Asbestos contamination at Dunedin Railway Station

[womentravelnz.com]

There’s a new tenancy at the Dunedin Railway Station.

People working on the project had been told the whole underfloor area was safe to enter; that there was plastic down.

Turns out the plastic cover ran short, and a number of site workers had crawled across bare dirt, kicking up a lot of dust as they went – it was found the area had been contaminated with asbestos.

We understand workmen from several companies have been affected.

The Dunedin Railway Station is a council owned property. Affected sitemen have since had their names added to the WorkSafe Asbestos Exposure Database; and Health and Safety meetings have been called to review safety drills and gear provision.

It appears a few people have slipped up along the ‘food chain’ of managerial responsibility for the workers, starting with DCC management (the building owner).

We hear DCC is now paying for workers to be educated on what protection gear they must wear on exposed asbestos worksites.

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Related Post and Comments:
19.6.16 Thoughts on ODT Insight : Chris Morris investigates Asbestos plague

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

This post is offered in the public interest.

City Property . . . .

### ODT Online Sat, 10 Jun 2017
Property boss quits
By Chris Morris
The man in charge of the Dunedin City Council’s multimillion-dollar property portfolio has quit following a review by independent auditor Deloitte. [A] Council spokesman ….yesterday confirmed city property manager Kevin Taylor resigned last week. [DCC] responding to Otago Daily Times questions by email, declined to say what Deloitte’s review had found, insisting the final report was “still being considered”. The development came three months after the ODT reported the department responsible for property worth hundreds of millions of dollars was being reviewed ….The role was expected to change in future, with a “specific focus” on community and civic properties ….Mr Taylor’s departure was the latest upheaval for the city property department, following the departure of former city property manager Robert Clark in 2014, and his assistant manager, Rhonda Abercrombie, the following year.
Read more

****

### ODT Online Fri, 10 Mar 2017
Council’s property department under review
By Chris Morris
The performance of the Dunedin City Council’s city property department is under the scrutiny of an independent auditor. It was confirmed yesterday Deloitte had been called in to examine the department responsible for property worth hundreds of millions of dollars. It is understood the review’s focus was on the department’s performance, and any suggestion of impropriety has been ruled out. Deloitte has been brought in to provide extra resources for the review, but city property manager Kevin Taylor has been replaced in the day-to-day running of the department.
Read more

****

### ODT Online Tue, 15 Sep 2015
Property manager quits DCC
By Chris Morris
Dunedin City Council manager Rhonda Abercrombie has resigned abruptly, but nobody is prepared to say why. Mrs Abercrombie, the council’s assistant city property manager, handed in her notice last week but was no longer working at the council’s Civic Centre building.
Read more

****

### ODT Online Tue, 29 Apr 2014
Quick exit for another DCC senior manager
By Debbie Porteous
Another senior manager is to have a quick exit from the Dunedin City Council after the announcement yesterday of his departure. Economic development and property group manager Robert Clark will clear his desk on Friday. He is returning to the commercial sector after six years with the council. Mr Clark’s withdrawal from the organisation comes after a proposal was circulated to staff last month in which his position was effectively disestablished, his responsibilities split between new positions to be created under a new council operating structure. The structure was developed by chief executive Dr Sue Bidrose in a review of the council’s property and economic development operations.
Read more

Dunedin City Council – Media Release
Manager Economic Development and Property moving on
This item was published on 28 Apr 2014
The Dunedin City Council’s Group Manager Economic Development and Property Robert Clark is leaving the organisation after six years to return to the commercial sector. General Manager Infrastructure and Networks Tony Avery says Mr Clark’s last day at the DCC will be on Friday, although he will continue to do transitional consulting work in the coming months on some significant projects.
Read more

****

For some weeks, independently of today’s news, the Dunedin grapevine has been rattling (autumn leaves) with tales of the missing City Property reserves, worth millions.

WHAT, you say. Noooooo.

Let’s hope our elected representatives are onto it.
Historical, it appears.

Thus the shadow boxing about town: raising all the circular questions of who and how, historically.

New blood to a system is supposed to flush out nasties, this takes hard analysis of past annual reports and investments, and of ‘figures’ present and correct —or not. Anything strange or unseemly, a mere whiff of stray fur, should be swiftly signalled to the chief executive for immediate independent audit, especially if to do with a property division.

The age-old question for local government continues to be: if you’re not a business person, how do you smell rats in your balance sheets and upon whom do you rely for sound advice, internally and externally, for the health and solid whereabouts of your ratepayer funds and assets. Indeed, without this staunch critical oversight how on earth can a council operate or even run its companies.

And how do you screen applicants; and monitor job performance.
Without great gaping holes in the cheese and skirtings, People!

[pennlive.com]

—

Related Post and Comments:
A selection only. Some comments or links to related posts under these post titles are very telling in the collective sense.
26.2.17 No news : Appointment of Group CFO
14.2.17 DCC not Delta #EpicFail : Wall Street falsehoods and a world class debt
22.1.17 DCC LGOIMA Response : Wall Street Mall and Town Hall Complex
9.9.16 Calvert on DCC, ‘We could have a much more democratic and transparent operation of council’
12.8.16 DCC trifecta : openness, transparency, accountability —All dead?
10.6.16 g’bye & ’ello [GCFO resigns]
3.12.15 DCC factory crew issues, ELT, CEO….
16.11.15 DCC operating deficit $1M worse than budget
6.11.15 DCC non compos mentis
8.9.15 DCC Citifleet: Council steered off SFO investigation
17.3.15 DCC whistleblowing —what is open government ?
23.2.15 Wall Street Mall drops glazing panel to George Street
29.12.14 DCC gets QLDC talent…. the weft and warp deviously weaves
18.12.14 DCC: Deloitte report released on Citifleet
18.9.14 DCC considers sale of “149 properties”
15.9.14 Cull’s council spent the cash
11.9.14 DCTL: New treasury manager
8.9.14 Jim Harland and the stadium MESS
1.9.14 DCC Fraud: Further official information in reply to Cr Vandervis
28.4.14 DCC loses City Property manager in restructuring
28.8.14 DCC: Tony Avery resigns
22.8.14 DCC: Deloitte report referred to the police #Citifleet
31.7.14 DCC: Services and development #staffappointment
3.7.14 Stuff: Alleged vehicle fraud at DCC
1.7.14 DCC: Far-reaching fraud investigation Citifleet
3.6.14 DCC unit under investigation
2.5.14 DCC $tar-ship enterprise
24.1.14 Stadium: It came to pass . . .
28.12.13 Sue Bidrose, DCC chief executive
18.11.13 DCC: New chief executive
24.9.13 DCC chief executive Paul Orders recommended for Cardiff
14.10.13 DCC: New chief financial officer
7.9.13 Stadium: $266 million, more or less?
2.8.13 DCC, Stadium —sorry picture
24.7.13 DCC / DCHL shake up !!!
4.7.13 Carisbrook: DCC losses
25.5.13 Paul Orders: Dunedin or Cardiff ???
11.5.13 Stadium: Truth, usual whitewash or prosecution ?
21.3.13 DCC: Opportunity created by Stephens’ departure
20.11.12 Dunedin City Council vs Anzide Properties decision: The road “has no legal basis”
31.10.12 Dunedin City Council – all reports posted, belatedly!
26.10.12 DCHL borrowed $23 million to bail DCC
22.8.12 Mr Orders, sir! About your staff expertise…
9.6.12 City Property to compete more obviously in the market (their excuse: PPP)
4.5.12 Who was it – Malcolm Farry? Peter Brown?…
9.11.11 Paul Orders for change!
17.9.11 Paul Orders starts Monday
19.5.11 Information received today
29.12.10 Jim Harland
29.10.10 DCC Chief Executive resigns – timing is everything!
16.8.10 Dunedin City Council security for borrowings
29.7.10 Dunedin social housing
12.6.10 DCC Media Release – CEO salary and performance
18.5.09 Mayor Peter Chin: ‘not about social housing’

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

This post is offered in the public interest.

DCC not Delta #EpicFail : Wall Street falsehoods and a world class debt

Received from Christchurch Driver [CD]
Tue, 14 Feb 2017 at 9:16 a.m.

Readers 

We are at an interesting time in our local history. Your correspondent like hundreds of others was busy cleaning up yesterday, after what NIWA described as a fairly standard thunderstorm where just 13.6mm of rain fell. 

Also like hundreds of others no doubt, the question in the mind of your correspondent as he dutifully mopped, was : What is the next public asset to be exposed as poorly run, badly maintained and starved of funds ? 

Never before have the executive few lied so comprehensively about the true state of so much degraded public asset. Never before has so much public asset been destroyed by the actions of those few, as Winston might have said. 

