Selwyn_Times: October 11, 2023

Wednesday October 11 2023 Selwyn Times
Police criticised for OIA delay
• By Daniel Alvey
POLICE HAVE been criticised
over the way they dealt with an
Official information Act (OIA)
request for details about the
district’s 24-hour seven day a
week model.
Chief Ombudsman Peter
Boshier has upheld a complaint
from Selwyn Times after police
failed to meet the deadline for
information requested by the
newspaper.
The police began a six month
trial on May 1 which involved
operating a 24-hour roster from
the Rolleston station across most
of the district.
But changes led to cutbacks in
police staffing at the Lincoln and
Leeston stations.
At the time, police answered
few questions from Selwyn Times
about the changes, leading the
newspaper to seek information
through the OIA. Government
departments have 20 working
days to respond to an OIA request
or ask for an extension.
In its request, Selwyn Times
sought reports, business plans,
surveys and studies undertaken
by police, or done for police, and
emails in relation to the new 24/7
strategy.
Police chiefs waited until the
last hour of the 20th working
day to respond, asking for an
extension saying “consultations”
necessary to make a decision
could not be made within the
original 20 days.
Selwyn Times editor Barry
Clarke agreed to an extension.
But police missed the 20 day
response time again, prompting
Clarke to ask why. Police apologised
but said they were still
consulting and were “unable to
provide a date for our response.”
Four working days later police
responded, saying the internal
reports and emails sought could
not be released “as it would be
likely to prejudice the maintenance
of the law, including the
prevention, investigation, and
detection of offences, and the
right to a fair trial”.
Police also said a business plan
and other planning documents
did not exist.
Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz
After missing the deadline,
Selwyn Times complained to the
Ombudsman.
Boshier found police failed to
meet the requirements imposed
by the OIA.
He is still investigating the police
decision to refuse the request
to release the information.
“I have recommended
that
police provides
me with a report
that covers the
issues that led
to the delay and
Peter
what improvements
it proposes
to make to
Boshier
address those issues and thereby
avoid future delays of this kind,”
he said in his decision.
OPERATIONS:
Police started a
six-month trial
of a 24/7 service
delivery model at
Rolleston Police
Station on May 1. ​
Boshier said he had reported
his final opinion in regards to
missing the deadline to Minister
of Police Ginny Anderson.
Clarke said it was surprising
no reports or planning
documents for the 24/7 strategy
existed.
“Does this mean there was no
strategy or planning document
ever put together?” he said.
“If that is the case, why?
“After police told Selwyn Times
the documents sought didn’t exist,
we went back to them again
to clarify if there were any documents
written, or if documents
were destroyed or lost.
“The response from the person
dealing with the OIA was: ‘My
understanding is that there never
were any documents’.”
NEWS 7
New deck
for 147 yr
old bridge
A NEW surface will be installed
on the Waimakariri Gorge Bridge
as a long-term upgrade to the
bridge.
Over recent months temporary
repairs have been continuing on
the Waimakariri Gorge Bridge, to
ensure the bridge could stay open
while a longer-term option has
been explored jointly by Selwyn
and Waimakariri District Councils
who share the ownership of
the bridge.
An assessment of the bridge has
found that the main structure is
sound, but a new deck is required.
Recently short-term maintenance
has been carried out,
including repairing potholes on
the bridge deck surface, installing
metal plates where the timber
deck is wearing and tightening
the hold down bolts. These short
term repairs have ensured the
bridge has remained open to all
vehicles.
The next steps are to design
and cost the replacement deck
which should be completed in
November. The work will then go
out to tender for construction. It is
anticipated that a contractor will
be appointed in early 2024 and
the deck replacement work will be
carried out around mid-February
to April next year.
CHRISTCHURCH
IN SPRING
ON SHOW IN SPRING:
Silver Ferns v England Roses – 24 Sept
Akaroa French Festival – 6-8 Oct
Crater Rim Ultra – 15 Oct
Christchurch Big Band Festival – 19-23 Oct
The Chicks – 30-31 Oct
NZ Agricultural Show – 15-17 Nov
FAST5 Netball World Series – 11-12 Nov
The Corrs Down Under
with Natalie Imbruglia – 11 Nov
NZ Cup Week Riccarton Park – 11, 15, 18 Nov
IRT NZ Trotting Cup Day – 14 Nov
Freestyle Kings – 2 Dec
ALWAYS ON SHOW:
Akaroa Dolphins
Ballooning Canterbury
Christchurch Art Gallery
Christchurch Attractions
Orana Wildlife Park
Tussock Hill
Christchurch Adventure Park
International Antarctic Centre
The Crossing
Riverside Market
The Terrace
CHRISTCHURCHNZ.COM/SPRING