Formal deliberations on the Wellington City Council’s Annual Plan 2016/17 will commence next week from 1 June, at the Governance, Finance and Planning committee. The plan builds on year two of the Council’s 2015-2025 Long-term Plan.
Mayor Celia Wade-Brown has introduced recommendations designed to meet the Capital’s aspirations for economic sustainable growth, stronger communities and environmental leadership.
An Urban Development Agency to deliver high-quality development and more housing, the Low Carbon Capital plan to address climate change and a range of community-based initiatives that emerged with strong public support during the consultation period, will be debated by councillors next week.
“Investment in fundamental infrastructure, such as resilient water networks, transport, earthquake strengthening the Town Hall and building the Johnsonville Library continues in the second year of the Long Term Plan,” says Mayor Wade-Brown.
“After receiving feedback from the public and Councillors, I have made some changes since the first proposal in March, including Cr Ray Ahipene-Mercer’s popular arts funding boosts, water fountains in the central city, more support for the Newtown Festival and sporting infrastructure.
“This Annual Plan will build on our economic, social, environmental and cultural progress, while keeping the rates increase within the planned 3.6 percent with no cuts to services.
“Wellington’s carbon emissions have reduced by 2.1 percent between 2001 and 2015, resulting in nearly 25,000 tonnes less emissions in our environment. To build on this success, our Low Carbon Capital plan sets an ambitious target to reduce emissions by 80 percent by 2050. I’m pleased that 86 percent of people who made submissions to the Annual Plan supported the Low Carbon Capital plan.”
Deputy Mayor Justin Lester, who chairs the Governance, Finance and Planning Committee that will hear the deliberations next week, says that getting local people’s feedback through consultation on the Annual Plan was a positive way to engage Wellington’s communities.
“The Mayor and councillors heard from people who contribute hugely to the Capital’s many communities and we’ve included many positive initiatives in the recommendations for next week.
“It’s great to have the opportunity to invest in local communities, such as the Toitu Pōneke Sports Hub, Lyall Bay’s foreshore resilience, upgrading the Tawa Town Centre and an artificial playing surface for Karori.
“There was also strong support for the Urban Development Agency (UDA) proposal. There are good opportunities to increase the supply of affordable housing and demonstrate good practice in housing development, urban design and sustainability.”
“We’re in touch with our communities, and we’re in touch with our future, through our support for the more significant proposals like Low Carbon Capital and the Urban Development Agency,” said Cr Lester.
Some of the recommendations include:
- buying the Zealandia Visitor Centre in return for the Karori Sanctuary Trust repaying its loan to Council
- Lyall Bay Foreshore Resilience Plan
- Toitu Pōneke Sports Hub
- Ngauranga to Airport transport corridor, minor capital improvements
- Tawa Town Centre upgrade
- improving pedestrian and cycling safety on Middleton Road
- Living wage
- increases to community grants
- new outdoor events series
- Newtown Festival
- artificial playing surface at former Terawhiti Bowling Club in Karori
- new water fountains for the central city
- Warm Up Wellington.
For the full recommendations paper, please visit: Governance, Finance and Planning Committee meeting 1 June 2016