Economists your correspondent is familiar with would call this the “tragedy of the commons”. We await the “macro-prudential” responses from Central Government. With the stupefying level of underfunding for DCC drainage and other underground services identified by the Auditor-General, coupled with Aurora Energy’s $1B deferred maintenance and capital work, plus the existing DCC debt, there is around $3B that will need to be extracted from ratepayers and power consumers over the next 30 years (see the Dunedin City Council Infrastructure Strategy). Dunedin has achieved its dream as a world leading small city – of debt per ratepayer. Dunedin will be broke beyond comprehension with the policy of 3% annual rises. The 3% limit is a mirage. Rate rises will be much, much more. Not this year, but quite possibly before the next election; if this council does not address the looming crisis there is the increasing possibility of the removal of the council and appointment of a commissioner. 

It seems that every week brings some fresh disaster or new development that the DCC attempts to cover up. 

Yesterday was a small but telling episode. David Loughrey of the Otago Daily Times kindly confirmed what your correspondent mentioned some months ago, that the DCC had terminated the services of Logic FM because the company would not look the other way while the DCC wilfully failed to fix hundreds of obvious fire rating defects at two of their major assets. 

Mr Kevin Taylor wrote that the council [fired] Logic because the company had been “interpreting code compliance…..beyond that required by the law”. Logic publicly scoffed at this saying – correctly – that the code is “relatively black and white”. 

What actually happened is that as well as the uncompleted fire penetrations, there is a case of simple DCC incompetence, which was only hinted at by infrastructure networks general manager Ruth Stokes in the ODT article. Here are the facts : The Wall Street mall required daily inspections of certain of its building safety systems. The DCC did not want to pay outside consultants to do this work. Fair enough, said Logic, we will train your staff to inspect the systems and they will then sign off a daily inspection sheet, which Logic as the IQP (Independent Qualified Person) need to sight every month. 

[teamarchitects.co.nz]

Month after month, the monthly reports could not be signed off because no one had completed the daily sign-off sheets. There were offers of more training to the apparently mule-like staff responsible but City Property could not be bothered to do it properly —and thought they could get away with not doing these daily inspections by appointing another more compliant IQP in-house and seeking cover with a further fire report by Beca. 

It is very relevant that after sacking Logic FM, and commissioning the report from Beca, DCC refused to provide a copy of the Beca report to Logic. Logic had asked repeatedly for the report to see what the alleged areas of “over compliance” were. 

It is ‘madeira cake to margarine sandwiches’ that there were no areas of over compliance, and but for Elizabeth Kerr’s LGOIMA request and latterly, the ODT, City Property may well have gotten away with inaccuracies! 

As it is, your correspondent sees only static for Mr Taylor in the DCC crystal ball. He is merely the latest in a line of unlamented DCC property managers, including Robert “Hydraulic” Clark, and Dave McKenzie.

Ruth Stokes also needs to very careful about stepping into this mess – and dissembling to protect Mr Taylor. Stating that “things could have gone a bit better, but they’ve all been addressed” does not fool anyone. Mr Taylor may have have fantasised to Ms Stokes that “all” the fire rating faults were fixed but remember your correspondent advised there were hundreds of faults, not just a few faults in one single wall as has been pretended. There is no way all the faults have been fixed. 

This is what Richard Healey would describe as the Delta dishonest reduction defence…. no, not a 1000 dangerous poles without red tags, but perhaps there are just a few…. and now we learn on that fiasco, that the ‘new’ Delta plan, unannounced to the region’s mayors, is that they can be magically restored to full strength by yet another re-classification.

Chief executive Sue Bidrose started her tenure with a promise of greater transparency and openness (read “honesty”) that was sorely needed. There was some early progress, but the transparency project appears a priority no more.

With the financial storm clouds assembling over the DCC that the chief executive cannot fail to be aware of, some honesty about the actual costs the DCC faces over the next decade is needed. It ranges from the small – just how much will it take to fix Wall Street mall to the $1B existential Aurora problem. The CEO and her staff have been invisible on this critical issue, instead producing reports of risible fantasy such as last year’s effort that valued Delta at over $50M, and Aurora at over $200M. Facing up to an austere decade is the only way that Dr Bidrose and Councillors will avoid having their careers and reputations destroyed by the appointment of a commissioner. 

[ends]

—

Council Documents:
● DCC Infrastructure Strategy
● DCC Long Term Plan 2015/16 – 2024/25
● Audit Opinion – Independent auditor’s report on Dunedin City Council’s 2015-25 Long‑Term Plan. Author: Ian Lothian, Audit New Zealand on behalf of the Auditor‑General, Dunedin NZ.

ODT Stories:
14.2.17 Councils, Aurora poles apart on ‘removing risk’ definition
13.2.17 Without warrants for years
11.2.17 Aurora affected by pole, staff shortages
8.2.17 Action by Delta decried
29.12.16 Director for $30m pole project
2.12.16 Resignation blow to pole work

Related Posts and Comments:
22.1.17 DCC LGOIMA Response : Wall Street Mall and Town Hall Complex
30.11.16 Delta #EpicPowerFail 7 : Kyle Cameron —The Money or the Bag?

█ For more, enter the terms *delta*, *aurora*, *grady*, *wall street mall*, *richard healey*, *steve thompson*, *dchl*, *epicfail*, *epicpowerfail* or *epic fraud* in the search box at right.

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

This post is offered in the public interest.

*Images by Parker Warburton Team Architects

Go Bus exploitation of migrants?

Google Street View – 658 Princes St, Dunedin [Owner: DCC City Property]

“They had their clothes all ready hanging up in the windows which could be seen from Princes St.” –Go Bus complainant

### ODT Online Mon, 17 Oct 2016
Migrants housed illegally
By Vaughan Elder
Go Bus has been accused of exploitation after it illegally housed migrant workers in an office building at its Dunedin depot early last year. The Tramways Union, which represents workers at the site, said the housing of workers, believed to be Filipinos, at the depot was part of a wider problem where Go Bus was employing foreign workers to keep wages low. The workers were moved after the Dunedin City Council, which owns the building, informed Go Bus it was illegal under the district plan for people to live in commercial premises “due to fire risk and other safety factors.
Read more

Go Bus South Island operations director Nigel Piper initially said “three perhaps four” migrant workers were housed in the building for less than a week in January last year.”

█ Why has the matter taken this long to surface as news ??????

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

This post is offered in the public interest.

ODT: Vandervis v Cull

‘Mr Cull maintained he was correct to call Cr Vandervis a liar during a furious bust-up at a council meeting last December, telling the Otago Daily Times yesterday “a lie is a lie”.’

### ODT Online Sat, 7 May 2016
Threat to ‘double damages’
By Vaughan Elder
Councillor Lee Vandervis has threatened to “double the damages” from defamation action after Dunedin Mayor Dave Cull stood by calling him a liar. […] Cr Vandervis launched the defamation action this week, saying Mr Cull calling him a liar during a discussion on a new council procurement policy was incorrect and defamed him. A letter sent to Mr Cull by Cr Vandervis’ legal counsel, Alistair Paterson, said he would be willing to forgo defamation action if Mr Cull paid his legal costs and made a public apology in a full council meeting filmed by Dunedin Television and in the presence of Allied Press [Otago Daily Times] reporters.
Read more

Channel 39 Published on Dec [14]*, 2015
Councillor asked to leave meeting
Councillor Lee Vandervis was instructed by Mayor Dave Cull to leave a Dunedin City Council meeting today. The request came after Cr Vandervis alleged that tender contracts could not be secured unless a relationship was developed with staff. The Mayor rejected his claims, saying he had no proof. Cr Vandervis then proceeded to continue discussing the matter and was asked to leave.
Note: Incorrect date of meeting given at YouTube entry.

Dunedin City Council Published on Dec 15, 2015
[full meeting video – relevant segment near end from 2:07:19]

● Unconfirmed Minutes of Meeting (14.12.15)
No reason given for minutes as yet unconfirmed by Council.

Related Posts and Commments:
14.3.16 Cr Vandervis co-operates with investigators #mediaslant
20.12.15 More emails —DCC aftermath of full council meeting 14.12.15
19.12.15 Member of the public lays Conduct complaint against Mayor Cull
15.12.15 Santa Cull’s idea of standing orders 14.12.15 #xmasface

█ For more, enter the term *vandervis* in the search box at right.

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Election Year —this post is offered in the public interest.

*Image: dunedintv.co.nz – archivemash by whatifdunedin

More emails —DCC aftermath of full council meeting 14.12.15

Updated post
Mon, 21 Dec 2015 at 1:00 p.m.

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“I have told you personally of a relationship with a DCC manager where I had to pay a 10% backhander to get a contract.” –Cr Vandervis to Mayor Cull

### ODT Online Mon, 21 Dec 2015
Contract fraud call at DCC
By Chris Morris
Dunedin city councillor Lee Vandervis’ actions will form part of a fresh fraud investigation inside the Dunedin City Council, after he claimed to have paid a backhander to secure a council contract. Council staff have confirmed his actions would be examined by the council’s internal auditors, Crowe Horwath, under the council’s new fraud prevention policy.
Read more

Otago Daily Times Published on Dec 14, 2015
Cr Lee Vandervis instructed by Mayor Dave Cull to leave meeting.
[Vandervis statement around 1.25 mark]

—

Received from Lee Vandervis
Sat, 19 Dec 2015 at 10:56 p.m.

