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Wellington city council
2008/2009
Annual Plan
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OVERVIEW 1
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oVeRVieW
Message from the Mayor
2
Message from the Chief Executive
3
Your views
4
Our role
6
Snapshot of the city
7
Our work (including new projects for 2008/09)
8
Rates, charges and spending
14
ouR ActiVitieS in DetAil
urban development
Urban planning and policy
19
Building control and facilitation
20
Development control and facilitation
21
Earthquake risk mitigation
22
Public space development
23
transport
Transport planning and policy
26
Transport networks
28
Parking
30
economic development
City promotions, events and attractions
32
Business support
34
environment
Gardens and beaches
37
Green open spaces
38
Water
40
Wastewater and stormwater
41
Waste reduction and energy conservation
42
Environmental conservation attractions
44
Quarry
45
cultural well-being
Galleries and museums
47
Heritage
48
Community arts and cultural support
49
Arts partnerships
50
Social and recreation
Libraries
52
Recreation facilities and programmes
53
Public health and safety
55
Housing
56
Community support
57
governance
Maori engagement (including mana whenua)
60
Information, consultation and decision-making
61
FunDing AnD FinAnciAl StAteMentS
Funding impact statement
64
Forecast financial statements
76
Significant accounting policies
82
APPenDiceS
Council-controlled organisations
90
Fees, charges and funding targets
96
Council outcome indicators
106
Mayor and councillors
108
contentS
This is Wellington City Council’s
AnnuAl PlAn
2008/2009
It explains what we’re planning to do in the
coming year, why we plan to do it, how much it
will cost, and how we will pay.
It’s our response to the key issues facing the city,
and to your feedback. Before we finalised this
plan, we listened to the views of the hundreds
of Wellingtonians who made submissions on
our draft annual plan.
Cover image: Urban Forest by Leon Van Den Eijkel adn Allen Brown
WELLINGTON CITY COUNCIL AnnuAl PlAn 08/09
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Welcome to the Wellington City Council’s 2008/09 annual plan.
We are forecasting total operating expenditure of $329 million, which represents
an average real rates increase of 5.18%, after allowing for growth in the
ratepayer base.
We acknowledge that rising fuel and food prices are placing pressure on many
household budgets, and that higher rates can add to that pressure. While we
would have liked to hold the rates increase below 5.18%, doing so would have
required cuts to the services we provide.
Although a small number of people who commented on our draft annual plan
asked us to defer some work to keep the rates increase down, the balance of
opinion was in favour of new projects, and there was opposition to non-urgent
deferrals that we had outlined.
It is important to note that, while councillors have committed to some new
projects for 2008/09, to a large extent the increase in total rates reflects
increasing cost pressures we face in delivering key services such as maintaining
the transport network and looking after the city’s environment. Like you, we are
facing higher fuel and energy costs.
It is also important to note that despite this year’s increase, Wellington rates
are not high by national standards.
Finally, in the coming year we will be reviewing our entire work programme
as we develop our next long-term plan, which will cover the period from
2009 to 2019.
As part of this review, we will be asking residents to take a close look at the
work we do, and give us a clear indication of where we should draw the line
between affordability and quality of service. We hope, from that feedback, to be
able to develop a programme that meets residents’ aspirations for the city.
This is a key challenge – one that needs your input.
GARRY POOLE
A MeSSAge FRoM cHieF eXecutiVe gARRy Poole
Our vision is of Wellington as an affordable
internationally competitive city.
This plan is about building on the city’s strengths – it has been adopted
following consultation with the public.
In this plan, we’re taking some small but potentially significant steps towards
our goal of being carbon neutral.
We’re investigating some options for turning the Southern Landfill into a
producer of sustainable energy. One option is the development of a wind farm
within the landfill. Another is through the possible conversion of sewage sludge
into electricity or LPG by installing a bioreactor.
We’re also investigating how Wellingtonians use transport and make transport
choices, so we can determine how to encourage more sustainable options such
as walking and taking the train or bus.
And we’re taking steps to encourage more sustainable building practices such as
installation of solar water heating and micro electricity generation systems, both
by offsetting resource consent fees and by providing free eco-design advice to
builders, architects and homeowners.
We’ve also committed to some other new initiatives such as making Courtenay
Place safer and more vibrant, boosting online promotion of Wellington tourism,
installing artificial turf on one of the city’s well-used sports fields, funding the
National Children’s Arts Festival and an annual Pasifika Festival, and we’ve
committed funding to make progress on bringing high-speed broadband
to the city by 2012.
This year’s new projects add to our ongoing work programme, which includes
key infrastructure such as the city’s water supply and transport and drainage
networks, provision of parks and green spaces, plus funding of a wide range of
events, recreational and social services, and work to guide the city’s building
and development. As always, by far our biggest areas of spending are on
infrastructure such as the water, drainage and transport networks.
We received more than 400 submissions on our draft annual plan. Your views
have informed our decision-making and helped us to alter or confirm our plans
accordingly. Thank you to those of you who took the time to have your say
about the future of our city.
We can all look forward to another fantastic year of progress towards making
Wellington even better.
KERRY PRENDERGAST
A MeSSAge FRoM MAyoR KeRRy PRenDeRgASt
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We received 438 written submissions on our draft
annual plan.
In addition, 68 people met councillors in person to comment on our plans for
the year, and we carried out a public opinion survey to get the views of a wider
cross-section of Wellington residents.
All submissions were read and analysed, and all were provided to councillors.
They were also made publicly available.
Everyone who makes a submission receives a response from the Council
regarding the main points raised in their submission.
Most submitters supported the Council’s proposed
new projects.
Just over half of the comments we received were about proposals for new
projects. For almost all of the proposals, the balance of submissions was in
favour of the Council going ahead and funding the project.
Where the Council was proposing to defer or reduce spending in order to keep
rates down, the balance of opinion was opposed to these changes.
We’ve made changes as a result of your feedback.
Our Strategy and Policy Committee – which is made up of elected councillors
and the mayor – considered your feedback in mid June. It provided
recommendations to Council, which made its final decisions in late June.
The programme outlined in this document is not the same as the one outlined
in the draft plan. The changes include:
• We’ve committed $200,000 to make progress on our vision of bringing high-
speed broadband to the city by 2012. Our proposal is likely to involve a regional
approach to the Government’s $500 million Broadband Investment Fund.
• We’ve decided to hold marina fees at current levels, rather than increase fees
as we had proposed in our draft annual plan.
• We’ve decided not to provide funding for a feasibility study into establishing
an orchestral scoring stage in Wellington.
• We’ve budgeted for a new eco design advisor service to help designers,
builders and homeowners with information about making homes more
energy-efficient and sustainable. The budget for this project is $70,000 a year.
• We’re increasing resources to allow us to respond to legal challenges to
planning decisions. We’re budgeting an additional $430,000 for this work.
• We’re budgeting an extra $60,000 per year to better inform neighbours of
adjacent landowners (that have applied for resource consents on residentially
zoned sites) about planned developments.
• We’ve agreed for Wellington Waterfront Ltd to draw-down their funding earlier
than originally planned. The additional funding will be repaid in full once the
commercial proceeds from waterfront developments are secured.
youR VieWS
We listened to your views before completing
this annual plan.
During the consultation period we also received many requests for funding
support. Requests were made to: increase the number of public swimming
pools; provide more sportsfields with artificial surfaces, upgrade existing
community facilities and establish new ones, help community groups with
relocation costs, upgrade Cobham Drive foreshore area, restore the Shipswright
building at Shelly Bay, restore sand dunes on the South Coast, upgrade Kelburn
Parade and many many more.
Councillors considered all funding requests in detail but did not support them
being funded in 2008/09. Like you, we are facing increased inflationary cost
pressures and have worked within tight budgetary parameters to deliver this
plan and an acceptable rates rise. Any accommodation of the funding requests
would have increased the rates rise for 2008/09. In some circumstances, funding
requests will be considered further as part of the development of the next long-
term plan.
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Wellington city then
Wellington city now
Did you know?
Population
In 2001, Wellington city had a
population of 167,187 – 39.1% of the
region’s population.
Wellington city has an estimated
population of 190,500 – 40.5% of
the region’s population.
