised some weeks ago that another but lesser-sized example of the multimillion-dollar Jacks Point and Luggate shenanigans (read $9m loss to Dunedin ratepayers) by Delta is complicating the city council books.

We all know how deeply distressing the Jacks Point Luggate coverup by Dave Cull’s council was – assisted by the Auditor-general and the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) – to the Ratepayers who erupted in disbelief on publication of the Delta investigation.

Delta has been involved in another failed subdivision (don’t scream) – the Noble Village Subdivision off Yaldhurst Road, Christchurch (google that) – see Noble Investments Ltd.

It’s on the public record that a bankruptcy is involved. Name: Gordon Ralph Stewart. Check out the New Zealand Companies register.

Old news – some of the flavour: http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/business/your-property/8966113/Probe-into-subdivisions-roads

ODT are on the scent. See tomorrow’s newspaper. >> Go to Comment.

—

You know the huge salary that Delta’s so-called “go-getter” earns? We want a lot of that back. Back dated. Past due.
.

Related Post and Comments:
Delta: Report from Office of the Auditor-General (20.3.14)
.

█ AUDITOR-GENERAL’S OVERVIEW and FULL REPORT (Jacks Point Luggate) at http://www.oag.govt.nz/reports/2014/delta

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

DCC whistleblowing —what is open government ?

### ODT Online Tue, 17 Mar 2015
Council sets up whistleblower committee
By Eileen Goodwin
An internal audit policy adopted by the Dunedin City Council shifts responsibility to governance level, an “important change”, councillor Richard Thomson told a council meeting yesterday. […] Cr Lee Vandervis asked how easy it would be for the general public to tip off the council’s whistleblower, given he was “beginning to tire of the role, given recent events”.
Read more

█ Comments not allowed at ODT Online.

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It is completely ludicrous that our little Cr Thomson is today making public comment on DCC’s new Whistleblower Policy – given Cr Thomson as chair of DCC Finance Committee has had every opportunity to treat his colleague, Cr Vandervis, the Council’s most notoriously effective Whistleblower, with all fairness and due respect but has actively failed on that count, time and time again.

What is it with Cr Thomson, our import from Southern District Health Board and former Otago District Health Board. Doesn’t the Councillor see it as his mission to relieve Dunedin Ratepayers from the living hell of the nearly unsurpassable multimillion-dollar mountain of corruption and fraudulent activity perpetuated at the Council and through its CCOs. Whitewash is not removal, Councillor.

A quietly spoken SDHB informant tells me Susie Johnstone, a chartered accountant, was wheeled in by the Health Board after the Swann fraud, for mop up. Well, Detectives, who wheeled her in and what was the nature of the mop up?

Separately, following Cr Thomson’s uptake into local body politics, Ms Johnstone was recommended for the position of independent chair of the DCC Audit and Risk Subcommittee.

The ARS committee is now to deal with Whistleblowing (no surprises there). As we have already published in previous months, via intimations of the Draft Whistleblower Policy: the DCC contact for Whistleblowers has been a Balclutha woman, whether actively.

Connections regularly multiply. The timing of Council’s announcement of its new Whistleblower Policy is sheer craziness in light of yesterday’s illegitimate farce of a conduct hearing, held at the expense of the DCC Chief Whistleblower. A woman from Balclutha was a witness at the hearing….

Rule of Thumb for DCC Whistleblowers: use outside means.

Good to see Eileen Goodwin reporting on Council business.

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### ODT Online Tue, 17 Mar 2015
Vandervis accused of ‘bullying’ behaviour
By Vaughan Elder
Dunedin City councillor Lee Vandervis’ aggression towards colleagues was slammed as unacceptable at a code of conduct hearing yesterday. The committee heard evidence relating to three complaints, two of which related to him behaving in an “aggressive” manner. […] The panel’s independent chairman, Prof Stuart Anderson, of the University of Otago’s faculty of law, noted the committee needed to look at Cr Vandervis’ intent and not whether he was correct.
Read more

█ Comments allowed at ODT Online.
How many comments will be lost and deleted?

****

### ODT Online Tue, 17 Mar 2015
Councillor apologises for ‘loudness’
By Vaughan Elder
[…] In an effort to not upset people, [Cr Lee Vandervis] would no longer go to the audit and risk subcommittee – where he was accused of being aggressive towards the independent chairwoman – and make his complaints to chief executive Dr Sue Bidrose by email rather than in person. These two steps would “more” importantly stop him from being the subject of further “political back-stabbing”, he said.
Read more

█ Comments not allowed at ODT Online.