Re: Town Hall Redevelopment Project and Citifleet fraud allegations

—— Forwarded Message
From: Sandy Graham
Date: Fri, 18 Dec 2015 02:37:27 +0000
To: “Council 2013-2016 (Elected Members)”
Cc: “Executive Leadership Team (ELT)”
Subject: Additional LGOIMA emails re Various matters related to allegations from Monday meeting

Councillors

Please find attached an additional PDF that was included in the information provided to the ODT but got missed in my earlier email to you.

Apologies.

Sandy

From: prncc209@dcc.govt.nz
Sent: Friday, 18 December 2015 12:48 p.m.
To: Sandy Graham
Subject: Message from KM_C454e

(1) Attachment:
█ SC454E0591715121812470 [683890] (PDF, 169 KB)
Lee Vandervis to Bidrose 28.6.15 [thread]

—

Related Post and Comments:
19.12.15 DCC aftermath of full council meeting 14.12.15 (emails released)

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

DCC aftermath of full council meeting 14.12.15 (emails released)

Extraordinary times at Dunedin City Council in which no-one looks good. With what political mileage generated at mayoral level; and what questions of the chief executive, and ODT’s role and or complicity, in this sudden council release of information to the public realm.

Read the email threads attached to Sandy Graham’s email to Cr Vandervis.

More than ever, these exchanges show strong need for an independent Procurement manager position at Dunedin City Council with oversight of all managers of departments and divisions, as Cr Vandervis has been recommending for some time.

Unsurprisingly, belatedly, an investigation into alleged fraud at City Property should commence, along the lines of what happened for Citifleet —this time, with full accountability to the ratepayers and residents of Dunedin.

—

Received from Lee Vandervis
Sat, 19 Dec 2015 at 11:12 a.m.

—— Forwarded Message
From: Lee Vandervis
Date: Sat, 19 Dec 2015 10:02:42 +1300
To: Sandy Graham, Andrew Noone, Andrew Whiley, Chris Staynes, Doug Hall, Hilary Calvert, John Bezett, Jinty MacTavish, Kate Wilson, Lee Vandervis, Mayor Cull, Mike Lord, Neville Peat, Richard Thomson, David Benson-Pope, Aaron Hawkins
Cc: Sue Bidrose
Conversation: LGOIMA request – Various matters related to allegations from Monday’s meeting
Subject: LGOIMA request – Various matters related to allegations from Monday’s meeting

Dear Sandy,

Given the Deloitte comment “We do not have any objection to you sharing this letter with the Councillors.”
and my repeated LGOIMA and requests for other Deloitte information, why was this information not supplied to me well before now?!
Please state complete reasons and who was responsible for the decisions to withhold this information from me.

Regards,
Cr. Vandervis

On 18/12/15 12:03 pm, “Sandy Graham” wrote:

Dear Councillors

FYI. This is a response to a LGOIMA request that we provided to the ODT. It is likely to feature in the paper over the next day or two.

Regards
Sandy

—————————————

From: Sandy Graham
Sent: Thursday, 17 December 2015 4:33 p.m.
To: Chris Morris [ODT]
Subject: LGOIMA resposne – Various matters related to allegations from Monday’s meeting

Dear Chris

Further to your LGOIMA request, please find below and attached responses to your questions.

You stated:
At Monday’s council meeting, Cr Vandervis claimed he had paid a backhander to council staff to secure a contract prior to his time as a councillor. I’m told by the Mayor that this is believed to relate to a former staff member who no longer works for council.

Q Are staff investigating or considering the legal or other implications of Vandervis’ backhander claim?

Yes – all aspects of the transaction will be investigated.

Q If so, can you say what the implications of his statement are, and the possible options or actions that might follow? Does it, for example, trigger an investigation under the council’s anti-fraud policies, and would that look at the actions of the former staff member, Cr Vandervis, or both?

The internal auditors have been advised and they are following the process as per the Fraud Prevention Policy and Procedures.

Q What action might be taken as a result?
It’s too early to say what if any action will be taken.

Previous questions
1. What claims has Lee Vandervis made in relation to alleged fraud involving council?

See attached emails which provides documented details of recent fraud allegations. As discussed, these emails are the what we have been able to quickly identify over the past couple of years. We have not gone back further at this stage.

2. What evidence, if any, has he provided to back up those claims?
Please see emails as above

3. I’m told the DCC received a separate piece of information from Deloitte assessing the claims made by Lee Vandervis in relation to the Citifleet fraud. If possible, can I have a copy of that today?

A copy is attached with redactions to protect the privacy of certain individuals pursuant to section 7(2)(a) of LGOIMA.

As we have withheld certain information, you are entitled to a review by the Office of the Ombudsman.

Regards
Sandy

Sandy Graham
Group Manager Corporate Services
Dunedin City Council

—— End of Forwarded Message

(4) Attachments:

█ SC454E0591715121715540 [546869]
Email thread Bidrose 16.12.15 – Community Housing Maintenance Contract LGOIMA

█ Email – 2015_02_25_Redacted]
Lee Vandervis to Grant McKenzie 25.2.15 In Confidence- Alleged Fraud

█ Email – 2015_02_25_Redacted [546867]
Email thread Grant McKenzie to Lee Vandervis 25.2.15 In Confidence- Alleged Fraud

█ SC454E0591715121715470_Redacted [546868]
Deloitte to Bidrose 4.8.14 – City Fleet Investigation – Matters raised by Councillors

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Jeff Dickie: Edinburgh tough, Dunedin (DUD)

Further to the contents of an email from Jeff Dickie last month, who was writing from a hotel on Orchard Road at the time:

Supplied. ODT 13.7.15 (page 6)

****

INVOICE FRAUD AND MORE

TWO corrupt council officials and two businessmen who supplied them with cash and hospitality have been jailed with a warning they face “significant” sentences.

### HeraldScotland.com Wednesday 17 June 2015
Corrupt Edinburgh council officials face lengthy jail term
[…] Former local authority employees Charles Owenson and James Costello were treated to dances and drinks in lap dancing bars as valuable Edinburgh City Council contracts were secured through bribery. Ex-directors of Action Building Contracts Ltd (ABC Ltd) Kevin Balmer and Brendan Cantwell provided the rewards over the allocation of work for public buildings including schools, care homes and cemeteries.
Following their earlier guilty pleas a sheriff told them that he would continue their case until tomorrow for sentencing at Edinburgh Sheriff Court to consider the information he had been given. But Sheriff Michael O’Grady QC told the four men: “Having regard to the gravity of the offences, it is clear to me the sentences will require to be custodial and require to be significant.” He remanded all of them in jail ahead of sentencing.
Owenson and Costello were provided with hospitality, including corporate seats at Hibs and Hearts football grounds and meals out as well as cash, by Edinburgh-based construction firm ABC Ltd (Action Building Contracts). The contractors even submitted inflated invoices to the local authority for work carried out to cover the costs of the bribes they were paying council officials. Fiscal Keith O’Mahony earlier told the court: “In essence, the council was being charged for the cost of bribing its own officials.”
[…] Police began carrying out enquiries in 2010 as a result of complaints about the statutory notices system and were later informed that senior management had received “a whistleblower letter” alleging that Owenson was showing favouritism when allocating work to contractors. The Crown has raised proceedings to recover crime profits in the case.
Read more

█ 18.6.15 BBC News: Four jailed over Edinburgh City Council bribes

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Shades of the ‘Screaming Orgasm cocktails’ saga following Dunedin City Council’s decision to build the stadium. That evening, the board members of Carisbrook Stadium Charitable Trust went out to celebrate, booking their drinks at Alibi Bar & Restaurant to the Ratepayers.
Of course, there have been masses of local big-ticket ‘corruptions’: the stadium land purchases (including for realignment of SH88); the Carisbrook ‘deal’ with Otago Rugby Football Union, and further ‘Otago Rugby’ deals with Dunedin Venues (DVML); the Delta subdivisions and service contracts (Jacks Point and Luggate, and more recently Noble Village); the unravelling Citifleet fraud and insurance scam (substantially greater than 152 fleet vehicles lost off the inventory, allied to ‘traffic’ in car parts, tyres, service contracts, and fluid cash); the Dunedin Town Hall Redevelopment Project (via City Property) yet to be fully detailed; and field lights for Otago Cricket Association…….. et al.

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

DCC financial position | DCC reply: “$20M cash on hand” #LGOIMA

### dunedintv.co.nz May 5, 2015 – 12:27pm
DCC’s financial position better than expected
The Dunedin City Council is finishing the financial year on a high, with an operating surplus of almost $8m. Its finance committee has just analysed the latest accounts, which show the council’s in a better position than expected. It’s received more money through its invested Waipori Fund, and saved on asset maintenance. The council’s got less debt to pay than what was initially budgeted for, and has deferred some work. But it’s received less than expected from the New Zealand Transport Agency for roading projects, and it’s lost some money on the sale of a Dukes Road property. The financial year ends in June.
Ch39 Link

As tabled at the DCC Finance Committee meeting on 4 May 2015:

█ Report – FC – 04/05/2015 (PDF, 1.2 MB)
Financial Result – Nine Months to 31 March 2015

█ Report – FC – 04/05/2015 (PDF, 1.2 MB)
Financial Result – Eight Months to 28 February 2015

****

WHERE DID DCC’S $20M “CASH ON HAND” DEMATERIALISE TO ?????