Wellington’s population is expected
to grow to 231,700 by 2031.
Employment
In 2001, 108,910 people were
employed in Wellington.
137,260 people are employed in
Wellington city.
Property and business services
employs more Wellingtonians than
any other industry.
Earnings
In 2004, the average employee
earned $25.93 per hour.
Wellington city employees earn an
average of $29.40 per hour.
Wellington city employees have the
highest average hourly earnings of
all major cities in New Zealand.
Transport
In 2001, 30% of people used public
transport, 52% drove and 14%
walked.
34% of Wellingtonians who
travel into central Wellington on
a weekday use public transport,
45% use a car and 10% walk.
Wellington city has the largest
proportion of residents who use
public transport of all major cities in
New Zealand.
House prices
In the March 2005 quarter, the
average home cost $315,800.
In the December 2007 quarter, the
average home cost $431,000.
Wellington city average home prices
are the second most expensive in
New Zealand, behind Auckland.
SnAPSHot oF tHe city
Under the Local Government Act, we have two
key roles. 1. To promote the well-being of Wellington
and its people. 2. To facilitate democratic local
decision-making.
The Wellington City Council is made up of 15 elected representatives – the mayor
and 14 councillors. It’s their job to make bylaws, set the city’s overall strategic
direction, and approve budgets, policies and plans aimed at achieving that
direction. A key part of their role is to listen and take the pulse of the community
before making decisions. The mayor and councillors are supported in their work
by the Tawa and Makara/Ohariu Community Boards.
The elected representatives are supported by the Council’s chief executive and
1,450+ staff, who provide advice, implement Council decisions, and look after
the city’s day to day operations.
We aim to manage the city in line with
community aspirations.
After public consultation during 2005 and 2006, we set 13 long-term goals (or
“outcomes”) for Wellington – that the city will become more liveable, develop
a stronger sense of place, and become more compact, eventful, inclusive,
actively engaged, sustainable, safer, healthier, better connected, prosperous,
competitive, entrepreneurial and innovative.
The projects we fund – both the new projects explained over the next few
pages and our ongoing work programme explained in the Our activities in detail
section of this report – aim to fulfil these community expectations.
This annual plan is part of a longer-term
planning process.
The Local Government Act requires us to plan in three-year cycles. Every three
years, we publish a long-term plan setting out our intentions for the decade
ahead – what we’ll do, how we’ll do it, how much we’ll spend, who will
pay, the levels of service we’ll provide, and how we’ll measure the quality and
effectiveness of our work. Our last long-term plan was in 2006; our next will be
in 2009.
In-between these long-term plans, we take a fresh look each year at our work
programme and consider whether any changes are needed – such as revisions to
our budgets or new projects to help deal with issues or challenges facing the city.
After public consultation, we publish an annual plan (this document).
We’ll make ourselves accountable by reporting
on how we do for the year.
Every year, we also publish an annual report. This sets out how we performed
against the long-term plan or annual plan for the year. Did we do all we said
we’d do? Did we meet our budgets? Did we do as good a job as we should have?
Did we contribute to improvements in the overall well-being of Wellington and
its residents? The report is made available on our website and through libraries
and service centres, and a summary is sent to all Wellington households.
ouR Role
Our job is to look after Wellington,
now and into the future.
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New project: resource consent fees waiver on
heritage buildings
Heritage buildings add to the city’s character. Preserving them makes a difference
to the city’s appearance and to our sense of identity as Wellingtonians.
Heritage buildings are listed in our District Plan, which places restrictions on
demolition, renovation and other changes that might affect the building’s
heritage value.
To encourage restoration of heritage buildings, we already provide grants to
developers and others to ensure that heritage buildings and assets contribute to
the city’s character.
Starting this year, we will also waive some resource consent fees on listed
heritage buildings. This initiative acknowledges that protecting a heritage
building by listing it in the District Plan can impose costs on building owners
by restricting what they can do with the building.
New project: planning and resource consents
The District Plan contains restrictions on building and land use in the city.
These restrictions aim to prevent environmental harm, ensure developments
are appropriate for their surroundings (for example, buildings don’t breach
height restrictions), and protect neighbours from adverse effects such as noise
or water runoff.
In 2008/09, we’re increasing staff numbers in our planning team, so that we
can better inform residents about resource consent applicants on neighbouring
properties, and so that we can improve monitoring of property owners’
compliance with resource consent conditions.
We are also budgeting for increased legal costs associated with changes to District
Plan requirements and to appeals against resource consent decisions.
New project: anti-graffiti squad
In 2007/08, we trialled an anti-graffiti squad tasked with eliminating graffiti
from the city’s public spaces and, if owners consent, also from private property
facing public areas. The squad also had the job of making certain areas
unattractive for graffiti, for example by installing murals. We have committed to
extending the trial through 2008/09 before making a decision about whether to
make the anti-graffiti squad a permanent service.
TRANSPORT
We look after 670km of streets and roads, as well as footpaths, cycle lanes, traffic
signals, car parks and so on.
We also: support public transport through bus priority measures such as bus
lanes, letting buses go first at traffic lights, and providing bus shelters; work
suburb by suburb to improve traffic safety; and plan to ensure the city’s
transport network meets future needs.
Our transport system is generally performing well – Wellington’s streets are safe
by national standards, we’re relatively high users of public transport, and most
residents believe the city is easy to get around.
However, we do face challenges such as ensuring the transport network can
keep up with growing demand, and reducing harmful environmental effects
such as noise, water and air pollution.
For the period to 2009, key priorities include managing demand on the
transport network, advocating for investment in the city’s state highway
network, further developing our bus priority measures, and improving access
to the port and ferry terminals.
New project: household travel survey
One effective way of reducing Wellington’s carbon emissions and roading
congestion is to shift from private cars to other forms of transport, such as buses,
trains, cycles, and walking. Though Wellingtonians are already high users of
public transport by national standards, almost half of us still use our cars to
get to work.
To encourage greater use of other forms of transport, we first need to understand
the reasons for Wellingtonians’ current transport choices and what barriers
there might be to change. We’re planning to gather this information through a
comprehensive survey, which will inform our long-term planning on transport
including efforts to encourage cycling and walking.
New project: access to Hataitai Park
We are planning several changes to improve access to and through Hataitai Park.
The changes include: traffic lights and pedestrian access at the main entry at
the intersection of Ruahine and Goa Streets, a reconfigured roading network
within the park, and increased parking. The proposals will make the park
more accessible for walkers/cyclists and for public transport, and reduce traffic
congestion within the park.
ouR WoRK
including new projects for 2008/09
uRBAn DeVeloPMent
Our urban development work includes enhancing the waterfront and city and
suburban centres, developing public spaces such as urban parks and squares,
looking after heritage sites, assessing and issuing building and resource
consents, ensuring earthquake-prone buildings are strengthened, and planning
for the city’s future development.
The significant growth expected in Wellington over the next 20 years creates
some challenges. We’re aiming to respond to those challenges in ways that are
sustainable and preserve the city’s special character.
A key priority through to 2009 and beyond is to improve land use and transport
by focusing development along a ‘growth spine’ stretching from Johnsonville
in the north, to the central city, and Newtown and Kilbirnie in the south.
Other priorities include improving the way we manage infill development in
residential areas, and improving the quality of the city’s urban design.
New project: promotion of sustainable building
Significant amounts of energy are used in the city’s homes and buildings –
to run appliances, heat water, and provide lighting and heating. Many buildings
would benefit from design features such as better insulation, solar water
heating, and better design to make use of the sun’s warmth.
To promote sustainable design and building:
• We’re employing an eco-design advisor to provide free advice on ways to make
buildings more energy efficient and sustainable.
• We’re offsetting building consent fees for new and retrofitted residential
dwellings that make use of sustainable building features including solar or
heat pump water heating, wood pellet stoves with ‘wetbacks’, and micro
electricity generation.
New project: heritage patent slip
The 17-tonne, 4.5 metre cog was the main driving wheel at the former Evans
Bay patent slip, which was Wellington’s main ship maintenance facility from
1872 until it closed in the early 1970s. When the slip was closed in 1985, the cog
was mounted on a concrete pad, where it remained until it was removed for the
recent redevelopment of Cog Park.
