5G Cellular Technology in our District
Tim Hunt made this Official Information request to Whangarei District Council
The request was partially successful.
From: Tim Hunt
Dear Whangarei District Council,
This is an Official Information Request.
1. Do you have a 5G strategy?
1.1 If yes, I request to see the complete strategy, its ambitions and its objectives in PPTX, Word, PDF or picture format.
1.2 If yes, has the public had the opportunity to read and understand Whangarei District Council’s 5G strategy? Where was this information published?
1.3 I also request a supplementary document that includes the highest level of detail on all 5G technology that’s planned to be used and currently in use in public spaces within Whangarei District Council:
(a) Companies and entities involved and the names of the company/entity officers.
(b) Specification sheets of 5G technology.
(c) What technology e.g. units and arrays are not currently 5G, but can be 5G enabled e.g. with current software, future software, hardware upgrades or retrofitting?
(d) What UK, EU and International safety standards is Whangarei District Council complying with for the 5G strategy and existing 5G technology.
(e) I request proof e.g. a certificate from the Whangarei District Council that confirms that UK, EU and International safety standards for workers and the public have been meet.
1.4 If no, I request to know when you will be chairing a 5G strategy?
2. I request the name/s of the Officer/s in charge of the 5G strategy and roll out for 5G and Smart Cities; and who their subject area expert or consultancy is, their CV and qualifications on 5G and Smart Cities.
3. Are you in talks with any experts, companies or entities about autonomous vehicles (AV) for public transport and/or private use on Public Highways?
3.1 If yes, I request to see the complete strategy, its ambitions and its objectives in PPTX, Word, PDF or picture format.
3.2 I also request a supplementary document that includes all levels of detail on:
(a) Companies and entities involved and the names of the company/entity officers?
(b) Specification sheets of all technology.
(c) What type of communication system will the Whangarei District Council be utilising to control the vehicles?
(d) What UK, EU and International safety standards does your AV strategy and rollout comply with?
(e) I request proof e.g. a certificate from the Whangarei District Council that confirms that UK, EU and International safety standards for workers and the public have been meet.
4. Do you have a strategy for smart roads and smart signage on Public Highways and Public spaces?
4.1 If yes, I request to see the complete strategy, its ambitions and its objectives in PPTX, Word, PDF or picture format.
4.2 I also request a supplementary document that includes all levels of detail on:
(a) Companies and entities involved and the names of the company/entity officers?
(b) Specification sheets of all technology.
(c) What technology e.g. units and arrays will not be 5G, but can be 5G enabled e.g. with current software, future software, hardware upgrades or retrofitting etc (you must be specific on anything here)?
(d) What UK, EU and International safety standards does your 5G strategy and rollout comply with?
(e) I request proof e.g. a certificate from the Whangarei District Council that confirms that UK, EU and International safety standards for workers and the public have been meet.
5. Are you planning to rollout or have rolled out LED street lighting?
5.1 If yes, please answer these questions:
(a) What is the CMS and specification of the software and hardware of the LED street light system?
(b) What type of waveform is the LED? e.g. Square wave?
(c) Can you control the Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) of the streetlight system using the CMS?
(d) Can you control the PWM of each streetlight that’s connected to the system?
(e) What restrictions do you have in place for the control of the PWM?
(f) What is the UK, EU and International safety limit (low and high) for the amount of ‘flicker’ (Hz) the Human Body and eyes can be exposed to and for how long?
(g) I request to see the training manual and safety operation manual for the CMS and the LED streetlight system.
(h) Who is the company who is or has installed the CMS LED streetlight system?
(i) What company maintains and repairs the CMS and LED streetlight system?
(j) What entity and Officer is responsible for the safety standards for the CMS and LED streetlight system?
(k) I request proof e.g. a certificate from the Whangarei District Council that confirms that UK, EU and International safety standards for workers and the public have been meet.
(l) What is the amount of Blue Light leakage that’s safe for the public and workers during the LED streetlights operation?
