Economic Wellbeing Strategy – Action Plan
CODE	Description	Delivery Agency	
	Outcome 1: Sustainable Business and Career Pathways	 	
 	We aim to enable Wellingtonians to have equal opportunities to find meaningful, fairly paid and inclusive work	 	
1.1	Priority Actions	 	
1.1.1	Career Matching – Connecting educators and employers to develop the right skills for the city and provide opportunities for students gain experience.	WellingtonNZ	
1.1.2	Practice what we preach – Ensure council’s procurement strategies, career pathways, sustainability practices and activity programmes are supporting the delivery of the Economic Wellbeing Strategy.	WCC	
1.2	Additional Actions	 	
1.2.1	Work with education and construction sectors to close skills gaps in construction.	WellingtonNZ	
1.2.2	Undertake research to understand the drivers for students coming to Wellington and for choosing to leave or stay when entering the workforce.	WCC	
1.2.3	Advocate across all industries for the development of skills which will be fit for the future circular and zero carbon economy.	WCC / WNZ	
1.2.4	Build strong relationships with tertiary education providers to support education aspirations and enhance Wellington's reputation as a city that welcomes students.	WCC	
1.2.5	Offer new students and families a ‘Welcome to Wellington’ package. Workshop with students to work out what?	WCC / WNZ	
1.2.6	Partner with government agencies, education providers, mana whenua, and employers to:
• Identify career pathways and development opportunities.
• Support education providers to inspire young people into careers.
• Support and enhance work ready programmes and internships, including providing tailored services for diverse communities.
• Break down barriers for employment in the disability and Rainbow communities. 	WellingtonNZ	
1.2.7	As an employer in the city, we lead by example by:
• Designing clear pathways and resources so our staff understand how they can progress their careers through Council.
• Partnering with local schools to support curriculum delivery and inspire children with career opportunities. 
• Partnering with ministry for disabled people to break down employment barriers experienced by the disability community (note that we already work with workbridge on this)
• Running intern programmes.	Council	

	Outcome 2: Transitioning to a zero carbon circular economy	 	
 	We aim to be regenerative by design	 	
2.1	Priority Actions	 	
2.1.1	Co-create business sector plans – Work with business sectors to develop a plan for the sector including transitioning to a circular economy.	Council	
2.1.2	Partner with Māori and mana whenua – Partner to build the Māori economy, and explore a Māori worldview of a circular economy. 	Council	
2.2	Additional Actions	 	
2.2.1	Identify and measure progress against the doughnut economics model.	Council	
2.2.2	Advocate for Central Government to enable business support funding incentives for businesses committed to a circular economic model.	Council	
2.1.3	Advocate to central government to develop policies and programmes to transition to a circular economy.   	Council	
2.2.3	Develop a business and investment attraction strategy and action plan.	WellingtonNZ	
2.2.4	Celebrate local business success stories which contribute to a circular economy.	WellingtonNZ / Council	
2.2.5	Evolve Wellington’s placemaking storytelling to amplify examples of progressive businesses making positive change and enhance Wellington City’s brand.  	WellingtonNZ / Council	
2.2.6	Develop and deliver a plan to attract business events and exhibitions and visitors to our city and the new convention and exhibition centre (Tākina).  	WellingtonNZ	
2.2.7	Deliver Wellington City’s Destination Management Plan through WNZ and contribute to the Wellington Region Economic Development Plan and Wairarapa Destination Management Plan.	WellingtonNZ	
2.2.9	Facilitate sustainable job creation through an inclusive local procurement approach that enables local eco-systems for Māori & Pasifika, disabled community and local businesses, and enables circular economy practices.	WCC	