Now that redevelopment of the park is complete, we will restore the cog and
mount it on a concrete-and-wood platform – displaying the cog in a way that
will give an impression of how it would have looked in use.
New project: earthquake-prone buildings
For the past two years, we have been assessing older buildings in the city
and taking steps to deal with those identified as earthquake-prone – for
example, by requiring owners to carry out strengthening work. This work is
legally required, and involves assessment by engineers, liaison with building
owners, and sometimes efforts to enforce requirements to bring buildings up to
appropriate safety standards.
This year, we’re increasing our budget for assessing and dealing with
earthquake-prone buildings.
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New project: pest and weed control
Our Biodiversity Action Plan aims to protect and enhance biodiversity by
providing habitat for native plants and bird life, restoring and preserving streams
and other ecosystems, and planting.
A key part of this work is our Pest Management Plan – in which we work to get
rid of weeds and pest animals such as possums, rabbits, and goats and ferrets
from key native ecosystems and other areas of land across the city. In this work,
we are supported by the efforts of thousands of community volunteers.
We’ve committed additional funding to implement the Pest Management
Plan, protecting native plants and wildlife, and reducing the risk that we’ll
need to carry out costly restoration work and remedial weed and pest control
in future years.
New project: micro wind farm at Southern Landfill
Carey’s Gully, the site of the Southern Landfill, has potential as a wind farm for
several reasons. The site has a similar wind profile to the Brooklyn wind turbine.
There is electricity transmission infrastructure in the gully, and private sector
interest in building a wind farm there. And wind technology has developed to
a point where it is not only environmentally sustainable but also cost-effective
way to generate electricity.
During 2008/09, we will carry out a feasibility study to determine whether
a wind farm is technically and commercially viable, and would comply with
planning and other laws, as well as determining who should own and
operate it.
New project: converting sewage into LPG or electricity
The Council late last year decided not to continue to compost sewage sludge at
the Southern Landfill. Reasons included smell from the composting plant, cost,
lack of market for the compost, and the emergence of new and potentially more
sustainable ways to deal with the sludge.
We’re now planning to investigate options for future disposal of sewage sludge.
Installing a bioreactor plant to convert sewage to electricity or LPG is one of the
options that will be considered. Another is a joint Wellington-Porirua sewage
drying plant.
CULTURAL WELL-BEING
We fund the city’s popular art galleries and museums, operate Toi Poneke –
the Wellington Arts Centre, and support the NZ International Arts Festival, the
St James Theatre and the NZ Symphony Orchestra.
We also provide cultural grants, support community events and festivals, and
run the City Archives.
Wellington’s arts and culture scene is thriving. Our key goal is to maintain this
strength, and to ensure that all Wellingtonians can participate in the city’s
cultural life.
Over the period to 2009, our key priorities include: protecting and enhancing
local ‘sense of place’; enhancing the area at the top of the Cable Car;
strengthening our partnerships with arts organisations; and engaging more
effectively with grass-roots arts and culture communities.
New project: National Arts Festival for Children
Capital E’s National Arts Festival for Children, held every two years, is a fortnight-
long programme of dance, drama, music, story-telling, puppet theatre, circus
and more.
Since it was first held in 2003, the festival has become an integral part of
Wellington’s arts calendar. Last year, it attracted a total audience of 38,000.
Despite its popularity, the festival is not currently part of Capital E’s core
programme. Capital E therefore does not have any ongoing funding to run it.
We have committed to provide ongoing funding for the festival. The majority of
the festival’s $450,000 annual budget will come from other sources including
box office, community grants/sponsorship, and Creative New Zealand grants.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
We work to attract major events such as the World of WearableArt Awards
and the International Sevens. We also fund tourism promotions, and support
attractions such as Te Papa and conference venues such as the Wellington
Convention Centre.
To support businesses, we provide free weekend parking in the city and
advocate for the city’s interests to central and regional government and to
regional economic development agency Grow Wellington.
Key economic development challenges are to make the city more internationally
competitive, foster innovation and entrepreneurship, and lift Wellington’s
sustainable economic growth.
The key priority for the period to 2009 is to strengthen the city’s status as a centre
of creativity and innovation.
New project: high-speed broadband
High-speed broadband is essential infrastructure for any city that aspires to
provide world class services to its businesses and residents. The Council has
adopted a vision of making high-speed broadband available throughout the
city by 2012.
The Government also aims to support improved broadband and, in its 2008
Budget, provided $500 million to support urban broadband projects. In
2008/09, we will carry out planning and feasibility work to develop options for
supporting the development of high-speed broadband throughout the region,
possibly including a regional application for government support.
New project: online tourism marketing
People spend more and more time online, and are increasingly likely to use
online sources when they’re making travel decisions and buying tickets. We’ve
budgeted additional funding for Positively Wellington Tourism to step up its
online presence, turning its website – www.wellingtonnz.com – from a static
site to a fully interactive experience where users can research, plan and book
trips to Wellington and interact online with other visitors to the city.
The project includes a new online booking system, clearer links between
www.wellingtonnz.com and other Wellington tourism websites, and new
content and applications to integrate the site with online social media.
We are also increasing Positively Wellington Tourism funding to provide for
increased staffing costs and trustee fees.
ENVIRONMENT
We look after the city’s 34+ square kilometres of reserve land, as well
as beaches, coastline, and botanical gardens. We fund the Zoo and the
Karori Sanctuary.
We also: provide water supply, stormwater and sewage disposal; provide
recycling and waste disposal services; offer grants for environmental initiatives;
run the Kiwi Point Quarry; and promote energy efficiency and sustainability.
The environment is by far our biggest area of spending.
Though Wellington enjoys a stunning natural environment, we also face some
significant challenges. Like other cities, we need to find ways of becoming more
sustainable – to address broad issues such as climate change – by producing
fewer greenhouse gas emissions, dumping less waste, using resources such as
water and energy more efficiently, and protecting biodiversity and ecosystems.
Over the period to 2009, key priorities include promoting water and energy
efficiency, improving protection of streams, developing a coherent plan
to address biodiversity issues, and strengthening our partnerships with
stakeholders to increase environmental awareness, community participation,
and the achievement of environmental goals.
New project: Karori Sanctuary visitor centre
The Karori Sanctuary is planning a new ‘Gateway’ incorporating a visitor and
education centre, shop, café and conservation displays. The centre, to be funded
through Council and government loans, has been delayed by more than two
years – partly because it took the Sanctuary longer than expected to secure
government funding for the project, and partly because design work for the
centre was held up when a geotechnical survey found unexpected issues with
the stability of a bank behind the site.
The ‘gateway’ will provide the Sanctuary with additional revenue. The delay
means the Sanctuary needs operational funding to sustain its current operations
until the gateway opens. We are providing this ‘bridging’ funding over the next
two years.
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GOVERNANCE
Our governance work includes running local elections, holding meetings of the
Council and its committees, producing policies and strategies to guide our work,
seeking feedback on our proposals from members of the public, producing
annual plans and annual reports to make ourselves accountable to residents,
engaging with Maori and stakeholder groups, and providing information about
our services and activities.
The key challenges we face are to increase participation levels and build trust
and confidence in civic decision-making.
Our priorities for the period to 2009 include improving the transparency and
quality of processes for public involvement in civic decision-making, and
increasing participation rates in democratic processes.
Review of our work programme
In the coming year, we’ll undertake a comprehensive review of our work
programme as we develop a new long-term plan for the city.
As part of this review, we’ll be taking a fresh look at issues likely to face the
city in the coming decade. We’ll seek public views on our work and the city’s
future direction. And we’ll ask for feedback on where to draw the line between
providing high quality services and ensuring those services are affordable.
The long-term plan will set a general direction for 10 years and a detailed
programme for three.
SOCIAL AND RECREATION
We provide homes for people whose needs are not met by state housing or
the private housing market, fund projects to help homeless people, support
community organisations, and provide community centres and halls.
We also work to protect public health and safety through projects such as
monitoring the city centre, banning liquor consumption in public in parts of the
city, licensing food and liquor outlets, animal control, regulating other public
health risks, providing toilets and cemeteries, and preparing the city to deal with
emergencies such as earthquakes.