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Related Posts and Recent Comments:
13.3.15 Cr Lee Vandervis: LGOIMA request – Citifleet … Deloitte Report
23.2.15 Lee Vandervis on DCC Code of Conduct process #emails #naturaljustice
18.12.14 DCC: Deloitte report released on Citifleet #whitewash

● For more, enter the terms *vandervis* and *citifleet* in the search box at right.

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Documents:
Dunedin City Council – Standing Orders (PDF, 1019.0 KB)
The Standing Orders set out rules for the conduct meetings of the Dunedin City Council and includes the Code of Conduct for Elected Members, as adopted at the inaugural Council meeting Oct 2010.

DCC Committee Structures and Delegations Manual (PDF, 328.7 KB)
This document details the constitution of the Council, Committees and Subcommittees, and the delegations to the Chief Executive.

Deloitte Report – redacted copy (PDF, 3.8 MB)
Project Lewis – Investigation Report

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Dunedin Heritage Re-use Awards

Updated post Wed, 25 Mar 2015 at 4:50 p.m.

As seen on Sunday, 15 March 2015 at Wall Street in George St.
Dunedin Heritage Re-use Design Competition for Tertiary Students 2014/15
Raw images off phone.
Student competition renders in no particular order below.

One Project ? Was it Old Dunedin Prison ?
The renderings are fine in themselves perhaps, they’re learning curves. Leaving people firmly out of place! Former people (dead or alive), journeymen, jailers, new people, affected people — the exercise is all too quasi-academic, empty without academic search, throw some words on. Design research, thin. The computer-aided outcomes are precociously abstract, bleak – marring historic heritage, treating this as a poorly legible underlay in return for the swivel, the filmic, the freak-style epic. The so-called ‘architectural programme’ for re-use has overridden historical and contemporary respect for What Is, What Was. Students who read magazines and online profiles for design conformity against concrete reality?! Where’s the all-encompassing relevance to Architectural Heritage, the Dunedin Heritage Strategy, the heritage precinct, the capture of material traces or archaeological sympathy – for the devil that is a Victorian courtyard prison? Are the images an Assault, an Achievement, Lock or Key? Subtlety on parole, absconded by software? Some poorly guided intelligence. Drawings of the crazed and the constipated, a malingering and criminal reformative process. If I noticed any, I was hacking off my anklet.

Policy planning is not Conservation Architecture.
Architecture is not Conservation Architecture.

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Dunedin Heritage Re-use Awards 2014/15
Other exhibition screens on display at Wall Street (21.3.15):

The Oakwood Properties Earthquake Strengthening Award 2014/2015
Iona Church – 24 Mount Street [Port Chalmers]
Selwyn College – 560 Castle Street
Speights Brewery – 200 Rattray Street
Stavely Building – 5 Jetty Street
Vogel Street Kitchen – 76 Vogel Street

Otago Polytechnic School of Design / Heritage New Zealand Interiors Award 2014/15
Abacus Bio to Public Trust Ground Floor Restoration – 442 Moray Place
Iona Church – 24 Mount Street [Port Chalmers]
Selwyn College – 560 Castle Street
Silver Fern Farms (Chief Post Office) – 283 Princes Street
Stavely Building – 5 Jetty Street
Vogel Street Kitchen – 76 Vogel Street

Urban Heroes
Projects demonstrating good heritage outcomes, positive benefits to the community and improvements to the appearance of the city.
Barton’s Building, Princes Street – Imom Limited
Former Johnson’s Fish Shop, George Street – Oakwood Properties Limited
Harvest Court, George Street – Marca Investments Limited
Orderlies’ Building, Dowling Street – Octa Group Limited

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Related Posts and Comments:
28.2.13 Tour the old prison in March (2013)
20.9.12 Dunedin Prison
6.6.12 Dunedin Prison purchased by trust
18.10.11 Dunedin Prison Charitable Trust –- see building history

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Making heritage work | Dunedin New Zealand

Updated post Sat, 14 Mar 2015 at 4:05 p.m.

Interesting: Donovan Rypkema’s comments about planners’ preoccupation with densification, affecting communities living in older and historic residential neighbourhoods. He suggests sharing the density around but first, development of public transportation nodes requires attention. Dunedin’s draft second generation district plan (2GP) is heading to public notification in September this year.