(m) What level of LED streetlight exposure is safe for the public at daytime and night time?
(n) Is there a legal requirement for diffusers to be fitted to LED streetlights?
(o) How have you have addressed the amount of Oxidative Stress on Human and Animal cells that’s produced from LED?
5.2 If no, then I request a declaration from the Whangarei District Council that you will not be installing LED streetlights in the future. If you cannot provide a declaration, I would like the following answered in the future tense:
(a) What is the CMS and specification of the software and hardware of the LED street light system?
(b) What type of waveform is the LED? e.g. Square wave?
(c) Can you control the Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) of the streetlight system using the CMS?
(d) Can you control the PWM of each streetlight that’s connected to the system?
(e) What restrictions do you have in place for the control of the PWM?
(f) What is the UK, EU and International safety limit (low and high) for the amount of ‘flicker’ (Hz) the Human Body and eyes can be exposed to and for how long?
(g) I request to see the training manual and safety operation manual for the CMS and the LED streetlight system.
(h) Who is the company who is or has installed the CMS LED streetlight system?
(i) What company maintains and repairs the CMS and LED streetlight system?
(j) What entity and Officer is responsible for the safety standards for the CMS and LED streetlight system?
(k) I request proof e.g. a certificate from the Whangarei District Council that confirms that UK, EU and International safety standards for workers and the public have been meet.
(l) What is the amount of Blue Light leakage that’s safe for the public and workers during the LED streetlights operation?
(m) What level of LED streetlight exposure is safe for the public at daytime and night time?
(n) Is there a legal requirement for diffusers to be fitted to LED streetlights?
(o) How have you have addressed the amount of Oxidative Stress on Human and Animal cells that’s produced from LED?
6. Where do you have 3G and 4G systems in public spaces and public roads?
Yours faithfully,
Tim Hunt
From: Mail Room
Whangarei District Council
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We will pass your message on to the team and they will get in touch with
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If you require immediate attention, please telephone 0800 932 463
From: Karyn Pilcher
Whangarei District Council
Good afternoon Tim
Can you please provide us with a contact address for you and a phone number if possible.
We can then add you to our system and create the request for your LOGOIMA
Thank you.
Karyn Pilcher
Contact Centre Representative | Customer Services
Whangarei District Council | Forum North | Private Bag 9023, Whangarei 0148 |
www.wdc.govt.nz
P 09 430 4200 | DDI 09 470 3000 | E [email address]
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From: Call Centre Public Folder
Whangarei District Council
Good afternoon
Thank you for contacting the Whangarei District Council.
Your request has been logged by us as a request under the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987.
We will respond to your request as soon as possible and in any case no later than within 20 working days.
Please Quote CRM No. COP002931 if you require any further information.
Regards Karyn
Contact Centre Representative Customer Services
Private Bag 9023, Whangarei 0148 | www.wdc.govt.nz
P 09 430 4200 | E [email address]
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Mr Rodgers left an annotation ()
Chief Ombudsman Peter Boshier is urging both agencies and people requesting official information to act fairly, reasonably and with understanding during the course of the Coronavirus emergency.
Mr Boshier says he recognises central and local government agencies are operating in a rapidly evolving environment.
“I appreciate that the overwhelming majority of public sector workers are working from home and that may be a challenge for agencies when setting priorities and allocating resources.
“The last thing that I want to do is to put unreasonable demands on agencies to meet their Official Information Act (OIA) and Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act (LGOIMA) response deadlines. To this end, I will expand and intensify my own efforts to triage complaints in a way which reflects the realities of the present situation. I expect that agencies will continue to keep me informed as to their circumstances so that I can adjust my approach as appropriate.
https://www.ombudsman.parliament.nz/news...
From: Tim Hunt
Dear Call Centre Public Folder,
Hi Karyn,
Contact details:
119 Church Street,
Onerahi
mob 0272287530
Yours sincerely,
Tim Hunt
From: Rebecca Rowsell
Whangarei District Council
Dear Mr Hunt
I am writing to your regarding your request dated 31 March 2020 regarding 5G.