Our recreation work includes: providing libraries, playgrounds, swimming pools,
recreation centres, sports fields and marinas; running recreation programmes;
and reducing the costs of using sport and recreation facilities for people who
have community services cards.
Key challenges include providing for a population that is growing in size and
diversity, and catering for a wider range of recreation activities.
Over the period to 2009, priorities include increasing the value of community
facilities to their communities, promoting social cohesion and sound social
infrastructure, and promoting participation in sport and recreation, particularly
for youth.
New project: City safety and Courtenay Place
We have committed to a five-year vision for Courtenay Place and surrounding
streets, which will improve safety and address alcohol-related issues while
helping the precinct to continue as the city’s premier entertainment district.
The vision includes: a wider range of venues and more outdoor café seating; and
a streetscape which accommodates late-night crowds while also providing
for daytime and evening activities such as dining, movies, street theatre,
live music and markets; and steps to address safety issues and reduce alcohol-
related harm.
Specific plans include:
• A 24/7 central city liquor ban
• more Walkwise officers at key times
• installation of three new closed circuit TV cameras in Courtenay Place
and two in other parts of the central city
• upgraded street lighting
• a late-night taxi stand and queuing system
• summer concerts in Courtenay Place Park
• redevelopment, over the next few years, of the Courtenay Place streetscape
• implementation of bus priority measures.
New proposal: Nairnville Park artificial surface
Nairnville Park is a recreation ‘hub’ for northern Wellington with three sports
fields, a recreation centre, playground, skateboard ramp and netball court. High
levels of use have harmed the turf on the sports fields: in the past two seasons,
fields have had to close a number of times to allow turf to recover.
In 2008/09, we will install artificial turf on the park’s upper sports field.
Installing artificial turf will:
• allow use to increase significantly
• allow for use in all weathers
• provide a better quality playing surface
• be cost effective – despite the installation costs, artificial turf costs less
per hour of use than natural turf
• help protect other Nairnville fields from over-use
• enable the recreation centre to provide new programmes.
New project: Basin Reserve practice wicket
The Basin Reserve is one of the country’s premier test cricket grounds.
We have agreed to consider providing funding support in 2009/10 to help the
Basin Reserve Trust build 11 practice wickets at the south-western corner of
the ground, behind the Sir Ron Brierley Pavilion. While off-site practice wickets
are not currently required at test cricket grounds, it is likely they will be required
in future.
Building these practice wickets will allow players to practice while a match is
in progress, and enhance the main field (where outdoor practice wickets are
currently located).
New project: Pasifika Arts Festival
We held the inaugural Absolutely Positively Pasifika Festival in February 2008.
The festival acknowledges the important contribution Wellington’s Pacific people
make to the city’s vibrant community life and the success of the festival has
prompted calls for it to be held annually. We have committed funding to make
the Absolutely Positively Pasifika Festival to be an annual event.
New project: a new floor for Thistle Hall
The first floor of Thistle Hall on Cuba Street needs to be replaced to bring it up to
appropriate safety standards. The hall has high levels of public use for dance, tai
chi and other activities. Along with a new floor, we will carry out other changes
to comply with the Building Act, including installation of a lift and toilets.
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2008/09
Capital Values
$
2008/09
Rates
$
200,000
831
300,000
1,134
400,000
1,437
500,000
1,740
600,000
2,043
700,000
2,346
800,000
2,649
900,000
2,952
RAteS, cHARgeS AnD SPenDing
Urban Development 7%
Transport 15%
Economic Development 7%
Environment 37%
Cultural Wellbeing 4%
Social and Recreation 26%
Governance 4%
OPERATIONAL SPENDING
4% 7%
15%
7%
37%
4%
26%
OPERATIONAL SPENDING
We’re forecasting total operational spending of $329
million during 2008/09.
Operational spending provides for all of our day-to-day operations and
services – things like waste disposal, water supply, operating the transport
network, issuing building and resource consents, maintaining parks and
gardens and so on.
Of our operational spending, 37% relates to the Environment strategy area.
This includes spending on water supply, wastewater and stormwater, and parks
and reserves. Other significant areas of operational spending include transport,
and social/recreation services.
RATES
The average real rates will increase by 5.18%, after
allowing for growth in the ratepayer base in 2008/09.
The Council funds operational spending from a combination of general rates,
targeted rates, user charges, grants/subsidies, and other income
(such as dividends).
The Council sets targeted rates to fund costs associated with the Council’s water,
sewerage and stormwater systems. Separate targeted rates are set for Marsden
Village, Downtown, and Tawa driveways.
There are two categories of general rates: the base general rate, and the
commercial sector general rate. The Council has a rates differential in place
that decides the share of general rates paid by residents and businesses.
We are gradually reducing this differential over time. In 2007/08, the commercial
sector general rate was 4.2 times higher than the base rate for a property of
the same value. We are reducing this differential so that the commercial sector
will contribute 3.8 times more general rate than the residential ratepayer for
a property of the same value in 2008/09. By 2011/12, we aim to reduce this
differential to 2.8:1.
When we decide whether to fund a service from rates
or other sources, we consider a wide range of factors
including who benefits.
Decisions about how to fund a service are guided by our Revenue and Financing
Policy. Under the policy, for each activity we consider the following criteria:
• who benefits – individuals, an identifiable part of the community, or the
whole community
• whether the people or groups who benefit could be excluded from the service
if they don’t pay, and whether excluding them would be fair and equitable
• whether the benefits will extend to future generations as well as current ones
• the ‘polluter pays’ principle – that people and groups should pay for harm
they directly cause
• overall impact on social, economic, cultural and environmental well-being.
We then agree the proportion of funding that each sector will contribute to
pay for each activity. For instance, tourism promotion is funded through the
downtown levy (the retailers, restaurants, bars, hotels and other businesses
located in the downtown area who benefit from visitors’ spending), while
our city safety programme, which benefits everyone, is funded through the
general rate.
The rates increase for 2008/09 is lower than we had
previously forecast.
In our amended 2006-2016 long term plan, we had forecast a rates increase of
7.1% for 2008/09. The lower-than-previously-forecast figure reflects our efforts
to manage the city’s finances efficiently and prudently, together with growth in
the ratepayer base of the city. While we have committed to some new projects,
we’ve also sought operational efficiencies and rescheduled some of our work
programme to keep the rates increase below previously forecast levels.
The actual rates changes affect each household
or property differently, depending on changes in
capital value.
The rateable capital value for the average residential property has increased
by 13% to $532,000 over the past year. The rates on this property for 2008/09
will be about $1,836. Rates for your property will be higher or lower than this
depending on the value of your property. It is important to note that an increase
in the capital value of properties in the city does not mean that the Council
automatically collects more rates. We set the overall level of rates to cover the
operating expenditure of the Council less any external income (from sources
other than rates) we receive. We then use, in most cases, the capital value of all
properties to allocate the rates requirement.
The final rates increase for an individual property will depend on:
• the overall increase in the Council’s rateable budget
• any changes in the rates differential or uniform rates applying to that property
• the growth in the number of rateable properties in the city (e.g. due to
construction of new houses, apartments and business premises)
• the change in a particular property’s capital value compared to the average
change in capital value for other properties.
Indicative residential property rates (without a water meter)
Water rates
This year we are increasing the per cubic metre charge for ratepayers who have a
water meter installed.
The last increase in the metered water charge was in 2004/05. This year we are
increasing the charge for those ratepayers with a water meter installed from $1.37
per cubic metre to $1.58 per cubic metre to ensure that those with a water meter
continue to pay their fair share of the costs of the water activity.
REVENUE AND FINANCING POLICY
We have committed to make the following changes to our Revenue and
Financing Policy:
• Building Control and Facilitation (i.e. building consents) – we are
increasing the proportion of this activity to be funded through user
charges from 60% to 65%
• Arts and Cultural Festivals – we are decreasing the proportion of this activity
funded from non-rates revenue from 25% to 20%.
These changes will be formalised into the Revenue and Financing Policy when
the long-term plan is revised next year.
USER CHARGES
We’re also changing fees and charges for some
of our services.
