19 January 2022
Media: Local Democracy Reporter
Topic: Council staff vaccine mandate
Enquiry
I understand RLC's Covid-19 vaccination mandate is in effect from today.
Could you please tell me:
-Has RLC lost any staff due to this mandate? If so how many?
-In what areas did those people work in?
-How does the loss of those staff impact the council (for eg will there be any disruption to operations/services, how is staff morale losing a colleague?) Will all positions be refilled?
- How has RLC managed the difficulty of letting people go in this situation?
- why was a vaccine mandate important for RLC, in the CE's view?
Or, if no one has left as a result of the mandate:
- Can you please comment on 100 per cent uptake of the vaccine by RLC staff - general comment on the council's view of this.
- Why do you think this has been achieved?
- why was a vaccine mandate important for RLC, in the CE's view?
I am after this by 11am tomorrow please.
Follow up:
Can you please explain what Gina means by mid-Feb? Below link talks about the requirement being in place by Jan 17 - based on this info any staff that would leave as a result would have left by now. Does this mean there is an extension on that?
https://www.rotorualakescouncil.nz/our-council/news/news?item=id:2gfn07pyv1cxbymb5t25
Response
From acting Chief Executive Gina Rangi:
The mandate was introduced in order to provide a safe and healthy workplace for our staff and to ensure we are doing all we can, as an organisation, to protect the community.
We have a process in place and won’t know if any staff will be leaving as a result of the mandate until that process is completed in mid-February. We will be able to provide an update after that.
In response to the follow-up question:
By 17 January, all staff were required to be fully vaccinated. There is now a month-long process underway, following that deadline, with staff who are not yet fully vaccinated.
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Media: Rotorua Daily Post
Topic: Building consents issued December 2021
Enquiry
Reporter sought the following information for December:
- The top 10 commercial consents in terms of value issued in (insert month here)? Please include the address, consent value and what the consent was for.
- The total value of commercial consents issued in (Insert month here)
- The total value of residential consents issued in (Insert month here)
- The total number of residential consents issued in (Insert month here)
- The total number of commercial consents issued in (Insert month here)
Response
The following information was provided:
Information provided:
BC No. | Project description | Project Address | Value of work | ||
82794 | STAGE 2 - OFFICE, SHOWROOM AND WORKSHOP | WAHANGA-A-RANGI CRESCENT | $3,000,000 | ||
82755 | STAGE 3 : IMG BUILDING | WAHANGA-A-RANGI CRESCENT | $2,000,000 | ||
82579 | DECKING WITH SHADE SAILS AND TEMP SHIPPING CONTAINER | 516 TARAWERA ROAD | $200,000 | ||
82873 | CONSTRUCT VERADAH | 1181 FENTON STREET | $150,000 | ||
82912 | INTERNAL ALTERATIONS | 5 SEDDON STREET | $100,000 | ||
82879 | INTERNAL ALTERATIONS | 10 MALFROY ROAD | $80,000 | ||
82877 | INTERNAL ALTERATIONS | 3 SEDDON STREET | $45,000 | ||
82848 | FIT-OUT OF EXISTING BUILDING | 1235 FENTON STREET | $19,000 | ||
82840 | CHANGE OF USE - INSTALL SMOKE DETECTION SYSTEMS | 8/11/13 KUIRAU STREET | $5,000 | ||
- The total value of commercial consents issued in December 2021 - $5,764,000
- The total value of residential consents issued in December 2021 - $12,826,000
- The total number of commercial consents issued in December 2021 - 9
- The total number of residential consents issued in December 2021 - 60
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Media: NZME (Rotorua Daily Post and BOP Times)
Topic: COVID cases in Rotorua
Enquiry
We understand there's a further outbreak of positive COVID cases in two more emergency housing motels in Rotorua - Tuscany Villas and Emerald Spa. This is on top of the positive cases reported at the Grand Treasure.
Is the council involved in any way with supporting these motels? Has the council put in security staff/city guardian staff to help ensure people adhere to the rules of self-isolating?
Response
Reporter was informed that other than helping to source some extra fencing for the properties, at this stage Council is not involved in providing security or support at these hotels as they have systems in place already. However, we remain in contact with Toi Te Ora Public Health, Lakes DHB, Ministry of Social Development and other agencies involved in the community response and are on standby if any assistance is required.
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Media: Local Democracy Reporter
Topic: Fletcher Tabuteau role at council
Enquiry
Councillor Raj Kumar spoke to me about his concerns over Fletcher Tabuteau holding an advisory position at the council, which I believe was last year.
His comments are below and are critical of both Fletcher and the council - I have approached Fletcher for his side, but I would also like to provide them to the council for its right of reply.
I've included all of what he has said for context.
Please also let me know if there anything Raj has said that is inaccurate.
Could you please also clarify for me:
Specifically what the role was Fletcher held (or holds, but I understand from him it was a fixed term role that has finished) and between which dates?
COMMENTS
Kumar said he believed Tabuteau was hired in a housing-related role by the council in March last year and queried why it was not announced by the council.
“If he was an employee of the council, why was he never introduced as an employee [by the council], or a contractor of the council?”
Kumar said he was concerned Tabuteau was being paid by ratepayers while he was electioneering.
“Why, at the expense of the council, over the time [employed at] the council, has he continued to go out and electioneer, meet business people, meet councillors to garner support during business hours?
Kumar also queried if Tabuteau had paid any expenses to the council for using the council’s office and facilities during that time.
“If he is doing something with housing, which is our biggest concern at the moment, the lack of housing … why was he never ever introduced to the councillors so we could work alongside with and understand just what he is doing?
“The council’s very big on pōwhiri, always have been … Fletcher was second in New Zealand First, that would be a big coup for the council … they should have a pōwhiri for him.”
Kumar, also a mayoral candidate, conceded some may view his criticism as a politically motivated but he denied it.
“It does look like that but at the end of the day, don’t forget I am still a councillor.
“My role as a councillor is to determine where the best rates, where the best revenues are gathered, how we can look after our city … so that is not a conflict of me attacking anybody, I’m doing my role as a councillor.”
Response
From DCE District Development Jean-Paul Gaston:
Mr Tabuteau was employed by Rotorua Lakes Council on a part-time (20 hours a week) fixed term basis, starting March 2021, to work on economic development and housing projects.
His fixed term has been extended several times while permanent staff recruitment was underway. Most recently his employment was extended to enable project hand-over with a new employee and he is finishing with Council at the end of January as he understands the perceived conflict with his political aspirations.
Re pohiri:
Pohiri are held every few months for new staff members as a group. Elected members are among those invited to attend these if they wish.