### radionz.co.nz Fri, 13 Mar 2015
RNZ National – Nine to Noon with Kathryn Ryan
How important is heritage preservation in our cities
09:31 Donovan Rypkema is president of Heritage Strategies International, a Washington DC consulting firm. His book, “The Economics of Historic Preservation: A Community Leader’s Guide”, is now in its third edition and his firm has had clients including the World Bank, the Inter American Development Bank, the Council of Europe and the United Nations Development Programme. He’s in New Zealand as a guest of the Civic Trust Auckland.
Audio | Download: Ogg MP3 ( 16′ 02″ ) | RNZ Link

█ In 2010, the New Zealand Historic Places Trust (now Heritage New Zealand) hosted Rypkema on a three-city tour, including Dunedin. During his visit he met with city leaders and business people; and presented public lectures at the Old BNZ in Princes St and on campus.

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‘The Dunedin City Council provides advice and support for building owners who want to upgrade and lease their buildings. The Christchurch earthquake acted as a catalyst in Dunedin, forcing important decisions on the future of the older parts of the city.’ –Glen Hazelton, DCC policy planner (heritage)

### idealog.co.nz 04 Mar 2015
Making heritage work: reaping rewards from Dunedin’s classic architecture
By Suzanne Middleton
The Christchurch earthquakes changed the rules around heritage buildings. Dunedin had to decide to bowl or strengthen. The writer talked to some enlightened enthusiasts in the old warehouse district who chose the heritage option – and haven’t regretted it.
Read more

Originally published in Idealog #54 (page 40)

Old BNZ Building via Idealog/Suzanne Middleton [click to enlarge]

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[topical] Related Post and Comments:
28.11.14 NZ Loan and Mercantile Building —Resource Consent granted
26.11.14 Retraction (see comment on ‘Heritage Counts’)
26.9.14 NZ Loan and Mercantile Building —what ESCO said!
30.8.14 NZ Loan and Mercantile Building: Looking round at potential
18.8.14 NZ Loan and Mercantile Building #randomsmartphonepix (interiors)
17.8.14 Public Notices: NZ Loan and Mercantile Building… (site tour, hearing)
13.8.14 Chamber’s Own Goals —Heritage (letters)
11.8.14 NZ Loan and Mercantile Building (audio)
8.8.14 NZ Loan and Mercantile Agency Co Ltd Building…
18.3.14 Dunedin Harbourside: English Heritage on portside development
21.10.13 Harbourside: Access to a revamped Steamer Basin has public backing
█ 28.3.11 Historic preservation [more on Rypkema – link replaced 14.3.15]

NZ Loan and Mercantile Building, Customhouse, Wharf Hotel [click to enlarge]
Image by whatifdunedin (lowres) – colour shots when appeal quashed

Note: Lunds were responsible for construction of the Cross Wharf, and reconstruction of the listed HM Custom House as a restaurant, on behalf of the Otago Regional Council.

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Town Belt Traverse 2015

● More details at the DAS website

Related Posts:
11.3.15 Town Belt Traverse 2015
4.3.15 Town Belt Traverse | Sunday 29 March
24.2.15 Town Belt Traverse 2015 —Sunday, 29 March

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Cr Lee Vandervis: LGOIMA request – Citifleet Investigation – Deloitte Report

Received from Lee Vandervis
Fri, 13 Mar 2015 at 9:32 a.m.

█ Message: Your readers may be interested in an example of how extraordinarily difficult it often is for Councillors to get information from staff – especially if that information is about staff.
An important example is highlighted in the following email trail – important because as the original Citifleet whistleblower in 2011, I am still getting flack and having information withheld that could help to get to the bottom of DCC frauds.

—— Forwarded Message
From: Lee Vandervis
Date: Wed, 11 Mar 2015 21:25:53 +1300
To: Grace Ockwell [DCC]
Conversation: LGOIMA request – Citifleet Investigation – Deloitte Report
Subject: Re: LGOIMA request – Citifleet Investigation – Deloitte Report

Hi Grace,

Thank you for this sudden response after more than 3 months of nothing.

Further follow up LGOIMA requests are as follows;
Why has this multiple LGOIMA request not been acknowledged or decided upon within the required 21 working days?
When you say that this is “our response” who exactly has been responsible for the decisions in the response?
Are you aware that the last time I went to the ombudsman to hurry up an information request, it took several attempts and 11 months to get an answer?