	Outcome 3: A Business-Friendly City	 	
 	We aim to be Aotearoa New Zealand’s city partner of choice for businesses, investors and developers	 	
3.1	Priority Actions	 	
3.1.1	City champions – Find business leaders across the city that can engage strategically with Council staff and lead the city narrative.	Council	
3.1.2	Building business relationships – Build enduring relationships with businesses throughout the city, providing opportunity to listen and help navigate within the council departments.	Council	
3.1.3	Nurture small businesses – Provide assistance through tailored training and transitioning to a post-covid circular economy.	WNZ / Council	
3.1.4	Become customer-centric – Deliver customer-centric Council processes, systems and interactions. Co-design Council services with relevant and diverse business communities. Streamline business-targeted Council processes where possible.	Council	
3.1.5	Advocate for insurance improvements – Work with the Wellington business community and Wellington NZ to advocate for better insurance outcomes.	Council	
3.2	Additional Actions	 	
3.2.1	Investigate new and innovative ways to support local businesses with strong growth potential. 	WNZ & Creative HQ	
3.2.2	Work proactively with Central Government to amplify business support and research and development (R&D) programmes.	WNZ & Creative HQ	
3.2.3	Partner with business and industry organisations to host events and showcase talent to our national and international counterparts and audiences.	WNZ	
3.2.4	Enhance incubation and acceleration services to businesses.	WNZ	
3.2.5	Identify the culture shift required to become more business friendly.  	Council	
3.2.6	Establish business research panel.	Council	
3.2.7	Foster our relationship with Seoul to build trade partnership in the creative tech, film and gaming sectors.	Council	
3.2.8	Review the International Relations Strategy to establish clear goals for our international relationships to deliver a circular economy.	Council	
3.2.9	Collaborate and share knowledge related to relevant issues such as Covid-19 response and developing a circular economy learning and development.	Council	

	Outcome 4: Centre of Creativity and Digital Innovation	 	
 	We aim to be Aotearoa New Zealand’s 
centre for creativity and innovation	 	
4.1	Priority Actions	 	
4.1.1	Nurture small businesses – Provide assistance through tailored training and transitioning to a post-covid circular economy. Broaden the reach of targeted programmes to assist emerging digital tech companies to scale up. 	Council / WNZ	
4.1.2	Vital venues – Redevelop Opera House to meet audience needs for a wider mix of entertainment, including filling the need for a mid-sized venue and the TSB arena into Wellington’s premium arena, to stage a wider mix of performance events and provide an enhanced customer experience.	Council / WNZ	
4.2	Additional Actions	 	
4.2.1	Develop sector profiles to understand future potential (underway).	Council / WNZ	
4.2.2	Broaden the reach of targeted programmes to support emerging digital tech companies to scale up.	WNZ	
4.2.3	Explore opportunities for science and innovation to co-locate and commercialise their research.   	WNZ	
4.2.4	Research the benefits and opportunities of sector hubs and shared services models. 	WNZ	
4.2.5	Advocate to central government for tax incentives that ensure our city is competitive in the global film and gaming markets.  	Council 	
4.2.6	Attract investment in the sector as necessary to support early-stage investment in emerging digital businesses.	WNZ	
4.2.7	Review Council’s Open Data approach to make more data available in more formats. 	Council 	
4.2.8	Support Screen Wellington to deliver on the Screen Strategy and build industry partnerships and work programmes.	Council / WNZ	
4.2.9	Partner with mana whenua and Te Matarau a Maui to identify opportunities for Māori to increase their skills and capability in the film and screen sector.  	WNZ 	
4.2.10	Advocate for faster broadband upload – download speeds especially in business areas.   	Council	
4.2.11	Invest in major events across all our venues to drive visitors, brand and social outcomes.	WellingtonNZ / Council	
4.2.12	Work with mana whenua to enhance the Wellington narrative to embed mana whenua viewpoints and drive visitation to local venues including Wellington Museum, Zealandia, Te Aro Pa, etc. 	Experience Wellington / Te Wharewaka / mana whenua	
4.2.13	Partner with Te Matarau a Maui and mana whenua to enable authentic storytelling. 	WellingtonNZ	
4.2.14	Partner with Te Matarau a Maui and mana whenua to build capability of Māori in digital technology 	WellingtonNZ	

