Official Information Request- Unsatisfactory replies from CCC & the Mayor

On 23 January 2009 we made an urgent Official INformation request for the name of the consulting engineer who was contracted by the CCC to undertake the work and asked the CCC to advise the date and terms of the contract. The CCC has not advised the terms of the contract- there are many terms in addition to hourly rates - see reply dated 9 February 2009: 

"09 February 2009

Our Ref No: 8007

Sheryn Gillard Glass & Jim Glass

 

 

Per Email: glass@es.co.nz

 

Dear Mr & Mrs Glass

Local Government Official Information and meetings act 1987

I refer to your email dated

23 January 2009

in relation to a request for information re the Merivale Parking Plan.

The Network Operations Team of the Transport and Greenspace Unit, directed their engineering consultants, Via Strada, to measure the proposed parking restrictions in Merivale.  The instruction to Via Stada was a verbal instruction only and took place on the morning of

the 15^th January 2009

.

Via Strada charge on a per hour basis and this information is withheld under Section 7(h) of the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 to allow the Christchurch City Council to carry out, without prejudice or disadvantage, commercial activities.

I advised that under the provisions of the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 you have the right to request the office of the Ombudsmen to review the decision of the Council on the disclosure of the information requested.

I trust this assists.

Yours faithfully

Jason Roberts

Solicitor

Legal Services Unit

 

cc: Jessica Maddock

 

JR:FHP

TRIM: 09/16088

 

 Correspondence with Mayor

On 23 January 2009 we wrote to the Mayor, Mr Bob Parker, by email and enclosed copies of our 2 letters to the Waimairi/Fendalton Community Board dated 20 and 23 January 2009 seeking explanations as to the marking of the kerbs prior to the meeting to consider the Proposed Merivale Parking Plan. Our email dated 23 January 2009 and the Mayor's reply dated 19 February 2009 are as follows:

"Dear Mr Parker

 

We write to you as the Mayor of Christchurch. We wonder if you are aware that Council officials have instructed engineers to measure and mark various streets of Merivale and seem to be behaving as if a decision has already been made prior to the meeting on 2 February 2009? We wonder if you are comfortable with the situation?

 

We attach a copy of a letter we wrote to the Fendalton/Waimairi Community Board which is self explanatory. We have this morning again written to the Fendalton/Waimairi Community Board. Please see next email. We look forward to hearing from you.

 

Yours faithfully

 

Sheryn Gillard Glass and Jim Glass and others." 

 

"glass@es.co.nz

Dear Sheryn and Jim

Thank you for your email regarding the marking of parking restrictions distances/stretches on various streets in Merivale.  I understand that Peter Barnes, Consultation Leader, and by the Fendalton/Waimairi Community Board have already written to you.

I am assured the marking of streets before the meeting by the Community Board is standard practice and the most efficient method of making sure that what is proposed in the reports to the Community Board is a correct and accurate measurement.  If the Community Board resolves to reject the recommendations of the report the markings will fade with time, if on the other hand the Community Board resolves to agree with the recommendations in the report then there is no need to take the measurements again and there is no disagreement over where it was agreed the lines should go.

Thanks for emailing me.

Bob Parker
MAYOR "