16 April 2019
Andrew Crow
[FYI request #9887 email]
Dear Andrew
Thank you for your request made under the Local Government Official Information and
Meetings Act 1987 (the Act), received on 19 March 2019. You asked a number of
questions in relation to the recent closure of the Wellington Central Library.
I have responded to each of your questions in turn below. I hope my initial response on
20 March 2019 provided you with some clarity and comfort as to why the decision was
made to close the library now rather than in 2016.
A full copy of any structural assessment done in the three months after the Kaikoura
earthquake. This must include what company did the assessment, dates of the
assessment, and findings or recommendations.
On 15 February 2017, Aurecon New Zealand Limited completed an evaluation of the
Wellington City Library; this has been attached for your information. You will note that
this assessment determined the building was safe to occupy and no further actions
were proposed.
A full copy of any structural assessment done in last three months. As above, this must
include what company did the assessment, dates, and recommendations.
As I referenced in my response on 20 March, you can find the engineering assessment
that was completed by Aurecon New Zealand Limited on the Council Website:
https://wellington.govt.nz/services/community-and-culture/libraries/central-library-
closure
Any information related to why a structural assessment was done in question #2. I.E.
what changed to make a new assessment required?
As referenced on the Council website, Aurecon New Zealand Limited was engaged to
carry out an engineering assessment following the publication of new guidelines issued
by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment in November 2018. The link
below provides a good summary of the changes:
https://www.propertynz.co.nz/news/mbie-announces-revision-engineering-assessment-
guidelines
Any other documents that can help the public understand why a building was found to
be unsafe two years after an earthquake, yet assessed as safe directly after that
earthquake.
The engineering assessment memo on the Council website provides a comprehensive
overview of why we have chosen to close the building; you can read this at the link
below:
https://wellington.govt.nz/~/media/services/community-and-
culture/libraries/files/engineering-assessment-memo.pdf?la=en
Costs of both assessments
The first report completed in 2017 was done as part of a wider piece of work. Following
the Kaikoura earthquake the Council engaged Aurecon New Zealand Limited to
complete checks on a number of buildings across the city. We therefore don’t have a
cost for that stand-alone report.
Regarding the most recent report, as the review of the building is ongoing (including
peer review etc.) we have not received an invoice for this work yet. Unfortunately I am
therefore unable to provide a figure at this point in time.
Relevant entry from risk registers.
There is no entry in the risk register regarding the closure of the Central Library, in
accordance with section 17(e) of The Act; this part of your request is refused as the
information requested does not exist.
Internal emails related to the decision to close the library.
Other than the engineering assessment memo there is no further internal
correspondence. As you will note the decision to close the library was made almost
immediately after we received the final report from Aurecon, while a number of
conversations about this did occur these were not captured in emails.
We appreciate the impact that the closure of the library has had on Wellington residents
and value everyone’s patience while interim arrangements are being made. Public
safety has been forefront in making this decision and we are confident that we have
made the best decision to ensure the safety of the community.
Right of review
Where I have refused information, if you disagree with my decision you have the right,
under section 27(3) of the Act, to ask the Ombudsman to review and investigate my
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decision. Further information is available on the Ombudsman website,
www.ombudsman.parliament.nz.
Thank you again for your request. I trust this information is of assistance to you.
Kind Regards,
Ashley Fry
Team Leader
Complaints and Information Assurance
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