	Outcome 5: Celebrate our Capital City Status	 	
 	We aim to raise the profile of our Capital City	 	
5.1	Priority Actions	 	
5.1.1	Capital connection – Work alongside central government agencies to develop education tourism events and products.	Council / Experience Wellington / Tertiary Providers	
5.2	Additional Actions	 	
5.2.1	Partner with mana whenua, heritage bodies, government institutions and the creative sector to make our Capital identity stories more accessible.   Part of destination management plan (hero project)	Council / WNZ	
5.2.2	Work with Queer and Rainbow organisations to share stories and provide platforms to enable visibility.	WCC	
5.2.3	Tell the stories related to Parliament and our world-leading social legislation that supports the UNESCO World Heritage status initiative for the Parliamentary precinct. (in application)	Council / WNZ	
5.2.4	Leverage Wellington's climate action reputation and profile the innovative businesses leading the way. 	WNZ / Council	
5.2.5	Work better together with other councils in the region to leverage our proximity to central government to influence decision-making.   	Council / WNZ / GW	
5.2.6	Promote Wellington's reputation as the home of New Zealand's transparent, ethical, and democratic public service, and identify opportunities to celebrate our government talent.	WNZ	

	Outcome 6: A dynamic city heart and thriving suburban centres	 	
 	We aim to be a compact city with a dynamic CBD and thriving suburban centres that are economically productive	 	
6.1	Priority Actions	 	
6.1.1	A Curated City – Provide strategic overview and coordination. Share a compelling vision for the regeneration of the city centre, collaborate to drive action, investment and engagement, and mitigate the impact on businesses whilst work takes place.	Council 	
6.2	Additional Actions	 	
6.2.1	Develop central city and suburban centre regeneration plans, including exploring an entertainment, artisan and retail experience precinct programme.	Council 	
6.2.2	Develop a night-time economy plan.	Council	
6.2.3	Invest in a year-round events programme that consistently encourages visitation and spend to our city, including local events, that add to the city's vibrancy and build Wellington's reputation.	Council / WNZ	
6.2.4	Investigate developing a weather resilient space/s for farmers/artisan markets, could include indoor playgrounds for kids.	Council 	
6.2.5	Explore opportunities to activate empty buildings and shop fronts and consider the most critical locations for retail and hospitality activities.	Council 	
6.2.6	Increase targeted regular street cleaning, maintenance and beautification activity of the city centre to ensure it remains an attractive destination.	Council	
6.2.7	Review all economic grant funding to ensure it is structured to deliver best outcomes for the Wellbeing of our local business communities.	Council / WNZ	
6.2.8	Collaborate with mana whenua and creatives to identify and activate through Te Ao Māori and Te Reo, including Tākina, Te Ngākau Civic Square, Te Matapihi and Te Aro Pa.	Council	
6.2.9	Ensure the Courtney Pl entertainment precinct is enhanced to make it more attractive and safe for locals and visitors.	Council 	
6.2.10	Broaden relationships and foster connections to widen representation of creative communities and develop a range of event offerings and use of spaces	Council	
6.2.11	Work with businesses to connect with the arts and creative sector to enable collaboration projects and commissioning’s	Council	
6.2.12	Leverage our laneways programme to develop social spaces and playgrounds and provide enabling support to businesses do the same	Council	
6.2.13	Collaborate with arts and culture sector to embed climate action into bring climate action and sustainability into life	Council	
6.2.14	Development response plan to proactively mitigate negative impacts on residents and businesses from major infrastructure and development	Council	
6.2.15	Taking a precinct approach to collaborating with businesses to ensure character of areas and businesses and communities thrive.	Council	
6.2.16	Expand Poneke Promise and ensure the Poneke Promise has input from businesses.	Council