From: Elizabeth Kerr
Sent: Tuesday, 23 September 2014 11:13 p.m.
To: Sandy Graham [DCC Group Manager Corporate Services]
Subject: LGOIMA request

Dear Sandy

Re: Cull warns debt still hurdle for council (ODT 15.9.14)
http://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/315949/cull-warns-debt-still-hurdle-council

Within the news item it says:

“The forecast had included about $22 million in “cash on hand”, but, since Mr McKenzie’s arrival, the decision had been made to slash the amount to about $2 million, he said.

“The cash was instead used to pay for capital projects, avoiding the expected need to borrow for the work, which reduced the council’s need to borrow by $20 million, he said.”

6.5.15 This paragraph goes unexplained in Ms Graham’s reply below;
a further clarification has been sought on WHICH CAPITAL PROJECTS

I would like the DCC to precisely itemise the way(s) in which the city council has spent this $20 million of “cash on hand”, to include the capital projects by name or other reference; the name(s) of the relevant council department(s) and or committee(s) that incurred this expenditure; the dates of expenditure; the spending delegations attributable to which, by name, formal signatories on account; and any other information in legible form that would assist the city council to meet my request in a forthright, full and transparent manner.

I look forward to reply.

Thanks, kind regards

Elizabeth Kerr

—

* My LGOIMA request was made on 23 September 2014.
** Dunedin City Council was legally required to reply within 20 working days.
*** Dunedin City Council finally replied on 29 April 2015.

—————————————

From: Sandy Graham
Sent: ‎Wednesday‎, ‎29‎ ‎April‎ ‎2015 ‎1‎:‎36‎ ‎p.m.
To: Elizabeth Kerr
Subject: RE: LGOIMA request [DCC expenditure of $20M cash on hand]

Dear EJK

I do appear to have sent this on Friday. I’m resending. Can you confirm receipt?

Regards
Sandy

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From: Sandy Graham
Sent: Friday, 24 April 2015 1:40 p.m.
To: Elizabeth Kerr
Cc: Carolyn Allan; Grant McKenzie
Subject: RE: LGOIMA request [DCC expenditure of $20M cash on hand]

Dear Elizabeth

We have considered your questions and now provide the following response which we hope finally answers your enquiry. Apologies for the delay in providing this clarification.

First I want to background a couple of things to give context to both the question and our response. In our budget (the Annual Plan), the Council ensures that there is enough money to meet its financial obligations. This means that the Council has budgeted money in order to pay for a liability if and when it falls due over the course of the financial year.

While the budget provides for the necessary money to meet the various financial obligations that fall due over the course of the financial year, it is not financial best practice to have large sums of money sitting in the bank at the same time as the Council has debt. This is because the cost of borrowing is generally at a higher rate than the return on money invested in the bank.

With that background I want to deal with the specific situation referenced in the ODT on 15 September 2014 which forms the basis of your enquiry. For clarification, the article in the ODT on 15 September 2014 referred to a decision to “slash” the amount of cash on hand from $22 million to $2 million. To clarify, the $22 million was a budgeted amount of cash based on the Annual Plan for 2014/15. It was never physically in the bank – it was simply a budgeted figure.

The reference to “slash the amount” to about $2 million simply means that the Council (which had intended to borrow this money following the completion of certain capital expenditure projects) did not borrow it. It wasn’t spent on anything – the debt wasn’t raised. If it did borrow the money, then the Council would’ve had the money sitting in the bank. As outlined above, the current practice is to have a minimal amount of money in the bank but access to money if and when required.

The Council is currently consulting on a draft Financial Strategy which formalises this approach and incorporates it into the budget from 1 July 2015 onwards. I have attached a copy of the draft Financial Strategy for your information.

Regards
Sandy

█ Attachment: Finance-Strategy

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From: Elizabeth Kerr
Sent: Friday, 24 April 2015 1:56 a.m.
To: Sandy Graham
Cc: Carolyn Allan
Subject: Re: LGOIMA request [DCC expenditure of $20M cash on hand]

Dear Sandy

Please can you have the information requested since 23 September 2014 to me within 5 working days. Appreciated.

Regards, Elizabeth

Sent from Windows Mail

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From: Elizabeth Kerr
Sent: Thursday, 9 April 2015 11:49 a.m.
To: Sandy Graham
Cc: Carolyn Allan; Elizabeth Kerr
Subject: Re:RE: LGOIMA request [DCC expenditure of $20M cash on hand]

Dear Sandy and Carolyn

The draft LTP has recently been signed off by the Council and is now available for public consultation.

Further to your last email, Sandy, if you can, please provide timeline for delivery of the information promised to me regarding DCC’s use of the $20M cash on hand, as referred to in the Otago Daily Times on 15 September 2014 (refer correspondence below).

I look forward to your update and following, prompt receipt of the information kindly requested last year.

Best regards, Elizabeth

█ The rest of the oh so tiresome email trail can be found at this thread:
3.11.14 DCC: What happened to $20 million cash on hand? #LGOIMA

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

South Link Health, hmm that name….

South Link / Southlink

A little more city council-contrived MESS !!

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### ODT Online Wed, 25 Feb 2015
Church sold car park land forless (sic) for sake of public good
By Shawn McAvinue
A land deal between the Dunedin City Council and St Margaret’s Church in Green Island built on “good faith” was about $100,000 shy of another offer tabled but was accepted by the parish because it would create a community asset, former city councillor Colin Weatherall said. Mr Weatherall […] said that as a councillor, he was involved in negotiations when the church sold land about six years ago. The church agreed on a price with the council because the land would be used for a public car park. That price was about $100,000 less than an offer by a property developer wanting to build flats on the land.
Read more

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### ODT Online Wed, 25 Feb 2015
Support conditional on parking: Moyle
By Shawn McAvinue
A declaration of support for a proposed Green Island medical centre to be built on a public car park comes with conditions, businessman John Moyle said. Mr Moyle, the Green Island Business Association president and Saddle Hill Community Board member, said a Dunedin City Council letter declaring the association and board supported the sale of a public car park in Green Island to South Link Health Services Ltd was only half the story. The association and board supported the medical centre being built on the condition the car parks lost were found elsewhere, he said.
Read more

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### ODT Online Thu, 12 Feb 2015
Parking fears with new health centre
By Shawn McAvinue
The likely sale of a busy car park to make way for a new health centre in Green Island will leave motorists searching for parking, a former city councillor and a businessman say. Concerns were also raised that the Dunedin City Council would profit from a land deal brokered on community goodwill.
Read more

● South Link Health Services: Green Island Medical Centre
● South Link Group
● South Link Health Services Limited (3162309) Registered

DCC Webmap – Green Island [click to enlarge]

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PREVIOUSLY

### ODT Online Thu, 20 Mar 2014
Settlement offer made by SDHB
By Eileen Goodwin
The Southern District Health Board tried to settle its dispute with South Link Health by offering to halve the more than $7 million interest bill, correspondence about the row shows. […] The offer is disclosed in former health board chief executive Brian Rousseau’s correspondence. Previously, Mr Rousseau has taken issue with public statements from other parties indicating the board never raised a red flag about the possibility of fraud in the dispute.
Read more

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### ODT Online Sat, 19 May 2012
Quiet agent of change
By Dene Mackenzie
From a top-floor corner office looking straight up Dunedin’s George St, Murray Tilyard is overseeing a medical group that is quietly changing the way health services are delivered to thousands of New Zealanders. That number is set to grow exponentially. […] The Helensburgh general practitioner is also the Dunedin School of Medicine Professor of General Practice and now the chief executive, or executive director, of a group of health entities revolutionising the delivery of some health services.
Read more

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Related Comments at What if?
18.5.14 Anonymous #comment-49610 [explicit connections]
1.3.14 Elizabeth #comment-46131
19.2.14 Elizabeth #comment-45597

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

DCC: Street talk NEVER HAPPENED

In which Dunedin ratepayer Jeff Dickie is made out to be a liar?

ODT 3.1.15 (page 30)

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Saturday night thoughts on disgrace and dark forces.

When did Cull’s highly individualised chip-on-shoulder naysaying campaign start; this would be located well outside DCC Comms’ advice, wethinks.

Nowadays, how many Dunedin ratepayers and residents are “absolutely right” in how they view Dunedin City Council and the way it is operating. Citifleet is a mighty nail in the council coffin, surely.

ONE MAN alone is not the guilty PARTY.
ONE MAN is dead.

It’s disgusting, indecent and despicable that COUNCIL leaders are preying on the deceased, at their own convenience.

2015. Let individual histories and emerging evidence tell the real story against the mayor and chief executive’s ‘party line’ for Brent Bachop.