Looking forward to a response by return.

Cr. Vandervis

——————————

On 11/03/15 4:03 PM, “Grace Ockwell” [DCC] wrote:

Good afternoon Lee,

Thank you for your email of 20 November 2014 and your follow-up email requesting information about the Deloitte Report on Citifleet. Your request has now been forwarded to me to process. It has been considered under the provisions of LGOIMA and the following response is provided. I have repeated your request (or parts thereof) to give context to our response.

a full copy of the original Deloitte Report on Citifleet [including all appendices] as referred to below.

The Police have yet to conclude their investigation of this matter and therefore a copy of the full Deloitte report is still withheld pursuant to section 6(a) of LGOIMA to avoid prejudicing the maintenance of the law and the detection of offences. It is also withheld pursuant to section 7(2)(a) of LGOIMA to protect the privacy of individuals.

As part of the full report from Deloittes I also wish to have, again on grey paper if necessary, the separate Deloitte investigation report and recommendations to CEO Bidrose regarding investigations into the activities of ‘certain DCC employees’. [2.10(b)]

The information provided to the CEO in relation to staff is withheld pursuant to section 7(2)(a) of LGOIMA to protect the privacy of individuals and pursuant to section 7(2)(c) as the information provided is subject to an obligation of confidence.

In addition I wish to see the Deloitte file ‘to support a complaint to the Serious Fraud Office/Police’, and any Citifleet related advice to Council’s legal advisors.

All correspondence between the Council and our legal advisors (including correspondence between Deloitte and our legal advisors on the Citifleet matter) is withheld pursuant to s 7(2)(g) of LGOIMA to protect legal professional privilege. Additionally, some but not all of the material is also withheld pursuant to section 6(a) of LGOIMA to avoid prejudicing the maintenance of the law and the detection of offences.

Finally I wish to have sent to me the electronic copy preserved by Deloitte of information that DCC controls as referred to in 2.10(a) and any associated analysis results.

The Police have not yet concluded their investigation of this matter and therefore the preserved electronic copy of information held by Deloitte which the Council controls is withheld pursuant to section 6(a) of LGOIMA to avoid prejudicing the maintenance of the law and the detection of offences. It is also withheld pursuant to section 7(2)(a) of LGOIMA to protect the privacy of individuals.

As you are aware, as we have withheld information, you have the right pursuant to section 27(3) of LGOIMA to have our decision to withhold information reviewed by the Office of the Ombudsman.

Yours sincerely

Grace Ockwell
Governance Support Officer
Dunedin City Council

——————————

From: Lee Vandervis
Date: Wed, 11 Mar 2015 09:37:03 +1300
To: Sandy Graham [DCC], Sue Bidrose [DCC]
Conversation: Further LGOIMA requests
Subject: Re: Further LGOIMA requests

Dear Sandy and Sue,

Can you please update me by return on where these LGOIMA requests have progressed to?

Regards,
Cr. Vandervis

——————————

On 24/12/14 10:13 AM, “Lee Vandervis” wrote:

Dear Sandy,

Again I request a full copy of the original Deloitte Report on Citifleet [including all appendices] as referred to below.

I can accept that the full report may have to be provided on grey paper.
As part of the full report from Deloittes I also wish to have, again on grey paper if necessary, the separate Deloitte investigation report and recommendations to CEO Bidrose regarding investigations into the activities of ‘certain DCC employees’. [2.10(b)]
In addition I wish to see the Deloitte file ‘to support a complaint to the Serious Fraud Office/Police’, and any Citifleet related advice to Council’s legal advisors.
Finally I wish to have sent to me the electronic copy preserved by Deloittes of information that DCC controls as referred to in 2.10(a) and any associated analysis results.

Ratepayers have paid quarter of a million dollars for the production of this information and I wish to see all of it as a public representative in the public interest.

It is not acceptable to me to have only been provided with the public redacted report along with the public at such a late pre-Christmas stage.

Regards,
Cr. Lee Vandervis

——————————

On 13/10/14 10:32 PM, “Lee Vandervis” wrote:

Dear Sandy,

You have not answered the question as to why one elected representative [the Mayor] seeing the entire Deloitte report [and parts of the report appearing in Audit and Risk Subcommittee agendas] is not likely to “prejudice the maintenance of the law including the investigation and detection of offences.” but that this is still an excuse for not showing the entire report to other elected representatives like myself. Especially given the number of comments the Mayor and CEO have been making to the media regarding the subject of the Deloitte Report.