In light of the current Covid-19 pandemic and its impact on workplaces, including Council, we anticipate that there may be delays in processing some official information requests. This is likely to be the case where you have submitted a request which is complex or involves the collation of a large amount of information.
Many council employees are working from home during this time, however, wherever possible we will respond to your request within the statutory deadline. In addition where we can provide some information sooner we will do so. We will also try to keep you updated as the situation develops. Thank you for your patience during this period.
Ngā mihi
Rebecca Rowsell
Legal Adviser
Whangarei District Council | Forum North | Private Bag 9023, Whangarei 0148 | www.wdc.govt.nz
P 09 430 4200 | DDI 09 470 3182 | M 021 528 682 | E [email address]
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From: Tim Hunt
Dear Rebecca Rowsell,
Thanks for the update...
I realise it's a longish list, and understand issues re response during current times.
I would appreciate any responses possible as time goes by, as you alluded to in your message. I also understand that LED streetlights have been installed, and details of their specs would be on file somewhere already. Also possibles 5G antennae installs within the district may already have been completed (?)
'Proposed' rollout of 5G technology is a serious concern to me and many others.
Yours sincerely,
Tim Hunt
From: Rebecca Rowsell
Whangarei District Council
Dear Mr Hunt,
I refer to your email dated 31 March 2020 asking questions regarding
council’s approach to 5G and various other matters. Your request was
referred to council’s ICT and Roading Departments for consideration and
the answers to those questions we are able to answer are provided below:
o Our ICT Department have advised that council does not have a 5G
strategy at present. There are no current plans to use 5G in any
parts of council whether public or otherwise and therefore no current
plans to develop a 5G strategy or officers involved in the roll out of
5G and Smart Cities.
o Last year staff were approached by an external interest group who
would like to see autonomous vehicles (AV) used as a transport option
in Whangarei. However, council is not in talks with any companies or
experts and has no current plans to introduce autonomous vehicles for
public transport and/or private use on public roads in the Whangarei
District. Accordingly, we have no current strategy regarding the use
of autonomous vehicles, nor is there a strategy for smart roads and
smart signage to be used on public highways and in public spaces.
o Our Roading Department have advised that council has been installing
LED street light fittings and lamps to all our streetlights.
Installation has been undertaken by contractors McKay Electrical and
Currie Electrical and the lights are currently maintained and repaired
by Currie Electrical. We do not currently have a central management
system “CMS” for the LED lighting; local roads have the AEC Itron and
arterial roads have the AEC Italo. We do not hold information on the
type of waveform the LED is as this information is not provided to us
by the manufacturer.
o Most council buildings use fibre or broadband, however, there are
modems/ routers capable of accessing 3G/4G systems in our water and
waste treatment plants. Staff using mobile devices when on the road
or out in the field are also able to access 3G and 4G systems in
public spaces and on public roads in much the same way as any other
member of the public using a mobile device.
I note that the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act
1987 (LGOIMA) allows any member of the public to request official
information held by council. However, there is no obligation for council
to form an opinion or create new information simply to answer a request.
In so far as your questions ask for advice or for the expression of
opinion, those aspects of your request are refused under section 17(g) of
the Act on the basis that they are not requests for information held by
council.
I hope this information is of some assistance in responding to your
request. If you believe we have not responded appropriately to your
request, you have the right by way of complaint, under section 27(3) of
the Act, to apply to the Ombudsman to seek an investigation and review of
the decision.
Ngâ mihi
Rebecca Rowsell
Legal Adviser
Whangarei District Council | Forum North | Private Bag 9023, Whangarei
0148 | [1]www.wdc.govt.nz
P 09 430 4200 | DDI 09 470 3182 | M 021 528 682 | E
[email address]
[2]Like us on Facebook
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Mr Rodgers left an annotation ()
Do you need to ask this now?
https://meta.fyi.org.nz/news/kindness-in...
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