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Related Posts and Comments:
29.12.14 DCC gets QLDC talent…. the weft and warp deviously weaves
25.12.14 Daaave stole Christmas from #DUD
● 24.12.14 Dunedin: Watching the detectives
23.12.14 Our Leaders: if commonalities
● 19.12.14 DCC: Limited Citifleet investigation about insurance
19.12.14 Vandervis: Deloitte and Police Citifleet investigations
19.12.14 DCC Citifleet by email . . . . woops! (another timeline proof)
● 18.12.14 DCC: Deloitte report released on Citifleet #whitewash
22.11.14 ODT puffery for stadium rousing ? [Sue Bidrose profiled]
21.11.14 Stadium Review: Mayor Cull exposed
● 19.11.14 Forsyth Barr Stadium Review
24.10.14 DCC Citifleet, more revelations….
21.10.14 DCC Citifleet, undetectable….
13.10.14 DCC: Consulting the Community
● 19.9.14 Chief Ombudsman Beverley Wakem to launch post-election inquiry
8.9.14 Jim Harland and the stadium MESS
3.9.14 Stuff: Dunedin council CEO won’t resign
1.9.14 DCC Fraud: Further official information in reply to Cr Vandervis
30.8.14 DCC Fraud: Cr Vandervis states urgent need for facts….
● 28.8.14 DCC: Tony Avery resigns
27.8.14 DCC whitewash on serious fraud, steals democracy from citizens
26.8.14 DCC: Forensics for kids
23.8.14 DCC public finance forum 12.8.14 (ten slides)
22.8.14 DCC: Deloitte report referred to the police #Citifleet
6.8.14 DCC tightens policy + Auditor-General’s facetious comments
3.7.14 Stuff: Alleged vehicle fraud at DCC
1.7.14 DCC: Far-reaching fraud investigation Citifleet
● 18.6.14 Crowe Horwath Report (May 2014) – Review of DVML Expenses
3.6.14 DCC unit under investigation
2.5.14 DCC $tar-ship enterprise
28.4.14 DCC loses City Property manager in restructuring
● 20.3.14 Delta: Report from Office of the Auditor-General
24.1.14 Stadium: It came to pass… [stadium review announced]
28.12.13 Sue Bidrose, DCC Chief Executive
18.11.13 DCC: New chief executive
7.2.12 DCC ‘money go round’ embedded

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Hostel project loses Ngai Tahu, ChCh rebuild strains construction sector

### ODT Online Sat, 15 Nov 2014
Iwi pulls out of project
By Vaughan Elder
Ngai Tahu has withdrawn from a project worth tens of millions to build two student hostels in Dunedin, but says it remains keen on investing elsewhere in the city. Ngai Tahu’s exit from the Otago Polytechnic project does not signal its end, with the polytechnic looking at other options to get it off the ground. The original project had involved building an up to 235-room, $20 million hall of residence on surplus Dunedin City Council land on the edge of Logan Park, with a view to building another hall on adjacent council land if the first proved successful.
Read more

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Comments from another thread:

Elizabeth
February 7, 2014 at 5:36 pm

Daaave cunningly spots a deepish source of investment potential.
Mark Solomon and his board are no fools.

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### ODT Online Fri, 7 Feb 2014
City-Ngai Tahu good partners
By Hamish McNeilly
The relationship between Ngai Tahu and the Dunedin City Council is “blossoming by the day”, as their respective leaders discuss regional economic development, including the benefits and risks of offshore oil and gas exploration.
Read more

Elizabeth
February 8, 2014 at 3:21 pm

Ngai Tahu investment welcome (via ODT):
8.2.14 Ngai Tahu eyes second project
22.8.13 Public consultation on $20m hostel soon
21.8.13 $20 million student hostel planned

Comments profiling Sir Marc Solomon:
https://dunedinstadium.wordpress.com/2013/12/09/unicef-nz-statement-on-child-poverty-monitor/#comment-43394 | https://dunedinstadium.wordpress.com/2013/11/30/dvml-in-disarray/#comment-43144

Related Posts and Comments:
9.6.12 City Property to compete more obviously in the market…
13.1.14 Taking to water like a duck on oil

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Whaleoil on “dodgy ratbag local body politicians” —just like ours at DCC

### whaleoil.co.nz Fri, 31 Oct 2014 at 5:20pm
Why is there no law to rein in dodgy ratbag local body politicians?
By Cameron Slater
Former ARC Councillor Bill Burrill is not the first dodgy ratbag Councillor to trough from abuses of power to his own pecuniary advantage in recent years. A few years back in 2009 Council Watch was calling for a number of Councillors from the Canterbury Regional Council to be prosecuted and sacked from their positions after an investigation by the Auditor General Lyn Provost found that four individuals had broken the law by acting in conflict with their official role. Back then those Canterbury Councillors failed to declare a conflict on interest that [led] to a financial benefit for themselves by participating in discussion and voting on proposals before Council. Under investigation the Auditor General’s office chose not to prosecute stating that whilst the Councillors should have withdrawn as a matter of principle – they had each received and shared legal advice that they could participate. And here in lies the problem. The Auditor General and Office of the Ombudsmen publish clear guidelines for Councillors and council staff but the reality is that the law is erroneously filled with holes that are exploited and there is precious little oversight of Local Government leading to the Auditor General loathing to bother and the Courts uninterested.
Read more

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Emerson’s Brewery #Dunedin

Founder Richard Emerson (via stoppress.co.nz)

█ Premium Craft Beer | Emerson’s Brewery Dunedin http://www.emersons.co.nz/

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### NZ Herald Online 11:08 AM Wednesday Apr 10, 2013
Lion paid $8m for Emerson’s brewery
By Christopher Adams
Brewing giant Lion paid $8 million for Dunedin craft beer maker Emerson’s last year, according to documents filed with the Companies Office. At the time of the November takeover the Auckland-based company did not disclose the multi-million dollar price tag it paid for the South Island firm, which was founded in 1992, making it one of the most established and well-known craft brands in the country. But Lion is required to file its financial statements with the Companies Office due to its foreign ownership by Japanese brewer Kirin.
Read more

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Emerson’s Brewery On The Move
Monday, 20 October 2014, 3:22 pm
Press Release: Emerson’s

Dunedin, New Zealand – Emerson’s, with support from Lion, has today purchased a new site in Anzac Ave, Dunedin where they plan to build a brand new spiritual home for this iconic New Zealand craft brewery. The new site will allow Emerson’s to meet increasing demand for its high quality beers whilst continuing to bring new and interesting beers to beer lovers. This is the fourth move in the Emerson’s journey and Founder Richard Emerson says the new site will be a vast improvement on the place they currently call home.
“Moving brewhouses and tanks is not new to us but this time, we want to create a place where people can touch, smell, taste and experience more about Emerson’s and its story,” says Emerson.
Emerson’s, supported by Beca who will be project managing the development locally, are progressing well with the plans for the site which will house a new brewery, warehousing, retail store and bar area where visitors can enjoy a beer matched with good food. Improved staff facilities are also a key consideration for the new development.
Lion’s Managing Director, Rory Glass says today marks the start of another exciting chapter in Emerson’s history and Lion is delighted to be able to help them reach their full potential.
“We stand by our commitment of allowing Emerson’s to continue doing what they do well – experimenting and brewing great beer and we are genuinely excited about helping Emerson’s to build a new home in which they can realise their growth aspirations now and in the future” says Glass.
Work is expected to get under way on the site in December 2014 with a target completion date for the new Emerson’s Brewery in early 2016. Final plans for the site will be shared more widely in due course but Emerson’s have extended their current lease at Wickliffe Street to cover them until the new site is fully operational.
For now however, it is business as usual for Emerson’s and the team remain focused on creating great beers for Emerson’s fans to enjoy.
Link to Scoop

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DCC Webmap [click to enlarge]

Cr Hall had been in dispute with the council over access to his land for three years, after realignment of State Highway 88 during Forsyth Barr Stadium’s construction.

### ODT Online Tue, 21 Oct 2014
Brewery’s big plans revealed
By Vaughan Elder
An expanding Emerson’s Brewery is set to become a ”world-class” tourist destination now an agreement has been reached to buy a new site. The development – expected to cost in the millions – will be open for tours and house a new brewery, warehousing, retail store plus a bar and restaurant. The 22-year-old Dunedin brewery’s purchase of two adjacent pieces of land in Anzac Ave, belonging to the Dunedin City Council and Cr Doug Hall, also resolves a long-running access dispute over the land.
Read more

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The global environment in which we operate has always meant swings and roundabouts for New Zealand goods and services.