Your claim that the Stadium review is not yet completed and is still in draft form directly contradicts the advice of the quoted Audit and Risk agenda of 7/10/14 which plainly says that the Stadium “external review has been completed”. If the former, since it can’t be both, why can’t I see it anyway? And why have we then been misled in the A&R agenda?

Being “of course entitled to have that decision reviewed by the Office of the Ombudsmen.” is a farcical affront, given the last response from this dysfunctional excuse for a government department took ELEVEN MONTHS to reply to my request to see the faults list for the long completed Town Hall redevelopment, which you also refused.

This systematic stonewalling of this elected representative by DCC staff is unacceptable to me.

Regards,
Cr. Lee Vandervis

[ends]

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Related Post and Comments:
23.2.15 Lee Vandervis on DCC Code of Conduct process #emails #naturaljustice

█ For more, enter the terms *vandervis* and *citifleet* in the search box at right.

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Snaky Stedman —not answering basic questions Dunedin ratepayers must ask

R. J. Sim of Mosgiel is asking the RIGHT QUESTIONS

Note the acute resemblance Mr Stedman has to Malcolm Farry when trying to sell the Stadium project. When backed into a corner on spurious claims, turns nasty and defensive. Boardroom games and hissy fits. Can’t wait until “Pool Guy” trots out the Hi-Vis vest, little black pants and a white hard hat, just like Malc! Assuming DCC and the GOBs duckshove the project through.

ODT 12.3.15 (page 14)

██ Two of the speeches made at the Stop The Stadium public meeting, Dunedin Town Hall, on 29 March 2009:
● Michael Stedman
● Dave Cull

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Related Posts and Comments:
● 11.3.15 Mosgiel pool trust PLAINLY hasn’t got ‘$7.5M community support’
● 6.3.15 Propaganda from trust for Taieri pool project #Mosgiel
● 2.3.15 DCC: Mosgiel Pool private workshop Tuesday (tomorrow) [renders]
● 20.2.15 Taieri Aquatic Centre: 2nd try for SECRET meeting —hosted by Mayor
● 13.2.15 ‘Taieri Aquatic Centre’, email from M. Stedman via B. Feather
● 10.2.15 Dunedin City Councillors invited to Secret Meeting #Mosgiel
11.10.14 New Mosgiel Pool trust declared —(ready to r**t)
23.7.14 Mosgiel Pool: Taieri Times, ODT…. mmm #mates
16.7.14 Stadium: Exploiting CST model for new Mosgiel Pool #GOBs
● 4.2.14 DCC: Mosgiel Pool, closed-door parallels with stadium project…
30.1.14 DCC broke → More PPPs to line private pockets and stuff ratepayers
20.1.14 DCC Draft Annual Plan 2014/15 [see this comment & ff]
16.11.13 Community board (Mosgiel-Taieri) clandestine meetings
25.1.12 Waipori Fund – inane thinkings from a councillor
19.5.10 DScene – Public libraries, Hillside Workshops, stadium, pools
12.4.10 High-performance training pool at stadium?

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Otago Polytechnic effective leadership

### ODT Online Thu, 12 Mar 2015
Polytech Efts continue to rise
By Timothy Brown
Otago Polytechnic believes student numbers will continue to climb for the fourth year. The polytechnic has budgeted for 4561 equivalent full-time students (Efts) this year, almost 7% up from last year’s final tally of 4269 Efts. […] The ongoing period of student number growth at the polytechnic comes as numbers are dropping at the University of Otago.
Read more

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Positive messaging! Community Learning! Industry responsive!

Otago Polytechnic Published on May 12, 2014
Study in Dunedin, New Zealand | Otago Polytechnic

█ For more information about studying at Otago Polytechnic’s Dunedin Campus visit http://www.op.ac.nz/dunedin

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

DIA —poor job as gambling regulator

LAUGHABLE
The costs of regulation outweigh revenue from fees by $9 million a year.

### NZ Herald Online 5:00 AM Monday Mar 9, 2015
Breaches by pokie operators spark fee increase
By Nicholas Jones
Half of all inspections of pubs and clubs with pokie machines identify breaches or non-compliance with the law. Fees paid by pokie operators are to be increased as levels of fraud and other breaches challenge the Government’s ability to police the sector. Internal Affairs Minister Peter Dunne is overseeing consultation on proposals that will increase fees paid by clubs and pubs with gambling machines by 54 per cent.

