Accessibility Action Plan

We are currently in the process of updating the Wellington City Council Accessibility Action Plan. The plan will identify priorities for making Pōneke more accessible and equitable.

Abstract illustration of diverse Wellingtonians with different access needs on a background of buildings and green hills. Image is titled

Existing plan

The current Accessible Wellington Action Plan was adopted in 2019 - view it below (all documents open in a new window).

What the Accessibility Action Plan is

The action plan is Wellington City Council’s commitment to accessibility through strategic and operational, internal and external actions.

We want all people in Wellington to be able to participate in all aspects of city life on an equal basis. This means providing accessible services, communication channels, facilities, transport options, and buildings and public spaces to help make Wellington more accessible and inclusive for everyone.

The plan is underpinned by the UN Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), New Zealand Disability Strategy, and Disability Action Plan 2019-2023. These three documents will guide the new action plan.

What we’ve done

The Accessible Wellington Action Plan is due to be refreshed this year. Over the past three years, we worked hard to implement some of the actions, but there is a lot more to do. Here is a snapshot of the mahi we have completed so far:

  • installed a hearing loop in our Council Chambers at 113 The Terrace and our Democracy Services staff have had training on how to use it
  • implemented a new mobility parking policy, which means when installing new mobility parks, we follow design and location guidelines to ensure these spaces are safe and accessible for all mobility park users
  • included accessibility criteria to guide funding decisions for both our Arts & Culture and Social & Recreation funds
  • continued to ensure that Council’s and affiliated websites are compliant with the NZ Web Accessibility and Usability Standards
  • conducted an early engagement survey to get a feel for what community members wanted to see from the new plan
  • held a series of workshops with community members to discuss priorities for the new plan and the key issues facing disabled people in Pōneke.

Accessibility Action Plan early engagement survey report

The results of the early engagement survey conducted in April-May 2022 are available in the report below.

Writing and adopting a new Accessibility Action Plan

We are currently in the process of updating our Accessibility Action Plan with input from local disabled people.

You can get in touch with us via accessibility@wcc.govt.nz with any questions you have, or if you would like to let us know your thoughts on what the new Plan should look like.