### ODT Online Mon, 27 Oct 2014
Editorial: Swings and roundabouts
It has been a tale of two fortunes for city businesses this month. […] And as one door closes [Donaghys], another opens. Dunedin’s Emerson’s Brewery last week announced it had bought land on Anzac Ave, and would move from its nearby Wickliffe St site to build a multimillion-dollar expanded operation with a new brewery, warehousing, retail store, bar and restaurant. The company envisaged it would become a “world-class” tourist destination and the expansion would create jobs.
Read more

Image via 3news.co.nz

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Related Posts and Comments:
2.9.13 SH88 realignment: decision to Environment Court?
3.8.13 SH88 notice of requirement [more maps]
30.4.13 DCC governance = management ?
20.11.12 DCC vs Anzide Properties decision: The road “has no legal basis”
27.5.12 SH88 realignment – information
25.5.12 SH88 realignment costs (injunction)
27.2.12 Bringing DCC, related entities and individuals to account…
23.8.11 Stadium project tangles
4.11.10 SH88 realignment for stadium disrupts traffic
21.7.10 SH88 realignment – update
7.7.10 Goodbye to great store buildings in Parry St
21.4.10 SH88 realignment – update
31.3.10 SH88 realignment
24.2.10 SH88 realignment: Are ratepayers buying the land twice?
20.11.09 Interesting. SH88 realignment.
2.9.09 SH88 realignment past stadium

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

DCC considers sale of “149 properties”

Tomorrow’s ODT carries carefully arranged details…

Kevin Taylor, City Property “good, bad and ugly” manager

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Updated post 19.9.14 at 11:29 a.m.

### ODT Online Fri, 19 Sep 2014
$10m property sell-off possible
By David Loughrey
Houses, empty sections and parkland are among 149 parcels of property across Dunedin being considered for sale, as the city council looks to add $10 million to its coffers. The council released its “work in progress” list after a Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act request from the Otago Daily Times. […] Council infrastructure and networks general manager Tony Avery yesterday said the list was a starting point.
Read more

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News conferred last week:
█ Cr Lee Vandervis now sits on the DCC Audit and Risk Subcommittee. [ Minutes ]

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Related Posts and Comments:
15.9.14 Cull’s council spent the cash
11.9.14 DCTL: New treasury manager
1.9.14 DCC Fraud: Further official information in reply to Cr Vandervis
30.8.14 DCC Fraud: Cr Vandervis states urgent need for facts and the record…
27.8.14 DCC whitewash on serious fraud, steals democracy from citizens
26.8.14 DCC: Forensics for kids
23.8.14 DCC public finance forum 12.8.14 (ten slides)
22.8.14 DCC: Deloitte report referred to the police #Citifleet
7.8.14 DCC issues shoddy treatment to Caledonian Bowling Club
● 30.7.14 Dunedin City Council | Consolidated council debt
● 28.4.14 DCC loses City Property manager in restructuring
24.1.14 Stadium: It came to pass… [stadium review]
14.10.13 DCC: New chief financial officer
21.3.13 DCC: Opportunity created by Stephens’ departure
6.3.13 Carisbrook: Cr Vandervis elaborates
20.11.12 Dunedin City Council vs Anzide Properties decision…
9.6.12 City Property to compete more obviously in the market…

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

*Image: odt.co.nz (tweaked by whatifdunedin) – Kevin Taylor blackened, a bit

DCC: Forensics for kids

Fairfax Media has obtained Audit NZ letters of management to the DCC from 2005 to 2012, released under the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act. The letters show that in the years 2007-2010 auditors consistently urged the DCC to tighten up its risk-management policies and processes.

Audit NZ expressed concern over what it indicated could be inadequate controls over several internal processes, including verifying signatures of those authorised to sign invoices and purchase orders, independent review of creditor files, and controls of sensitive areas such as sale of council assets to staff. (Fairfax)

### stuff.co.nz Last updated 08:17 26/08/2014
Dunedin council officers ‘not kids’
By Wilma McCorkindale
The Dunedin City Council (DCC) appears to have ignored calls by Audit New Zealand to improve its risk and fraud processes, saying its officers were “supposedly people with integrity … not kids”.

The DCC revealed in June it was investigating a suspected major fraud within its Citifleet unit. The fraud was suspected to have been carried out over a decade. Citifleet team leader Brent Bachop died suddenly in May. His death has been referred to the coroner. Council chief executive Dr Sue Bidrose said the alleged fraud of $1.5 million included alleged illegal transactions resulting in the loss of profits from the sale of 123 council fleet vehicles. The findings have been passed to the Dunedin police for further investigation.

Fairfax Media has obtained Audit NZ letters of management to the DCC from 2005 to 2012, released under the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act. The letters show that in the years 2007-2010 auditors consistently urged the DCC to tighten up its risk-management policies and processes. It appears Audit NZ was compelled to repeat similar advice over the period and noted the DCC met only minimum requirements.

Council managers’ response to the Audit NZ findings in 2010 was to say the council had considered creating an audit and risk committee but concluded its finance and strategy committee adequately performed the role. In December 2010 Audit NZ raised the issue of reviews of areas “susceptible to fraud”, but management commented that specific audits in the “most sensitive areas” had found “no transactions of concern or deficiencies in controls”.
Read more

Five council staff were involved in “employment processes”, with some facing the prospect of losing their jobs, the ODT understands.

[Irony] Local Government New Zealand president Lawrence Yule yesterday told the ODT the “mind-boggling” alleged fraud was the biggest involving a local authority he could recall.

### ODT Online Tue, 26 Aug 2014
Council overlooked audit advice
By Chris Morris
Dunedin Mayor Dave Cull concedes a chance to detect the alleged $1.5 million Citifleet fraud may have been missed, after the council twice overlooked advice from Audit New Zealand. The revelation came in Audit New Zealand’s annual reports to the council, obtained by the Otago Daily Times, which highlighted gaps in council processes dating back to 2003. […] The findings have triggered finger-pointing between past and present council staff, councillors and Audit NZ, but council chief executive Dr Sue Bidrose said responsibility for failing to detect the alleged fraud rested with the council.
Read more

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Related Posts and Comments:
23.8.14 DCC public finance forum 12.8.14 (ten slides)
6.8.14 DCC tightens policy + Auditor-General’s facetious comments
3.7.14 Stuff: Alleged vehicle fraud at DCC
1.7.14 DCC: Far-reaching fraud investigation Citifleet
3.6.14 DCC unit under investigation
2.5.14 DCC $tar-ship enterprise
28.4.14 DCC loses City Property manager in restructuring
7.2.12 DCC ‘money go round’ embedded

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

*Images (tweaked by whatifdunedin): tmba.tv – Tim McGarvey: 3D forensic animation (TMBA Inc. Animation Studio, New York City); scottthornbury.wordpress.com – F is for forensics (illustration by Quentin Blake, from Broughton, G. (1968) Success With English. Harmondsworth: Penguin)

DCC issues shoddy treatment to Caledonian Bowling Club

223 Andersons Bay Road [DCC webmap – click to enlarge]

Dunedin City Council loves PROFESSIONAL RUGBY more.
The Council wants to sell 223 Andersons Bay Road. The property is leased to the Caledonian Bowling Club; the 20-year lease expired in 2012 and has been renewed annually since. “The 2013 accounts of the bowling club would be the envy of most social and sporting clubs in Dunedin.” (Harry Love)
Here’s the collide with Forsyth Barr Stadium and dire opportunity cost. South Dunedin loses again. Venal thinking on the part of the Council.

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Supplied. ODT 6.8.14 (page 25)

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The Caledonian Bowling Club and its associated social hub should not be a casualty of the Dunedin City Council’s squeeze on debt, writes Harry Love, of Dunedin.

### ODT Online Wed, 16 Jul 2014
Opinion
Community institution feels the pinch
By Harry Love
There is a fat bird in the Dunedin City Council nest that swallows most of the food and, no doubt quite unaware that it does so, pushes some of the smaller, skinnier chicks out altogether. […] The question, like all political questions, is one of priorities. I propose, then, to describe the impending demise of one victim of the newcomer’s voracity and to raise some questions about the priorities the DCC, as guardians of the nest, might consider. […] Firstly, the DCC is burdened with large debt, a fair proportion of which is attributable to the Forsyth Barr Stadium and which it is commendably searching for ways to reduce. Secondly, while there is no direct or formal link between stadium costs, as such, and individual victims of the DCC’s need to retire debt, it is indisputable that, in the fiscal space available, small and apparently unimportant entities are pushed out by the big one.
Read more

█ More comments including news and video at Rugby stadiums not filling #SkyTV (from 16 July).

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

DCC tightens policy + Auditor-general’s facetious comments

The city council’s Whistleblower policy, originally written by Athol Stephens (!!), has recently been updated.

The proposed change came as independent financial consultant Deloitte continued its investigation into an alleged $1 million fraud within the Dunedin City Council’s Citifleet department. (ODT)

### ODT Online Wed, 6 Aug 2014
Council aims to tighten policies
By Chris Morris
The Dunedin City Council is moving to make it easier for whistle-blowers to speak out, but still has “a fair bit of work to do” to tighten other internal policies, senior managers say. The proposed change came as the council’s audit and risk subcommittee, meeting yesterday for just the second time, considered a schedule of 12 internal council policies it was now responsible for overseeing. The policies, ranging from risk management to staff travel and fraud prevention, were designed to promote good governance while protecting the organisation and its staff.
Read more

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Universally detested (except by a charming coterie of Wellington’s public servants, all living high off the pig’s back), Lyn Provost represents a fat salary-dollar value only. Fully complicit or was that comfortably incompetent, in not getting MULTIMILLION-DOLLAR RORTS and FRAUD stopped across the local authorities of New Zealand. She and her well-paid ‘academic’ staff ask: “Whatever is Crime?” —OHH! “New Zealand’s public sector boasted $240 billion worth of assets and managing them required continuous attention, she said.” (via ODT) …..What attention, steamed up spectacles??!!