OPERATION CHESTNUT NEAR COMPLETION
DIA, SFO and the Organised Financial Crime Agency NZ scrutinised $30 million in gaming grants made by trusts including Bluegrass. Bluegrass’ licence was cancelled after the DIA ruled its start-up funding was sourced from three racing clubs, rather than from South Canterbury Finance, as claimed.

The past three years have seen an increase in complex investigations into fraud and illegal activity at clubs and societies with pokies. That, and the declining number of pokie machines, has put severe financial pressure on the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA). Gambling enforcement is funded through fees paid by gambling operators.
Read more

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Related Posts and Coomments:
2.2.15 Operation Chestnut: DIA, SFO fluffing round the edges #TTCF #ORFU
11.1.15 Southern complainants: IPCA won’t ensure upfront investigation…
14.12.14 DIA regulates what? Not white collar crime, not with govt looking on!
5.8.14 Gambling Commission shuts down racing’s Bluegrass pokie trust
3.2.14 DIA signed up Intralot amid concerns about bribery and corruption
31.12.13 Martin Legge: Operation Chestnut [DIA’s PR exercise]
30.12.13 DIA insights: Pokie rorts, money-go-rounds, names
11.10.13 New Zealand: Pokie trusts same everywhere #pokierorts
10.10.13 Whistleblowers’ message heard ??! #OtagoRacingClub #pokierorts
1.8.13 Politicians keeping DIA/SFO quiet on ORFU and TTCF #pokierorts
31.3.13 DIA and Office of the Auditor General stuff up bigtime #pokierorts
21.2.13 DIA, SFO investigation #pokierorts
11.11.12 Department of Internal Affairs #pokierorts #coverup #TTCF
25.7.12 Martin Legge backgrounds TTCF (pokie trust) and Portage and Waitakere Licensing Trusts #DIA

█ For more, enter the terms *pokies* or *pokie rorts* in the search box at right.

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Mosgiel pool trust PLAINLY hasn’t got ‘$7.5M community support’

Received from Rob Hamlin
Wed, 11 Mar 2015 at 10:56 a.m.

Another gem from the ODT today on the Mosgiel Pool repeating the ‘community is willing to pay $7.5 million’ mantra:

Community urged to push for Mosgiel pool – http://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/335835/community-urged-push-mosgiel-pool

I posted the following comment:

Mr Stedman says:

“The issue of funding is significant … although the community is willing to put in $7.5 million, or 50%, it certainly doesn’t mean it is close to being a done deal…”

As I have said previously there is no reliable public evidence that this ‘community’ is prepared to put in this money. The Pool Trust’s previously secret, but publicly funded, research report relies upon a small group of wealthy people to contribute nearly all of this money, with less than 100 individuals contributing the lion’s share, and one unnamed individual expected to donate $1.5 million.

In fact, the wider ‘community’ cum catchment in question has yet to be properly defined, which is a necessary precursor to reliable research based upon systematic sampling to gauge their opinions and specific intention to donate to and use this facility. Until this is done, any statement that the “community is willing to donate $7.5 million” is conjecture.

I have noted this lack of support on numerous occasions, and I am very concerned that the Otago Daily Times continues to repeatedly print this very specific sounding but currently unsupported assertion unqualified and unchallenged – pretty much as a statement of fact.

There is a well-known adage that if you repeat something often enough and loudly enough then it will become the truth, regardless of its actual veracity. This is unfortunately an observable phenomenon as far as public perception is concerned, but reality can only be repelled for so long before it rudely intrudes upon such pleasant reveries.

The assertion that this undefined ‘community’ is prepared to pay $7.5 million for a pool facility, when reinforced by the Otago Daily Times’ repeated publication of it, may lead to a ‘deal being done’ on the basis of a misconception created in the minds of our councillors and the community – whoever that community may actually be.

Reality, if it is different from the assertion, may only intrude after such a deal is done – which would be unfortunate if the Council gets itself and its ratepayers hooked on some commitment to pay into this proposal before this reality-intrusion occurs.

This damage would only be increased by any commitment by the Council to underwrite ‘the Community’s’ own fundraising for $7.5 million without further research to establish the community’s (either the wider Mosgiel or narrower rich groups’ intentions to donate this amount).

Underwriting fundraising is actually impossible, as the very act of underwriting a specific fundraising figure means that those funds have then been raised, and everybody involved in such fundraising, both donors and fundraisers, can put their feet up and wait for the underwriter to cough up the full underwritten amount. Councils have been caught this way before.

I am too much of a realist to believe that any further research on the extent of the Mosgiel community’s FISCAL support for this project will be done before a ‘deal is done’. Recent statements by the Mayor to the effect that something is going to happen in the next five years are inconsistent with the Mosgiel Pool remaining as an unfunded item in the long-term (10 year) plan, and that suggests that a funding ‘deal’ of some sort is imminent.

Given that a deal may well be happening quite soon, and that further research seems unlikely, the Council can actually control the risks to the ratepayers of any such deal, by insisting on certain specific conditions as part of it. Here they are:

1) The Council will make no commitment to fund construction until a design for the pool is finalised, reliable estimates for construction are in place, and (ABOVE ALL) a site for the pool has been agreed upon, secured, all necessary zonings are in place and consents have been issued.

2) The Council will not commit funds unless the total identified and unfunded costs of the project at the point of commitment are $15 million or less.

3) Absolutely no variations to the agreed pool plan/site will be allowed once funds are committed.

4) The Council will agree to pay in $7.5 million subject to the above conditions, but absolutely no money will be paid, and no legally binding commitment of the above nature will be made by the Council until the Pool Trust can deliver legally binding third-party funding commitments of the correct specification that total more than $7.5 million.

5) The Pool Trust must acquire legally binding commitments (pledges) to pay, subject to the proviso that these commitments (pledges) only become binding once:

a) The total raised by the Pool Trust exceeds $7.5 million on or before a date that is common to all such commitments (pledges).

b) Conditions 1-3 above are met by the Pool Trust and the Council commits to pay its $7.5 million on a (later) date that is common to all pledges.

So how will this work? Well let’s say that the Pool Trust’s pledge contracts name a date of 31 December 2016. If the Pool Trust’s pledged sum at 4.55pm on that day stands at $7,499,995, then at the stroke of 5.00pm, the private pledges and Council commitment all become void, and the deals with both donors and Council have to be renegotiated – Hard, but fair.

However, if at 4.59pm Mrs Buggins pledges an additional ten bucks, then the sum at the stroke of 5.00pm will stand at $7,500,005. Mrs Buggins, all the other pledgers and the Council are at that moment committed, subject to the Pool Trust meeting conditions 1-3 defined by Council by the second date (say 31 December 2017).

If conditions 1-3 have not already been met and acknowledged by the Council then everybody is fully committed at this point, and the fully funded proposal can then proceed. If conditions 1-3 are not met at this point, and the project subsequently relocates, falls over or blows out in some other way, then once again all potential donors are off the hook if the Council does not finally commit before 5.00pm on 31 December 2017.

I consider these conditions to be reasonable, and for the Council not to insist upon them as a requirement for funding, with or without further research, would in my opinion be an act of recklessness.

These conditions should also be perfectly acceptable for the Pool Trust. If they are truly confident that the ‘Mosgiel Community’ will give them $7.5 million, and they can build this facility where they say they are going to for $15 million, then they should be equally confident of meeting these Council funding conditions without difficulty, and of then proceeding with the construction of this facility as planned.

[ends]

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Related Posts and Comments:
● 6.3.15 Propaganda from trust for Taieri pool project #Mosgiel
● 2.3.15 DCC: Mosgiel Pool private workshop Tuesday (tomorrow) [renders]
● 20.2.15 Taieri Aquatic Centre: 2nd try for SECRET meeting —hosted by Mayor
● 13.2.15 ‘Taieri Aquatic Centre’, email from M. Stedman via B. Feather
● 10.2.15 Dunedin City Councillors invited to Secret Meeting #Mosgiel
11.10.14 New Mosgiel Pool trust declared —(ready to r**t)
23.7.14 Mosgiel Pool: Taieri Times, ODT…. mmm #mates
16.7.14 Stadium: Exploiting CST model for new Mosgiel Pool #GOBs
● 4.2.14 DCC: Mosgiel Pool, closed-door parallels with stadium project…
30.1.14 DCC broke → More PPPs to line private pockets and stuff ratepayers
20.1.14 DCC Draft Annual Plan 2014/15 [see this comment & ff]
16.11.13 Community board (Mosgiel-Taieri) clandestine meetings
25.1.12 Waipori Fund – inane thinkings from a councillor
19.5.10 DScene – Public libraries, Hillside Workshops, stadium, pools
12.4.10 High-performance training pool at stadium?

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

*Image: cicc.tv – Michael Stedman, chair of the Taieri Community Facilities Trust (“the Mosgiel pool trust”), tweaked by whatifdunedin

Town Belt Traverse 2015

█ More details at the DAS website

Related Posts:
4.3.15 Town Belt Traverse | Sunday 29 March
24.2.15 Town Belt Traverse 2015 —Sunday, 29 March

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

*Surprise!* Farry’s f.u.b.a.r. Stadium not attracting first year Efts

BLUNDER CITY #DUD —AND THE STADIUM REVIEW AIN’T NO HELP

Ivy League Assaults: Dumber and Dumber due to UE failure, drunkenness, fires, civil disorder, better campus and study offerings up north and overseas?

AWAIT UNIVERSITY OF OTAGO PRONOUNCEMENTS AFTER THE MARCH MEETING OF THE HALLOWED UNIVERSITY COUNCIL

A ‘PUBLIC RELATIONS EPIC’ IS EXPECTED

### ODT Online Tue, 10 Mar 2015
University roll worry realised
By Timothy Brown
Fears of University of Otago first-year student numbers falling for the first time since 2011 appear to be realised, with “serious” vacancies at Knox College and Salmond College. About 10% of beds at the two non-university run colleges remain vacant and the Otago University Students’ Association revealed, earlier this year, the University of Otago could face a drop in first-year student numbers.
Read more

Both Knox and Salmond have undergone recent building upgrades and provide excellent pastoral care in quiet settings – who then, would choose a university-owned rough-house college if you were serious about career education.

What sort of undergrad student is the University of Otago attracting nowadays? Party animals? Generation Zero lefties? Discount ivy-leaguers (Kiwi-Asian style)? And how come accommodation at college halls is so steep? It’s an obscene weekly cost if mummy and daddy aren’t paying, so yes, way better(?) to camp out in the grunge and gunge flats of Studentville —or hey, move up the hill to sink the tone of City Rise, look at all those “historic-kick-apart” villas and mansions, incredibly suited to Face Book parties and upsetting middle class owner-occupiers next door. Cripes, at each former family or professional home there’s room to park “6 cars!”, yes, the cash-cow landlords will happily (just ask) destroy established 100-year-old plantings and gardens to lay down asphalt.

Welcome to ‘Absolutely Beautiful’, Dunedin. Welcome to the student ghettos, the broken streetscapes…. smashed bottles, lingering trash, burnt furniture, bouncing basketballs (all hours, Really Dumb like that), drying vomit and worse, weeds, untrimmed trees and hedges, a few kicked-in fences, more asphalt, flaking paint at once proud residences, stickering with satellite dishes and heat pumps, strings of poorly washed laundry draping house fronts. But who can forget the “Dunedin Sound”, of nights, drunken male yahoos, uncoordinated white trash hakas and ‘young girl’ screams, passion or torture, hard to tell. 111.

THIS is, Dunedin FOR Education.
Student loans FOR Banks and Slum Landlords.
Google Images: “castle street hyde street dunedin”

And Harlene, next! Frat Life starts in on St Leonards – just a quick ride from your Ivy League of diminished offerings, that overpriced BA, BCom or BSc.

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Related Posts and Comments:
18.2.15 University of Otago: Toga Party 2015 #video
16.2.15 University of Otago can’t beat broadcast news and social media #image
18.12.14 University of Otago —um Harlene, what you sellin’ now, girl?
12.8.14 Cameras in North Dunedin
1.8.14 University Partyville, North Dunedin: Put the cameras in ~!!
16.7.14 Stadium: Out of the mouths of uni babes…. #DVML
30.4.14 Octagon mud
22.3.14 Dunedin North care less filthy slum
19.3.14 Dunedin North drunks
15.2.14 University of Otago: Starter questions for Harlene
10.2.14 University of Otago major sponsor for Highlanders
19.8.13 Cull on senility (firing up graduates)
25.3.13 UoO: NEGATIVE PRESS: Weekly disorder in Dunedin campus area
20.2.12 University of Otago student orientation
17.2.12 Salvation Army: The Growing Divide
17.12.11 Stadium + Cull love = University of Otago + OUSA party
23.11.11 Judge Oke Blaikie finally said it
9.11.11 DCC has PR problem

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr