Latest news with #WellingtonCouncil
RNZ News
18 hours ago
- Business
- RNZ News
Council vote to pass Wellington's amended long-term plan
Councillors during the public participation section of Wellington Council's long-term budget meeting. Photo: RNZ / Nick James Eight months after Wellington City Council back tracked over its Wellington Airport share sale, it has rubber stamped its amended long term plan. As part of the council's long term plan from last year, it agreed to sell its 34 percent stake in the Wellington International Airport to establish a new perpetual investment fund. In October that plan was shot down which required the council to go through an amended long term plan process. The changes saw then local government Minister Simeon Brown install Lindsay McKenzie on the council as a crown observer . In the months that followed council went through a process of trimming its investment in a range of services and facilities - soon of which caused community outrage such as plans to shut Khandallah Pool and Begonia House. Those two facilities have been saved, but councillors have decided to make cutbacks in several areas. Those include to slash the Paneke Pōneke cycleway budget from $115.2m to $66.9m, rescale and rephase low cost, low risk transport projects, which saved $67.8m, and push back some Wellington Zoo upgrades to name a few. Under the plan it would also create a perpetual investment fund out of the sale of council owned ground leases. The council have also agreed for an average rates increase of 12 percent for the next financial year. At the vote on the plan, councillor Rebecca Matthews said getting it across the line was an important first step in restoration of faith in the council as governors. Matthews thanked Lindsay McKenzie for his work. "I am not sure that the government ministers that appointed you would have anticipated that we would part as such good friends." She said the council had learned to do its processes better. Councillor Diane Calvert. Photo: RNZ / Dom Thomas Councillor Diane Calvert said she did not see the plan as a triumph. "It's a forced correction, created by the financial reality and the financial crisis that I have been warning about for the last several years that we are in." Councillors Ray Chung, Nicola Young and Tony Randle that voted against the plan. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Scoop
3 days ago
- Business
- Scoop
Archaeologists Brought In For Wellington's $2.3 Million Light-Up Toilets
A Local Government Official Information Act request made by the New Zealand Taxpayers' Union shows a new toilet block is budgeted to cost ratepayers $2.3 million, which includes costs for a light-up exterior and archaeological work. Taxpayers' Union Local Government Campaigns Manager Sam Warren said: 'How reckless can Wellington Council be? It's unjustifiable to throw this kind of money around, including for archaeological costs, while a record number of locals are being rated out of their own homes.' "This build-at-all-costs approach needs to stop. On top of last year's 16.9 percent rates increase and this year's proposed 12.2 percent increase, we're looking at a cumulative 31 increase to average rates in just two years.' 'It's not hard to see why rates are soaring; Council has clearly lost focus. Toilet blocks don't need a social license, nor a dig find—they need to be delivered well and affordably.' 'Until rates capping laws are introduced, councils across New Zealand will continue to flush this kind of money away. Not enough pressure exists to keep councils on-task and focused, providing only the basics well.'