Bugger off, Lyn [Photo: liberation.typepad.com]

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### ODT Online Wed, 6 Aug 2014
Praise for DCC’s new internal controls
By Chris Morris
The Dunedin City Council’s move to tighten internal controls has been praised by the Office of the Auditor-general, even as the investigation into an alleged $1 million Citifleet fraud continues. The words of encouragement came from Auditor-general Lyn Provost as she addressed a meeting of the council’s new audit and risk subcommittee during a visit to Dunedin yesterday. But, despite the headlines and unanswered questions about why the alleged fraud was not detected, including by auditors, the word “Citifleet” was not uttered yesterday.
Read more

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Dunedin City Council | Consolidated council debt

Recent ODT stories:

██ Mayfair Theatre, South Dunedin, learnt on Monday an adjacent public car park on the corner of King Edward St and Cameron St used by often elderly patrons was for sale, with tenders closing this week.
● Car park sale ‘kick in guts’

██ Anger from Caledonian Bowling Club members, who last Friday learnt the council would sell the Andersons Bay Rd land the 135-year-old club was on.
● Dismay as club hears of sale plans
● Community institution feels the pinch
● Bowlers buoyed by support over council sell-off plan
● Club will fight sale

██ Council to sell up to 150 plots of surplus land and property over the next two to three years in a move expected to raise about $10 million, targeted for paying off debt.
● Councillors urge rethink of land sale
● Council may net $10m in sales
● Southern suburbs among poorest 10%

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### ODT Online Wed, 30 Jul 2014
Councillors urge rethink of land sale
By David Loughrey
Some Dunedin city councillors are urging a rethink on the sale of a council-owned car park near the Mayfair Theatre, but Mayor Dave Cull is adamant the sale should not be a political decision. Mr Cull said yesterday council chief executive Sue Bidrose had been delegated to make the sale, and it was not a matter for councillors. “That’s her job.” But three councillors want at least a discussion on the issue.
Read more

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SOUTH DUNEDIN CYCLE NETWORK
“Based on what it now knew about costs […] the council would only be able to build 12km of the original 25km cycleway network within its original $4.5 million budget. The network would cost as much as $7.85 million if built as originally approved by the council.” (ODT)

### ODT Online Wed, 30 Jul 2014
Cycle project scaled back
By Debbie Porteous
The Dunedin City Council has been forced to pare back original plans for the controversial South Dunedin Cycle Network, as the true costs of the project become apparent. Despite being reduced by almost half, the curtailed network is expected to cost about $5.5 million – $1 million more than original estimates for the whole network. The blowout may eat into funding set aside for the rest of the city’s cycle network.
Read more

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“I’m not surprised given the dickheads we’ve got around that table. It’s just another nail in Dunedin’s coffin; we’ve got a council not focused on business and focused on cyclists, but there are no cyclists.” –Roger Fewtrell

### ODT Online Wed, 30 Jul 2014
Threat to move over cycleway
By Debbie Porteous and Chris Morris on Wed, 30 Jul 2014
A Dunedin business owner potentially affected by changes to an intersection on the route of the new harbourside cycleway has threatened to move his enterprise to Auckland. […] Southern Hospitality managing director Roger Fewtrell said the council’s decision meant his company would consider its options at its board meeting early next month.
Read more

24.12.13 Daaave’s $47 million Christmas present to Jinty. We’re paying.

█ For more on DCC’s cycle network project for Dunedin, enter the terms *cycle*, *transportation* or *disaster* in the search box at right.

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

DCC: Residents’ Opinion Survey 2014

Remember last year’s DCC Comms spin on the ROS results?
Another farce this year, look at the Council’s headline.
[in case DCC won’t say it] “DEEP DISSATISFACTION WITH STADIUM BLOWOUTS AND THE CITY’S STALLED ECONOMY”

████ DCC: Public finance forum [invitation]
Tuesday 12 August 2014 at 5:30 – 7:30 pm | Venue to be confirmed

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Residents’ Opinion Surveys
These surveys measure residents’ satisfaction with the Council’s performance and with Council owned facilities. The output of the surveys enables the Council to assess the extent to which the Council has met its performance objectives.

Dunedin City Council – Media Release
Residents’ Satisfaction Still on the Up

This item was published on 28 Jul 2014

Residents’ satisfaction with the Dunedin City Council’s performance continues to rise. Results of the 2014 Residents’ Opinion Survey, released today, show 58% of respondents are satisfied or very satisfied with the DCC’s overall performance. This is the highest level recorded since the question was first asked in its current form in 2003. The survey also shows significant increases in satisfaction with customer service (Customer Services Agency up nine percentage points to 88%), communication (FYI newsletter up seven points to 77%), the suitability of the roading network for cyclists (up seven points to 29%) and retention of businesses and jobs (up six points to 22%).

Acting General Manager Services and Development Nicola Pinfold says, “These substantial jumps in satisfaction are fantastic and reflect the organisation’s hard work and commitment.” Mayor of Dunedin Dave Cull says, “It’s great to see satisfaction with economic development and cycle facilities moving in the right direction. These are two key areas where the Council has been putting in a particular effort.”

Once again, satisfaction was highest with the Dunedin Botanic Garden, Otago Settlers Museum, Dunedin Public Libraries and rubbish collection – with satisfaction scores of more than 90% in these areas. Decreases in satisfaction were noted with the Dunedin Ice Stadium (down 10 percentage points to 71%), stormwater services (down seven points to 59%), the look and feel of the South Dunedin retail area (down six points to 25%) and traffic flow at peak times (down six points to 47%).

Survey respondents identified encouraging economic development, reducing DCC spending, debt and rates, providing cycleways and improving the look and feel of the city as the top priorities for the DCC over the next 12 months. Mr Cull says, “The overall results are pleasing and show the DCC is increasingly responding to the needs of Dunedin residents. The information gathered through the survey will help the Council as we begin preparing our Long Term Plan for 2015-25.”

Of 4,500 residents randomly selected from the electoral roll and invited to complete the survey, 1,248 did so – a response rate of 27.7%. A further 705 residents independently chose to complete the survey online. The results of the ‘opt-in’ sample are analysed separately, but still provide the DCC with valuable feedback on how it can improve its services. The survey was carried out by independent research company Key Research of Tauranga. [We can’t possibly contract Dunedin companies because they might conduct honest research or sneak in survey questions DCC won’t approve for the results it doesn’t want, horror!]

█ www.dunedin.govt.nz/ros

Contact Mayor of Dunedin on 027 434 6917.

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Related Posts and Comments:
27.6.13 State of the City —DCC or Dunedin? [2013 ROS here]
13.6.12 DCC: 2012 Residents’ Opinion Survey
25.4.11 Oh wait, you mean…. | 2011 Residents’ Opinion Survey
1.5.10 DCC: Residents’ Opinion Survey – complete it online
6.7.09 DCC 2009 Residents’ Opinion Survey

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Great quote: men

Received.
Sunday, 13 Jul 2014 at 5:56 PM

Symbiosis across a number of threads (including for DCC, CST, DVML, ORFU, Highlanders, University of Otago, NZRU, DIA) but go to recent comments here and here.

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

DCC $tar-ship enterprise

Prepare for intergalactic exchange…

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More structural changes inside the council, including across its property group, are expected to be announced today by chief executive Sue Bidrose.

### ODT Online Fri, 2 May 2014
Agency given a name
By Debbie Porteous
The new Dunedin marketing agency to co-ordinate tourism, events, investment, skills and migrant promotion efforts for the city will be known as Enterprise Dunedin. Dunedin City Council […] was to form the new agency, moving Tourism Dunedin in-house, from July 1. The agency would be responsible for economic development and city marketing and consist of the council’s present economic development unit, i-Site and Tourism Dunedin staff.
Read more

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Updated post 3.5.14

New team structure unveiled
Following consultation with staff the decision was made to retain property staff as one team. A new property manager, in a lower level management position than previously, would oversee the team and report to infrastructure and networks general manager Tony Avery. However, ownership, and therefore any final decisions, of the investment property portfolio would sit with group chief financial officer Grant McKenzie.
ODT Link

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

*Images: 3.bp.blogspot.com – NSE bridge; odt.co.nz – Grant McKenzie (re-imaged by whatifdunedin)

DCC loses City Property manager in restructuring

### dunedintv.co.nz April 28, 2014 – 6:53pm
DCC’s Robert Clark steps down
The man in charge of the Dunedin City Council’s property portfolio is leaving the role he has held for the last six years. Group manager of economic development and property Robert Clark is returning to the commercial sector. The council says the creation of a city marketing agency and proposed structural changes will affect property operations. It says that review provided an opportunity for Clark to return to the commercial property environment, and pursue other interests.
Ch39 Link [no video available]

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Dunedin City Council – Media Release
Manager Economic Development and Property moving on

This item was published on 28 Apr 2014

The Dunedin City Council’s Group Manager Economic Development and Property Robert Clark is leaving the organisation after six years to return to the commercial sector. General Manager Infrastructure and Networks Tony Avery says Mr Clark’s last day at the DCC will be on Friday, although he will continue to do transitional consulting work in the coming months on some significant projects.

Mr Avery says the DCC is currently working on the creation of a City marketing agency and proposed structural changes, some of which may impact on its property operations. “The DCC and Robert have been in discussion around the future of the Property Group within Council. Robert has achieved a number of significant successful property and commercial projects and outcomes for the city. The review of property operations has provided an opportunity for Robert to return to the commercial property environment and pursue other interests. Robert wishes his team and colleagues well and said it has been a privilege and pleasure to work with such a talented group and achieve such positive outcomes for the city. He leaves the DCC with our best wishes and we look forward to an ongoing working relationship with Robert.”

Mr Avery says the DCC is still in consultation with staff regarding the proposed marketing group and other organisational changes, and an announcement is expected from CEO Sue Bidrose by the end of the week.

Contact General Manager Infrastructure and Networks on 477 4000.

DCC Link

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The existing positions of economic development and property group manager, held at present by Robert Clark, and customer services agency manager, held by Adrian Blair, would be disestablished under the proposed changes.

### ODT Online Wed, 26 Mar 2014
Further DCC restructuring proposed
By Debbie Porteous
The Otago Daily Times understands the council is proposing two management positions be disestablished and three new positions created under a new council structure. Two new groups with new group managers would be created and the council’s commercial property investment portfolio split off from operational property and moved into the finance team. A commercial property investment manager position would be created with responsibility for overseeing such investments across the whole council family, including by council-owned and controlled companies.
Read more

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

HOTEL Town Hall… Another investment group, Daaave’s pals from the communist state?

ODT (via Channel 39) tells us that Dunedin City Council is discussing a proposal for another hotel in the city. This time, near the Town Hall.

For the Filleul Street/Moray Place car park site?

[ODT Link added 2.4.14] CBD may get new hotel

Together with the hotel project for 41 Wharf Street (Worstways), is Daaave intent on cutting off at the knees developer Geoff Thomson and the locally financed Distinction Dunedin Hotel? Oh probably.

Daaave’s that thick. And so is Staynes. Both men should not be in charge of this forsaken city. Staynes, will keep pumping the $20 million Dunedin airport runway extension. (The Chinese love investing in quiet ports and airports – why not sell them Dunedin Hospital too? And an aquarium where we can watch mermaids swim.)

If Worstways elected to piss off from the waterfront, the ‘Town Hall’ site or the Dowling Street carpark would count as sensible solutions for DCC to control height, townscape and cultural landscape.

City Property had better not be hocking off prime publicly-owned development sites to the overseas Horror Brigade. Of course they will, to meet the Council Debt CRISIS created by the criminal STADIUM build.

Or… City Property (in a new group guise) will do the hotel build and lease out to our ‘Mainland’ customers?

DUNEDIN IS UP FOR SALE by the IDIOT DCC which determinedly FAILS in business. Time and time again, while CLOSE MATES in the private sector accumulate wealth as they clip their tickets and pillage City Ratepayers and Residents.

Fail-proof DCC recipes for widening The GAP.

Exactly what you’d expect from the short-arsed mayor and his dumb-blond wine taster. Hospitality anyone? Nah, we’d rather go to Queenstown too.

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Subsequent to writing the above HYSTERIA, this was found at the DCC website. BINGO. We are DEAD.

SELL OUT STATEMENT PROPER
[How to raise property prices beyond the reach of Dunedin people and all New Zealanders (see Auckland issues) – recent tweets from Sophie Barker have been promoting Chanel O’Brien. Both Economic Development Unit babes-in-the-woods are taxed with selling this city from beneath our feet. Check their CVs. Then think about who the EDU manager is.]

Do note, The Prospectus, joke, will be distributed WITHOUT being formally approved by the elected Council.

Dunedin City Council – Media Release
Promoting Investment in Dunedin

This item was published on 01 Apr 2014

An investment prospectus has been developed for Dunedin to provide valuable information for potential investors.

The prospectus is a generic, high-level “fishing “document which aims to elicit interest from businesspeople who are considering options to expand their businesses and ex-pats thinking of returning to New Zealand. It also encourages high net worth individuals/investors from New Zealand and offshore to seek further information about opportunities in Dunedin.

Co-ordinated by the Dunedin City Council’s Economic Development Unit, the investment prospectus aligns with projects under the umbrella of Dunedin’s Economic Development Strategy.

DCC Business Development Advisor Chanel O’Brien says work on the prospectus has been carried out in collaboration with the City Investment Panel, which is developing a cohesive approach to investment in the city under the strategic theme of ‘business vitality’.

“In addition, the document aligns to another strategic objective, ‘linkages beyond our borders’, proactively attracting more businesses and investment into the city.”

After consultation with businesses, support agencies, the tertiary sector and skilled migrants, the prospectus focuses on the key areas of health and education across the tertiary and business sector.

The internationally-recognised research capacity of the University of Otago, coupled with the market validation and product development capacity of the Otago Polytechnic, is a focus of the document, along with a wide selection of businesses that have started and grown in the city. Opportunities are noted in areas such as education and learning, health technologies, design technology and niche manufacturing.

Ms O’Brien says the 37-page prospectus also features information on access to markets, infrastructure, resources, the regulatory environment, and business culture and lifestyle.

The investment prospectus has been endorsed by the City Investment Panel. This is a collaborative group of economic development partners, including New Zealand Trade and Enterprise, which is committed to generating market confidence and trust in Dunedin as a prime location for investment. The Panel also includes representatives from all the partners driving Dunedin’s Economic Development Strategy – the DCC, Ngāi Tahu, the Otago Chamber of Commerce, the Otago Polytechnic, the Otago Southland Employers Association and the University of Otago.

To see a copy of the prospectus, visit
www.dunedin.govt.nz/services/business-support.

The prospectus will go to the DCC’s Economic Development Committee on 7 April, for noting.

Contact Business Development Advisor on 03 477 4000.

DCC Link

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

SH88 realignment: decision to Environment Court?

Updated Post 3.9.13 at 1:30pm

### ODT Online Mon, 2 Sep 2013
Decision on SH88 looms
By Debbie Porteous
The Dunedin City Council has until Friday to determine whether it will make a decision on the controversial designation of land for the realignment of State Highway 88 near Dunedin’s Forsyth Barr Stadium – or hand the responsibility for the decision to the Environment Court.
To opt for the latter would be a first for the council, which is both the authority requesting the land be designated, and the authority that would require it to be designated. It publicly notified the requirement for the land last month, after a previous non-notified designation was quashed by the court following the council’s admission it had not followed the proper consultation process. The new road has been built, but final measures including traffic lights have been in limbo while the designation issue is resolved.

Mr Hall has already indicated publicly he would ”fight” the proposed designation as notified because it still did not provide safe access to his property.

One of the affected landowners, Doug Hall, who is running for the DCC, took the council to court to argue the original designation was illegal because he was not notified as an affected party, and sought an injunction stopping the traffic lights from being switched on until the resolution of safety issues at that intersection and around access to his property as a result of the realigned road. Affected parties, including Mr Hall, were consulted on the new designation late last year, and again earlier this year after the notification of the requirement was delayed while negotiations with Mr Hall continued.
The council had received 13 submissions by Friday, the end of the submission period. Submitters included the University of Otago, Port Otago Ltd, the NZ Transport Agency, the Otago Regional Council and several heavy transport companies among others, but not Mr Hall, or his representatives.
Read more

ODT Correction 3.9.13 (page 3):

Submissions from companies owned by Doug Hall, one of the parties affected by the realignment of State Highway 88 in Dunedin, were received by the Dunedin City Council within the statutory timeframe and will be included in the process for designating the land for realignment. The submissions from Anzide Properties Ltd, Hall Brothers Transport Ltd, and Dunedin Crane Hire (2005) Ltd were received by deadline on Friday, but were not processed until yesterday.

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Related Posts and Comments:
3.8.13 SH88 notice of requirement [more maps]
30.4.13 DCC governance = management ?
20.11.12 DCC vs Anzide Properties decision: The road “has no legal basis”
27.5.12 SH88 realignment – information
25.5.12 SH88 realignment costs (injunction)
27.2.12 Bringing DCC, related entities and individuals to account…
23.8.11 Stadium project tangles
4.11.10 SH88 realignment for stadium disrupts traffic
21.7.10 SH88 realignment – update
7.7.10 Goodbye to great store buildings in Parry St
21.4.10 SH88 realignment – update
31.3.10 SH88 realignment
24.2.10 SH88 realignment: Are ratepayers buying the land twice?
20.11.09 Interesting. SH88 realignment.
2.9.09 SH88 realignment past stadium

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr