Media release

Wednesday, 3 October 2012

Upper Hutt Mayor concerned by local court closure announcement

The announcement this morning to permanently close the Upper Hutt Court House has left a very sour taste and is likely to have an impact on the Upper Hutt Community.

UPPER HUTT, Wellington NZ, 03 OCT 2012—Mayor Wayne Guppy warns other communities around New Zealand to be weary of the lack of engagement and underhanded tactics being used to enforce national policies.

Unfortunately, from the outside looking in, it seems as though the issues around earthquake prone buildings are being used to justify a number of decisions that have been made recently, and the business process and analysis surrounding these decisions—which have an impact on the effected communities—are non-existent or, at best, inadequate.

Mayor Guppy points to a direct comparison within Upper Hutt in recent times. In November 2011, within days of each other, he was informed that the Upper Hutt District Court and the IRD processing center in Upper Hutt were to close due to earthquake prone building issues. At the time, this did seem like a logical step and obviously safety of staff and the public must be paramount. However, the proceeding process around these two buildings couldn’t have been further apart.

In the court house instance there has been very little or no engagement with the affected community. Mayor Guppy, who met with the Honorable Chester Borrows earlier in the year, was informed at the time that the fate of the Upper Hutt District Court had not been predetermined and that the Council would be kept fully informed of any decisions. What followed was a multitude of empty promises and excuses from district court officials.

The next correspondence from the Minister was at 10.00 am on Wednesday 3 October prior to the 11.00 am announcement.

Work by Council staff to identify temporary accommodation prior to Christmas 2011, fell on deaf ears. In the meantime $200,000 was being spent at the Lower Hutt Court to accommodate the “temporary” Upper Hutt staff early in the new year.

In contrast, the IRD building owned by private investors in Jepsen Grove Upper Hutt, closed in late November 2011, due to earthquake issues. Staff were either given extended leave over the Christmas period or redeployed to other IRD accommodation. Work commenced within two weeks and staff were back onsite soon after the Christmas break.

Mayor Guppy says he has no problem with changes being made which drive efficiency and effectiveness but these decisions need to be fully analyzed and the intentions highlighted from the outset to ensure that communities are given the chance to have a say.

About Upper Hutt City Council

Upper Hutt City Council is the steward and custodian of Upper Hutt City, providing governance, infrastructure, and community services and resources, and promoting opportunity in the city for business, recreation, lifestyle, and leisure. Upper Hutt City is located 30 km north-east of Wellington City (41°07'34" S, 175°04'06" E) and boasts 70% of the region’s parks and reserves, along with state-of-the-art entertainment and leisure facilities.

Contact
For more information on Upper Hutt City and the City Council, go to www.upperhuttcity.com

© Scoop Media