Bev Butler queries invoices for Delta hospitality at Stadium #LGOIMA

Received.
Another repetitive chore for Mr Cameron while he remains in office.

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From: Bev Butler
Sent: Wednesday, 14 December 2016 12:06 p.m.
To: Glenda McGowan [Delta]; Grady Cameron [Delta]
Subject: Fw: Urgent LGOIMA Request: Delta/Aurora dangerous power poles – reason for financial restraints/invoices further details

Wednesday 14 December 2016

Dear Ms McGowan and Mr Cameron

I wish to follow up further on some of the attached invoices.

The following was reported in the ODT (28/11/16):

“On the issue of the corporate suite, Mr Cameron said like any large business, “from time to time we host our customers to strengthen the working relationships”.

In the past financial year, Delta spent about $9000 on food and beverage hosting customers at the suite…….” 

In light of Mr Cameron’s comments in the ODT, there are a number of invoices on which I request further information as follows:

1. Carisbrook Stadium Trust Invoice PSF-26, dated 5 December 2009, 10 Lounge Club Memberships $40,000+gst. Please state the names of those who have access to the 10 Lounge Memberships paid for by Delta. I note on the Forsyth Barr Stadium website the following: “As a Member of Forsyth Barr Stadium you can attend any of our scheduled events and take in the view from your own designated premium seat in the Speight’s Stand (South).”

This is obviously 10 premium seats in the Speight’s Stand on top of the seating in the Delta corporate suite.

2. Invoice 1343, dated 29/06/2012, Highlanders vs Chiefs includes Beverage $711.30+gst and 20 3 course meals @ $67.00 = $1340+gst.

How many of these guests were:

(a) Delta management staff

(b) Other Delta staff

(c) Delta directors

(d) DCHL directors

(e) Mayor and/or councillors

(f) DCC executive management team

(g) DCC staff

(h) Carisbrook Stadium Trustees (CST trustees/rich listers have reputation for receiving ‘gifts’ of tickets/catered meals at the expense of the ratepayers)

(i) Delta clients

(j) other – please state

Please supply the names of those who attended.

Bev Butler says ‘Come in, Grady’ #LGOIMA #Delta

——– Original message ——–
From: Bev Butler
Date: 27/10/2016 8:44 am (GMT+12:00)
To: Grady Cameron [Delta]
Cc: Sandy Graham [DCC], Elizabeth Kerr
Subject: URGENT LGOIMA request: DELTA stadium corporate box renewal

Thursday 27 October 2016

Dear Mr Cameron

The Forsyth Barr rugby stadium has now been open for over five years and as such the corporate boxes on a five year contract recently came up for renewal.
Given that Delta purchased a corporate box at $45,000 per annum, as outlined in your response below dated 1 July 2011, I request the following:
1. Has Delta renewed their corporate box contract for another five years?
2. If so, what is the new annual cost of Delta’s corporate box?
3. The name of those who made the decision to renew the corporate box contract.
4. A copy of all documents relating to the decision for Delta to renew their corporate box membership.

You have stated below:
“DELTA has a range of commercial sponsorship and advertising arrangements with organisations such as Otago Rugby Football Union, Alexandra Ice Skating Rink, ASB Otago Sports Awards and the arrangements are commercially sensitive between the parties.”

Given that you are claiming commercial sensitivity for declining to release the information re commercial sponsorship and advertising arrangements with the organisations mentioned above, I request the overall total amount Delta is paying in commercial sponsorships and advertising arrangements to the three organisations mentioned, namely the Otago Rugby Football Union, Alexandra Ice Skating Rink, ASB Otago Sports Awards.

Note that by releasing the total amount given to the three organisations, then the “commercial sensitivity” argument would not apply as none of the individual organisations would be able to be identified. A precedent has already been set with the Office of the Ombudsman in a previous complaint I made relating to stadium sponsorships.
The Ombudsman recommended release of the sponsorship information in totality so as not to interfere with the “commercial” arrangements.

I, therefore, expect full co-operation with this urgent request.

Yours sincerely
Bev Butler

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From: Grady Cameron [Delta]
To: Bev Butler
CC: Sandy Graham [DCC]
Date: Fri, 1 Jul 2011 16:53:34 +1200
Subject: LGOIMA request: DELTA budgets and stadium spending

Dear Bev

Thank you for your enquiry. I refer your questions below and provide the following responses.

DELTA’s Chief Financial Officer is unchanged and is Mr Stephen Wilson.  The role of Chief Financial Officer is being advertised in advance of his planned retirement. The individual who approved the lounge membership application is no longer with DELTA and was not the Chief Financial Officer. As a point of clarification, the term “overzealous” that appeared in the Otago Daily Times report of 9 February was attributed to Mr David Davies and was not made by me.

1. DELTA has made approximately $50,000 of donations to outside organisations over the past three years linked to our Health & Safety related Charity Challenge. Organisations which benefited from these donations included, but were not limited, to:

Alexandra Scouts Group
Cancer Society
Otago SPCA
Otago Community Hospice
Make-A-Wish Foundation of NZ
St John Ambulance Service
Diabetes NZ Otago

In the past three years, DELTA employees have also participated in an annual Volunteers Day:

2011 – Salmon Hatchery spruce-up
2010 – Alexandra Kindergarten tidy-up
2009 – PACT House (Mosgiel) working bee

2. DELTA has a range of commercial sponsorship and advertising arrangements with organisations such as Otago Rugby Football Union, Alexandra Ice Skating Rink, ASB Otago Sports Awards and the arrangements are commercially sensitive between the parties.

3. a) No, DELTA has not spent or allocated any money, except for a corporate box at $45,000 per annum.
b) DELTA has successfully won and completed contracts for the Stadium project to the value of $4,039,267. These were secured under a [competitive] tender process operated by Hawkins Construction and Arrow International Limited. 
c) DELTA is not a party to the Guaranteed Maximum Price Contract for construction of the Forsyth Barr Stadium. Accordingly, your question should be directed to Hawkins Construction or Arrow International Limited. DELTA does not hold any information in relation to the Guaranteed Maximum Price Contract.

4. DELTA’s budgets are contained in the Dunedin City Holdings Statements of Intents which were presented to the Dunedin City Council on 7 February 2011 and are publically available on the Dunedin City Council website at http://www.dunedin.govt.nz/__data/assets/minutes_agenda/0006/166353/ma_fsd_r_dchl_2011_02_07.pdf . I have attached a copy for your information.

5. DELTA’s Annual Reports for the years ended 30 June 2010, 2009 and 2008 are publically (sic) available on the Dunedin City Council website at http://www.dunedin.govt.nz/your-council/dunedin-city-holdings/delta-utility-services-ltd . I have attached copies of the Annual Reports as requested.

Delta Utility Services Ltd – Dunedin City Council

http://www.dunedin.govt.nz

Delta Utility Services Limited is a multi-utility service contractor providing a range of electrical and other services to local authority and private sector clients.

[ends]

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

This post is offered in the public interest.

John Ward, no mention of stadium or CST trusteeship

The University of Otago chose to profile its chancellor, Invercargill’s John Ward, in the June 2014 issue of Otago Magazine (pages 22-24). Note Mr Ward omits to mention the Stadium, or his trusteeship on the Carisbrook Stadium (Charitable) Trust. Isn’t that funny. Well, he looks a bit pursed in the photograph anyway.

Source: http://www.otago.ac.nz/otagomagazine/otago072837.pdf
Thumbnail: Photo by Alan Dove

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Related Posts and Comments:
20.5.14 Tim Hunter on Ward, McLauchlan, Hayne #Highlanders
10.2.14 University of Otago major sponsor for Highlanders
31.5.13 University of Otago development plans

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Stadium: ‘Business case for DVML temporary seating purchase’

Information supplied.

Two historical LGOIMA requests about the so-called business case for the temporary seating at Forsyth Barr Stadium.

And a quick look at Roger Clark, general manager for The Highlanders.

The Vice-Chancellor needs to be careful who she gets into bed with.

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From: Bev Butler
Sent: Tuesday, 20 December 2011 03:44 p.m.
To: Sandy Graham [DCC]
Subject: LGOIMA request: Business case for the DVML temporary seating purchase

Wednesday 21st December 2011

Dear Sandy

At the Finance, Strategy and Development committee meeting last Monday 12th December 2011, questions were asked by Cr Lee Vandervis about the $1.4m loan DVML received re the temporary seating purchase.
David Davies, CEO of DVML, mentioned a business case had been prepared for this purchase. I requested a copy from DVML but David Davies suggested I request a copy from the DCC.
Therefore, I request an electronic copy of the document containing the business case.

Yours sincerely
Bev Butler

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From: Sandy Graham [DCC]
To: Bev Butler
Date: Thu, 5 Apr 2012 15:16:05 +1200
Subject: RE: LGOIMA request: Business case for the DVML temporary seating purchase

Dear Bev

Please find attached the document that as best I can determine, is the business case for the purchase of the temporary seating.

Sandy

Document download: tempseats

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Date: Fri, 6 Apr 2012 08:33:59 +1200
Subject: FW: LGOIMA request: Business case for the DVML temporary seating purchase
From: Lee Vandervis
To: Bev Butler

Ta Bev,

FYI as below,
Lee

—— Forwarded Message
From: Lee Vandervis
Date: Fri, 06 Apr 2012 08:32:42 +1200
To: Sandy Graham [DCC], David Davies [DVML]
Conversation: LGOIMA request: Business case for the DVML temporary seating purchase
Subject: FW: LGOIMA request: Business case for the DVML temporary seating purchase

Hi Sandy, David,

I have asked the question as to whether Warbirds are using the seating this year, and told apparently not.
Can you confirm that the seating has definitely not been used, and if possible why it has not been used.

Kind regards,
Lee

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From: Bev Butler
To: Lee Vandervis
Subject: RE: LGOIMA request: Business case for the DVML temporary seating purchase
Date: Fri, 6 Apr 2012 09:07:49 +1200

Hi Lee

Interesting that the Warbirds are not using the seating.
When I received the business plan yesterday, the first thing I thought of was to ask for the invoice from the Warbirds to see if the $177,000 matched up.
From your query below it sounds like they are not using the seating at all.
Note on the business case I sent you it states the source of the Warbirds information is R. Clark, Warbirds CEO.
It could be interesting to contact him and ask if he had made a commitment to use the seating.
Alternatively, ask DCC/DVML what sort of commitment was in place when DVML used the $177,000 for their business case.

Cheers
Bev

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[Roger Clark and Highlanders]

From: Bev Butler
To: Lee Vandervis
Subject: FW: LGOIMA request: Business case for the DVML temporary seating purchase
Date: Fri, 6 Apr 2012 09:55:41 +1200

Hi Lee

Just did a google search on Roger Clark.
He is the CEO of Warbirds over Wanaka:
email roger @ warbirdsoverwanaka.co.nz
Ph 0274 301 389
How about giving him a call?
He was also re-appointed as CEO of Rugby Southland in 2008 until Dec 2011 but departed prior to 9/12/10.
He is also the General Manager of The Highlanders.
It was reported in The Southland Times on 9/12/10 “The Rugby Southland Union owes money to various businesses, including its major funder the Invercargill Licensing Trust where the booze tab is believed to be more than $100,000.”

Cheers
bev

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[Roger Clark appointments with Highlanders]

Project manager
14.5.10 ODT Rugby: Highlanders get NZRU help

General manager
11.10.10 Stuff Sport Roger Clark appointed Highlanders GM

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[Roger Clark and Southland Rugby Union]

Southland Times:

9.12.10 Rugby Southland still losing money
[Excerpts] Since then The Southland Times has learned the union owes money to various businesses, including its major funder the Invercargill Licensing Trust where the booze tab is believed to be more than $100,000.
Departed Rugby Southland boss Roger Clark said the union had operated at a loss this year but everyone would be paid in the coming weeks, which always happened at this time of the year, he said.
Clark said the board had budgeted for a $200,000 loss this year to ensure the Stags would be a competitive unit in such a big year.
It is expected the loss will be bigger than that $200,000 mark when it is revealed at next year’s general meeting in April.

1.1.11 Southland rugby union runs out of cash
Rugby Southland is broke after a season of overspending. The union owes about $700,000 to creditors, with no ability to pay, and is forecasting a deficit between $350,000 and $478,000 for the 2010 financial year.

23.3.11 $1.5 million bailout for Rugby Southland

30.4.13 Income decline sets back union recovery
A major reduction in sponsorship dollars and gate takings had Rugby Southland scrambling last year to avoid another financial disaster.
In 2012, Rugby Southland lost more than $800,000 in sponsorship revenue, $230,000 in gate takings and $611,000 in grants.

18.11.13 Stadium takeover is costly for city
Saving the home of the Southland Stags comes with a hefty price tag for ratepayers.

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

*Image: odt.co.nz – Roger Clark, re-imaged by Whatifdunedin