We are raising fees in a number of areas this year. The majority of these increases
are minor and reflect cost pressures. Increasing fees by a little each year ensures
that ratepayers are not over-subsidising services the Council provides, and
helps to avoid larger increases in future. Where fees will increase from
1 July include:
• Development control and facilitation (resource consent fees etc.)
• Sandwich boards
• Landfill charges (recycling levy)
• Sports fields
• Burials and cremations.
In response to submissions on our draft annual plan, we have decided not to
increase marina fees during 2008/09.
A full list of changes to fees and charges is included in the appendices
Decisions about user charges and ratepayer funding of each service are made in
accordance with our Revenue and Financing Policy, and depend on a range of
factors including who benefits from the service (see above).
Trade waste charges
This year we are introducing a trade waste charging regime, under which
businesses that discharge trade waste into the sewer will pay charges that better
reflect the cost of transporting, treating and disposing of this waste. This change
will provide an incentive for these businesses to reduce the levels of trade waste
they produce.
The Council will not collect any more money overall from the introduction
of these charges. Instead, commercial ratepayers will pay a little less in
sewerage rates.
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In each chapter you’ll find information about the work we do, the reasons for
doing that work and/or our goals in relation to it, any new projects for 2008/09,
capital and operational costs, and our performance targets (i.e. our targets for
quantity, quality and breadth of service).
Our levels of service for 2008/09 will be broadly in line with 2007/08. Any
changes from 2007/08 levels are explained in the following pages (see the
sections on our new initiatives and variances).
We’ve done our best to provide information that is meaningful and relevant,
and to present this information as clearly as possible, so that you – Wellington’s
residents – can be informed about our programme.
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ouR ActiVitieS in DetAil
Our work is divided into seven strategic areas:
Urban development
Urban planning and policy, building control and facilitation,
development control and facilitation, earthquake risk mitigation,
and public spaces development.
Transport
Transport planning and policy, transport networks, and parking.
Economic development
City promotions, events and attractions, and business support.
Environment
Gardens and beaches, green open spaces, water, wastewater, waste
reduction and energy conservation, environmental conservation
attractions, and the quarry.
Cultural well-being
Heritage, galleries and museums, community arts and cultural support,
and arts partnerships.
Social and recreation
Housing, recreation facilities and programmes, libraries, public health
and safety, and community support.
Governance
Engagement with Maori, and information, consultation and decision-making.
over the next few pages, you’ll find
information about our plans for 2008/09.
CAPITAL SPENDING
We’re continuing to invest in the city’s infrastructure.
Capital spending pays for property, plant and equipment. This includes buying,
building, developing and upgrading assets such as buildings, roads, bridges,
water and stormwater pipes, and so on.
We fund capital expenditure from depreciation, borrowings, reserves and
bequests, NZ Transport Agency and other subsidies, and development
contributions. For asset renewals, the main funding source is depreciation.
For new assets, the main funding source is borrowings.
We aim to manage our borrowing within the following targets:
• total Council borrowing is less than 10% of equity and less than
150% of income
• net interest is less than 15% of income and less than 20% of rates income
• liquidity is greater than 110%.
We’re forecasting capital spending (excluding carried forward expenditure and
loans to other organisations) of $118 million for 2008/09. That’s an increase of
$19 million from 2007/08, but compares favourably with our previous forecast for
2008/09 of $145 million. This change reflects the reprioritisation of some capital
works we’d budgeted for in our 2006-16 long-term plan.
VARIANCES FROM LONG TERM PLAN
Each year we review the underlying assumptions and costs that make up
each activity. For each activity we consider the impact of a number of factors,
including:
• changes in direct costs
• updated forecasting assumptions (including changes to the forecast
timing of projects)
• the allocation of indirect and organisational costs/efficiencies
• the appropriateness of inflation and CPI adjustments
• changes affecting our opening position (eg updated borrowings forecasts).
This means that the proposed costs for each activity may differ from those
we had originally forecast for 2008/09 in our 2006-16 long term plan.
Changes to service levels are explained in the Our Activities in Detail section
of this document.
CAPITAL SPENDING
Urban Development 9%
Transport 24%
Economic Development 2%
Environment 25%
Cultural Wellbeing 3%
Social and Recreation 28%
Council 9%
3%
25%
2%
24%
9%
9%
28%
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uRBAn DeVeloPMent
We plan ahead so that Wellington
can develop without compromising
what makes the city special.
The appeal of a city, and the quality of life that it
provides, are directly related to its urban form and
design. A well planned city is attractive and should
be easy to get around. It has a distinctive character
and ‘feel’.
Wellington’s urban environment is shaped by its
landscape – the harbour, hills and rugged coast.
It’s compact, has a vibrant heart in the city centre/
waterfront area and has good access to transport.
But it will only hold on to these positive traits if
future development is carefully managed.
To preserve these things as the city grows takes
planning. Growth needs to occur in ways that
make efficient use of land and transport, and
don’t compromise the qualities that make
Wellington special.
In our urban planning work, we’re aiming for a city
that’s compact, liveable, sustainable, prosperous,
and retains a strong ‘sense of place’.
A key part of our planning work is
to focus growth in areas that cause
least harm and bring most benefit.
We develop policies and plans to encourage
high-quality urban development. This includes
plans for the ‘growth spine’ from the north through
the city to Newtown and Kilbirnie. We’re aiming to
cluster development around the key town/suburban
centres along this ‘spine’, in order to ensure the
city’s land is used wisely and its transport systems
are as efficient as possible. This vision will help
make the city more sustainable, as well as helping
us to preserve the character of other parts of the city.
Our urban planning work also includes:
• developing plans for areas of the city where most
growth is expected to occur in future
• a rolling review of the District Plan, which sets
out rules on land use, subdivision and building
in the city
• improving the way infill development is managed
(including using focus groups to gauge resident
perceptions of infill housing).
In 2008/09 we’ll continue to
explore options for growth and
change in key areas.
We’ll create an Urban Development Framework
for the Adelaide Road area between the Basin
Reserve and John Street. This will build on a
series of planning sessions that we’ll hold
with local businesses and residents, and will
guide development of the area over the next 10-20
years. As a predominately flat area close to the
CBD and arterial roads, the area has many of the
key ingredients to establish an urban village.
We’ll also continue our work on the Johnsonville
town centre plan and on the establishment of
a new neighbourhood centre for Churton Park.
For more information on these, visit our website
www.Wellington.govt.nz and click on ‘projects’.
uRBAn PlAnning AnD Policy
Our targets for 2008/09 are:
• 89% (a 2% increase from our 2007/08
target) of residents surveyed agree the city is
developing in a way that takes in to account
its unique urban character and natural
environment
• 95% (unchanged) of the District Plan team’s
scheduled work programme is completed
on time
• no items listed in the District Plan are
demolished or removed
• develop a concept plan and implementation
framework for Adelaide Road, the third of the
three centres along the growth spine.
What it will cost
OPeRATIONAL SPeNDING
CAPITAL SPeNDING
Activity
User charges and
other revenue
$000
Net expenditure / rates
funding requirement
$000
expenditure
2008/09
$000
expenditure
2008/09
$000
1.1.1 Urban planning and
policy development
(12)
2,128
2,140
–
1.2.1 Smart growth
–
399
399
108
Total for 2008/09
(12)
2,527
2,539
108
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Buildings should be safe and
sustainable, and enhance the
city’s character.
All cities control building work according to
the provisions of the Building Act and codes.
These controls are necessary to protect public
health and safety, and to protect future users of
land and buildings. They’re also needed to protect
urban character, for example by providing height
restrictions for building in suburban areas, and
to preserve the city’s heritage.
Overall, we want the city to become more
sustainable, safe, and prosperous, and to retain
its compactness and unique ‘sense of place’.
Our building control work ensures
these objectives are met.
We assess building consent applications to ensure
proposed work will comply with the Building Code,
issue building consents, and monitor compliance.
In 2008/09 we’re introducing
incentives for sustainable
building practices.
We are committed to dealing with climate
change and are providing incentives
to encourage greater use of energy-efficient design
and renewable energy technology in residential
dwellings – things like solar water heating,
roof-mounted micro wind turbines and water
heat pump systems. Sustainable building solutions
will help reduce the city’s carbon emissions.
We’re introducing grants to offset the cost of
building consent fees for homeowners who install
sustainable building features in new or existing
homes. A total grants pool of $30,000 has been set
aside for each of the next three years – this equates
to between 60-100 households each year.
We’ve also established a free eco design advisor
service for designers, builders and homeowners
planning to build or renovate and seeking
information about ways to improve energy
efficiency and make homes more sustainable.
BuilDing contRol AnD FAcilitAtion
Our targets for 2008/09 are:
• 100% (unchanged from our 2007/08 target) of
building consents are issued within statutory
timeframes (20 working days)
• 100% (unchanged) of code compliance
certificates are issued within statutory
timeframes (20 working days after we are
advised by the owner that work is complete).
What it will cost
OPeRATIONAL SPeNDING
CAPITAL SPeNDING
Activity
User charges and
other revenue
$000
Net expenditure / rates
funding requirement
$000
expenditure
2008/09
$000
expenditure
2008/09
$000
1.4.2 Building control
and facilitation
(7,332)
4,219
11,551
–
Total for 2008/09
(7,332)
4,219
11,551
–
Land development and
subdivisions should be sustainable
and in keeping with the city’s
character.
All cities control development work according to
the provisions of the Resource Management Act and
District Plan. These controls are necessary to ensure
resources are used sustainably, to protect public
health and safety, and to protect future users of land
and buildings. They’re also needed to protect urban
character and to preserve the city’s heritage, for
example the workers’ cottages and grand villas from
the early 1900s in suburbs like Mount Cook
and Thorndon.
Overall, we want the city to become more
sustainable, safe, and prosperous, and to retain its
compactness and unique ‘sense of place’.
We have controls in place to ensure
these objectives are met.
We assess resource consent applications against the
District Plan, issue resource consents, and monitor
compliance, to ensure land and other resources are
managed sustainably – each year, we consider more
than 1,200 resource consent applications.
In the coming year, we’re putting
more resources into our district
planning and resource consent
conditions.
We’re responsible for making sure that
developments in the city comply with resource
conditions. These can include height restrictions and
reducing noise or other nuisances that arise from
development and construction work and can impact
on neighbours.
The number of resource consents that need to be
monitored has increased and consent conditions
have also become more complex in line with
enhanced District Plan rules.
In 2008/09, we’re increasing staff numbers in
our planning team, so that we can better inform
residents about resource consent applicants on
neighbouring properties, and so that we can
improve monitoring of property owners’ compliance
with resource consent conditions.
We are also budgeting for increased legal costs
associated with changes to District Plan requirements
and to appeals against resource consent decisions.
DeVeloPMent contRol & FAcilitAtion
Our targets for 2008/09 are:
• 100% (unchanged from our 2007/08 target)
of non-notified resource consents are issued
within statutory timeframes (20 working days)
• 100% (unchanged) of applications for
certification of subdivision plans are processed
within statutory timeframes (10 working days).
What it will cost
OPeRATIONAL SPeNDING
CAPITAL SPeNDING
Activity
User charges and
other revenue
$000
Net expenditure / rates
funding requirement
$000
expenditure
2008/09
$000
expenditure
2008/09
$000
1.3.1 Development
control and facilitation
(2,562)
2,733
5,295
–
Total for 2008/09
(2,562)
2,733
5,295
–
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Older buildings add to the
city’s character.
Preserving them makes a difference to the city’s
appearance and to our sense of identity as
Wellingtonians. But looking after them is also
important for public safety. Wellington has four
major, active earthquake faults, and a number of
second-order faults. Older buildings, if not properly
looked after, can be earthquake risks.
We work with owners to ensure
older buildings are strengthened.
In line with our Earthquake-prone Buildings
Policy, this work includes identifying and assessing
earthquake-prone buildings, and can include
offering financial and property management
assistance, and/or requiring the owner to carry out
strengthening work.
We are also supporting a five-year research study on
the likely timing and impact of a major earthquake
on the city. We will use its findings to guide our
decisions about urban design.
We also work with property owners and others to
aid restoration of heritage buildings and assets (see
the next section: public spaces development).
We’re increasing resources for
assessing earthquake-prone
buildings.
We began the process of identifying and assessing
the city’s earthquake-prone buildings in 2006/07.
At that stage, we expected to be able to assess
1,200 buildings a year. This work, which requires
structural engineers, has turned out to be more
complex and time-consuming than we had
expected, and only about 500 assessments a
year have been completed.
We’re increasing our funding for this project in
2008/09 by $130,000 and extending the life of the
project through to 2013/14 at a total cost of $465,000
per year from 2009/10, so that all buildings
identified as needing assessment for earthquake risk
will be assessed.
eARtHquAKe RiSK MitigAtion
• 500 initial assessments and 200
reassessments of earthquake-prone
buildings are completed.
We will also monitor the number of resource
consents for addition to/alteration of heritage
buildings (listed in the District Plan).
What it will cost
OPeRATIONAL SPeNDING
CAPITAL SPeNDING
Activity
User charges and
other revenue
$000
Net expenditure / rates
funding requirement
$000
expenditure
2008/09
$000
expenditure
2008/09
$000
1.4.1 earthquake risk
mitigation
–
584
584
–
Total for 2008/09
–
584
584
–
We want Wellington to have
vibrant, liveable, high quality
public spaces.
Attractive, well-designed parks and public spaces
in the city and suburbs are crucial to people’s
enjoyment of the city. They encourage people to get
together, support shops and cafes, and make the
city more attractive for Wellingtonians and visitors
alike. They also provide important connections
between businesses, making the city a more
stimulating place to work.
The waterfront is a prime example of how well
designed public spaces can transform an area.
The waterfront is now the city’s heart – it’s a festival
venue, a place where people gather to relax, an
area of colour and charm. Sensitive development
of this area enhances people’s enjoyment of the
city and contributes to our sense of what makes
Wellington unique.
Heritage buildings – along with other heritage
assets such as monuments, historic trees
and archaeological sites – also add to the
city’s character.
Our overall aim is to make the city more liveable, to
retain this character, and enhance an even stronger
‘sense of place’ through continual improvement of
public areas.
To achieve this, we fund new parks
and street upgrades, and support
enhancement of the waterfront.
• We oversee development of the waterfront
and fund the waterfront enhancement
project (the implementation is managed by
a Council-controlled organisation, Wellington
Waterfront Ltd).
• We fund work to develop the street environments
and other public areas in the city and suburbs,
with the aim of making these areas safe, lively
and attractive.
• We provide grants to developers and others to
ensure that the restoration of heritage buildings
and assets contribute to the city’s character.
In 2008/09, we’ll upgrade Cobblestone Park
on Vivian St. This was agreed as part of our
long-term plan and will complement the new
pocket-park currently being constructed on the
north western end of Courtenay Place. We’ll also
continue to work alongside the Government on
the creation of Memorial Park adjacent to the
National War Memorial.
PuBlic SPAceS DeVeloPMent
Our targets for 2008/09 are:
• 93% (1% increase from our 2007/08 target)
of residents surveyed agree that the central
city is lively and attractive
• 65% (unchanged) of residents surveyed
agree that their local suburban centre is
lively and attractive.
• 100% (unchanged) of scheduled public
space and centre development projects are
completed on time.
Performance targets for Positively Wellington
Waterfront are shown in the council-controlled
organisations section of this annual plan – see
the appendix.
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We’re adding a final piece
to the enhancement of the
Cog Park area …
The Cog wheel was the main driving wheel at the
now closed Evans Bay patent slip. The slip – which
operated from 1871 to 1972 – was the main ship
maintenance facility in Wellington. The Cog wheel
represents an important part of Wellington’s
heritage and is an integral component of what is
thought to be the oldest remaining example of a
steam-powered engine in New Zealand.
In 2008/09, we’ll be returning the Cog wheel,
providing a context for its placement and
upgrading the surrounds to better reflect the
history of the patent slip area. This will include
the addition of interpretation panels telling stories
about the area. The budget for this work is $122,000
in capital spending.
… and waiving some resource
consent fees for heritage buildings.
Waiving resource consent fees for heritage buildings
acknowledges that these buildings add to the
city’s character and that there are extra conditions
imposed on the owner because of the heritage
nature of their building. The budget for this
initiative is $50,000 per year.
What it will cost
OPeRATIONAL SPeNDING
CAPITAL SPeNDING
Activity
User charges and
other revenue
$000
Net expenditure / rates
funding requirement
$000
expenditure
2008/09
$000
expenditure
2008/09
$000
1.5.1 Waterfront
development
–
2,620
2,620
5,971
1.5.2 Public space and
centre developments
–
1,271
1,271
2,399
1.5.3 Heritage
development
–
656
656
–
Total for 2008/09
–
4,547
4,547
8,370
tRAnSPoRt
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A well-planned, efficient
transport system is critical for
economic growth, and for
residents’ quality of life.
The transport system influences where people
choose to live, how easily they can get to and from
work and shops, and how easily they can enjoy
what the city has to offer.
Transport is also vital for business as a well-
planned transport system is a significant
competitive advantage. It also encourages energy
efficient forms of transport that have significant
environmental benefits.
Our goal is to manage the
transport network so it is
efficient and sustainable.
Wellington’s transport system is performing
reasonably well. Most residents believe the city
is easy to get around. By national standards, we
are high users of public transport and of other
alternatives to private cars such as walking.
Our safety record in recent years is among the
best of any New Zealand city.
However, the city also faces significant transport
challenges.
Demands on the transport system are increasing
as the city grows and behaviours change. As a
result, the transport network is at or near capacity
at peak times. Cars, buses and cyclists – as well as
parking – are all competing for space on narrow,
hilly streets. In most urban areas, building new
roads isn’t a viable or desirable option, so other
ways need to be found to reduce demand on the
roading system.
There are also environmental reasons for
reducing demand on the transport network.
Vehicles contribute to noise, and water and air
pollution. Carbon emissions from vehicles impact
on climate change.
Another challenge is to improve access to our port
and airport to ensure freight and visitors can move
freely across the city.
tRAnSPoRt PlAnning AnD Policy
We measure performance in our transport
planning work using performance measures
from other transport activities. In relation to
advocacy with central government and other
agencies, we will outline our progress in the
annual report. Over time, we will look to
develop measures and targets for our travel
demand management planning.
We plan ahead to ensure the
transport network meets the city’s
future needs.
We:
• carry out planning projects aimed at ensuring the
city’s transport network develops in ways that
respond to the challenges outlined above
• work with the Greater Wellington Regional
Council (Greater Wellington), central government
and other agencies to ensure that Wellington’s
transport needs are taken into account in regional
and national transport decisions
• are developing a plan for reducing demand on
our transport networks – this will involve reducing
our own reliance on cars for Council business,
promoting walking and cycling, using traffic
signal enhancements to manage peak-time
congestion, considering whether ‘price’ can be
used to discourage road use, promoting better
urban development, and adding to our bus
priority programme.
In 2008/09 we’ll consult on a 10-year transport
plan for the city, based on public feedback from
the Ngauranga Gorge to Wellington Airport
transport study.
We’ll be carrying out research
to better understand Wellington
commuters’ current transport
choices.
We are planning a household travel survey that will
identify existing behaviours and preferences within
Wellington communities towards changing the way
they travel. It will help identify where in the city
the greatest gains can be made in terms of
promoting travel by bus, walking and cycling, and
where there simply is no scope for further travel
behaviour change.
This research will be used to inform decisions
leading into next year’s long-term plan on how
to best leverage the Council’s investment and
resources relating to travel demand management
and road space allocation. Specifically, it will guide
how we target the implementation of our cycling
and walking plans that will be introduced in the
coming year.
We’re budgeting $75,000 for this research in
2008/09. We expect this amount to be matched by
Land Transport New Zealand.
OPeRATIONAL SPeNDING
CAPITAL SPeNDING
Activity
User charges and
other revenue
$000
Net expenditure / rates
funding requirement
$000
expenditure
2008/09
$000
expenditure
2008/09
$000
2.1.2 Transport planning
(30)
301
331
–
2.3.1 Travel Demand
Management Planning
(80)
253
333
–
Total for 2008/09
(110)
554
664
–
What it will cost
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The city’s transport system should
be safe and efficient.
An efficient vehicle network that allows people and
goods to move easily from one part of the city to
another is important for the city’s economy and for
residents’ quality of life.
It is also important for the environment. While
Wellington’s transport system is generally working
well, we face challenges such as: managing
the transport network to ease congestion; and
minimising harm by making the shift from private
cars to public transport, walking, cycling and other
forms of transport.
We manage the city’s transport
network to achieve these goals.
We:
• maintain the city’s extensive network of roads,
streets, bridges, tunnels, footpaths, roadside
walls, and cycleways
• manage the transport network, using traffic lights
and a closed circuit camera system to minimise
congestion at peak times
• promote traffic safety by working with
communities to design and implement safety
projects ranging from education and enforcement
to installing new features such as new traffic
lights, pedestrian crossings, roundabouts,
guardrails and traffic calming features.
This year, we’ll be starting work to
improve access to Hataitai Park.
The Hataitai Park recreational hub can have a
significant impact on traffic flow through Ruahine
Street – one of the city’s major arterial routes to the
southern and eastern suburbs. We’re planning a
range of improvements that will improve traffic flow
and movements in and out of the park. These will
be carried out progressively and include:
• 2008/09: installation of traffic signals at the
Hataitai Park-Ruahine St intersection to better
manage traffic movements
• 2009/10: improvements to the ‘drop off’ and
‘pick-up’ area within Hataitai Park and widening
of the ‘one way’ internal road to ‘two way’
• 2011/12: construction of additional parking
and an internal access route to the Wellington
Badminton Hall.
We’re budgeting $350,000 capital spending in
2008/09, followed by a further $1.5 million over the
following four years.
We’ll also make improvements
to Waterloo Quay so cruise
ship passengers can be
welcomed properly.
An increasing number of cruise ships are entering
our harbour, 77 arrivals are expected in next year’s
season. Currently, cruise ship passengers have
to disembark at a working port. The planned
improvements will make their arrival more
welcoming and safer and easier for them to walk
into the city.
The improvements include installation of a portal,
or gateway, on the wharf, and improvements to
the walkway along Waterloo Quay to Bunny Street.
A new asphalt footpath will be laid and three
shelters will be built along the walkway where
visitors and passengers can rest. The area around
the shelters will be enhanced with plants and
there will be interpretation panels and maps on
the wharf and at each of the shelters.
We’re budgeting $50,000 for this work, which
is scheduled to be completed by October 2008.
These works are the beginning of a $1.5 million
improvement to Waterloo Quay over the next
three years.
tRAnSPoRt netWoRKS
Our targets for 2008/09 are:
Vehicle network
• at least 66% (unchanged from our 2007/08
target) of road travel within the city’s
boundary occurs on “smooth” roads
(smoothness is measured in NAASRA)
• 80% (unchanged) of residents agree that
Council roads are maintained to a good or
very good standard.
Cycle network
• 75% (unchanged from our 2007/08 target)
of cycleway users are satisfied with the
maintenance of cycleways
• 75% (unchanged) of cycleway users are
satisfied with the safety of cycleways
• 7% (unchanged) of residents who come into
central Wellington (on weekdays) use a cycle.
Passenger transport network
• 40% (a 2% increase from our 2007/08 target)
of city-bound bus-stops have an effective
bus-shelter
• 33% (1% increase from 2007/08) of residents
who come into central Wellington (on
weekdays) use a bus
• 85% (unchanged) of residents surveyed
are satisfied with the reliability of public
transport
• 85% (unchanged) of residents surveyed
are satisfied with the frequency of
public transport.
Pedestrian network
• 95% (unchanged from our 2007/08 target)
of street pavements are within acceptable
defect limits
• 92% (unchanged) of Council roads have a
formed footpath on at least one side
• 15% (1% increase) of residents who come into
central Wellington (on weekdays) walk
• to monitor the number of primary school
children who walk to school.
Ports access
• to continue road improvements along
Waterloo Quay between Bunny and
Hinemoa Streets, including an intersection
at King’s Wharf.
MeASuRing ouR PeRFoRMAnce
Network-wide control and management
• 95% (unchanged from our 2007/08 target)
of WCC traffic signs have a condition rating
of 3 or better (measured on a 5-point scale
where 5 is high)
• 85% (unchanged) of residents surveyed
are satisfied with the way that traffic
signals allow them to move around the
city (pedestrians and vehicles)
• no entire intersection signal failures will
last for more than 24 hours.
Transport safety
• all reported road hazards will be made safe within
four hours (unchanged from our 2007/08 target)
• 80% (unchanged) of residents surveyed are satisfied
with street lighting in the central city area and 75%
(unchanged) are satisfied with street lighting in
suburban areas
• 85% (unchanged) of residents surveyed are satisfied
with the safety of the transport network environment
(based on issues such as footpath/road conditions,
lighting, guardrails, behaviour of others etc).
VARIANCES
For the 2008/09 year, we are planning the following
variances from our 2006-16 long-term plan:
• Pedestrian network footpath renewals – reduce
capital programme by $477,000. This primarily
reflects a change in contract and does not impact
on levels of service
• Footpath extensions – defer $130,000 until 2009/10
(priority upgrades will not be affected by this deferral)
• Road corridor new walls – reduce capital spending
by $500,000 (this project pays for new retaining walls
when there are slips on previously unrestrained
banks or slopes. The remaining $1.2 million per year is
considered adequate to fund identified priorities)
• Vehicle network new roads – defer capital spending
of $2,350,000 until 2009/10 (this relates to the
construction of Westchester Drive, which is expected to
experience delays due to continuing negotiations and
resource consents)
• Bus priority plan - defer capital spending of
$1,680,000 until 2009/10 (bus priority measures are
confirmed for Dixon and Victoria Streets for 2008/09,
the remaining programme will now occur in 2009/10).
What it will cost
OPeRATIONAL SPeNDING
CAPITAL SPeNDING
Activity
User charges and
other revenue $000
Net expenditure / rates
funding requirement
$000
expenditure
2008/09
$000
expenditure
2008/09
$000
2.2.2 Ports access
–
–
–
728
2.4.1 Vehicle network
(1,690)
21,143
22,833
18,137
2.4.2 Cycle network
(6)
54
60
75
2.4.3 Passenger transport
network
(548)
391
939
251
2.4.4 Pedestrian network
(45)
4,436
4,481
4,437
2.4.5 Network-wide
control and management
(950)
3,058
4,008
1,960
2.5.1 Road safety
(1,233)
3,465
4,698
2,608
Total for 2008/09
(4,472)
32,547
37,019
28,196
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We provide CBD car parks so that
people can conveniently access the
central city.
Central city car parking is important for shoppers,
tourists, people working in Wellington, and people
coming in to the city for recreational activities.
Provision of car parking helps make Wellington
a liveable, prosperous city.
We provide more than 3,000 on-street parking
spaces in the central city. To ensure as many people
as possible can access parking spaces and that the
roading network is free of obstructions, we enforce
parking times and impose charges using meters and
pay-and-display machines.
In addition, we provide off-street parking at Clifton
Terrace, the Michael Fowler Centre, and beneath
Civic Square. On the fringes of the central city, we
operate coupon parking zones and resident parking
areas to balance the needs of residents, visitors,
shoppers and commuters.
PARKing
Our targets for 2008/09 are:
• average weekday turnover in Wellington
City Council central city on-street car parks
of 7.5 cars per day, and weekend turnover
of 4.7 cars per day (these targets are
unchanged from 2007/08)
• 90% (unchanged) compliance with
WCC on-street car park time restrictions
and 85% (unchanged) compliance with
payment requirements.
OPeRATIONAL SPeNDING
CAPITAL SPeNDING
Activity
User charges and
other revenue
$000
Net
Surplus
$000
expenditure
2008/09
$000
expenditure
2008/09
$000
2.1.1 Car parking
(24,136)
(14,039)
10,097
993
Total for 2008/09
(24,136)
(14,039)
10,097
993
What it will cost
Note: The surplus reflects the impact of funding received for capital purposes.
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Events and visitor attractions add
to our sense of shared identity,
make the city vibrant, and bring
economic benefits.
Through our involvement in city promotions, events
and attractions, we aim to position Wellington as
an internationally competitive city, attractive to
residents and visitors alike.
In this work, we aim to help the city maintain its
edge as a prime tourist and conference destination,
maximise economic value from promoting
and hosting high-profile events, support the
development of a thriving retail sector, and build on
the city’s strengths – such as its compactness and
its strong sense of identity – to enhance prosperity
and contribute to higher quality of life for all
Wellingtonians.
We support a wide range of events,
attractions, and city promotions.
We:
• provide funding for Positively Wellington Tourism,
the city’s official tourism marketing organisation,
so it can run its highly successful domestic and
international visitor attraction campaigns support
Te Papa – with more than one million visitors each
year, it is one of the city’s major attractions
• provide funding support for the Carter Observatory,
which is being redeveloped into a leading science-
based visitor attraction
• operate an events development fund, which
contributes to the city’s buzz by supporting a
huge range of events – including the World of
WearableArt Awards, Rugby Sevens, Chinese
New Year festivities and more
• manage the Wellington Convention Centre, which
provides venues for arts/entertainment and sports
community events, and attracts out-of-town
visitors to conventions
• help keep the city centre lively over the weekend
by providing free parking
• carry out work to maintain and enhance
Marsden Village in Karori
• promote the city as Creative Wellington –
Innovation Capital.
In 2008/09, we’ll complete the first stage of the
upgrade of the Cable Car precinct – a significant
visitor destination at the top of Wellington Botanical
Gardens and continue with the revitalisation of the
Carter Observatory. We’ll also develop our plans to
promote the city as part of the 2011 Rugby
World Cup.
city PRoMotionS, eVentS
AnD AttRActionS
Our targets for 2008/09 are:
• major events supported by the events
development fund will have an estimated
economic impact of at least $20 million –
a 20:1 return on our investment, and at least
90% of residents surveyed will be satisfied
with Council-supported events (these targets
are unchanged from 2007/08)
• Te Papa will attract at least 1.1 million visitors
(with 35% of adult visitors coming from
outside New Zealand and 35% of adult
domestic visitors coming from outside the
Wellington region)
• the Wellington Convention Centre will hold
more than 855 events (including more than
105 concerts); achieve occupancy rates of 66%
(a 1% increase on our 2007/08 target) for the
Town Hall, 72% (unchanged) for the Michael
Fowler Centre, and 61% (1% increase) for the
Queens Wharf events Centre; and maintain
its 4-star Qualmark rating and its ISO9001
accreditation (unchanged)
• at least 62% (a 2% increase from our 2007/08
target) of residents surveyed say they’re more
likely to come in to the city at weekends,
for other reasons than work because WCC
on-street parking is free, and the turnover
rate for WCC city car parks will be 4.7 cars per
day at weekends (unchanged) and 7.5 per
day on weekdays (unchanged).
From 2008/09, we’re increasing our
funding for Positively Wellington
Tourism.
In the last few years, people have become less likely
to select tourism products and services through
books and magazine articles and purchase those
products through travel agents. Instead, they have
embraced research and purchasing of tourism
products and services online.
Positively Wellington Tourism is proposing to create
a fully interactive online experience where users can
research, plan and book their visits to Wellington
and interact with previous visitors via blogs and
forums. We’re budgeting $519,000 in 2008/09 and
more in future years for this project.
Wellington has a tight labour market and retaining
skilled and experienced staff is a priority for
Positively Wellington Tourism. We’re proposing
to increase Positively Wellington Tourism’s salary
funding by $81,000 per year and trustee fees by
$24,000 per year.
Funding for Positively Wellington Tourism comes
from the downtown levy, which is paid by central
city businesses – not from general rates.
We will also measure the total number of
events we support. We do not have a target
for total number of events. Instead, we aim
to support as many worthwhile events as
possible that meet our funding criteria,
subject to budget limits.
Performance targets for Positively Wellington
Tourism are shown in the council-controlled
organisations section of this annual plan –
see the appendix.
What it will cost
OPeRATIONAL SPeNDING
CAPITAL SPeNDING
Activity
User charges and
other revenue
$000
Net expenditure / rates
funding requirement
$000
expenditure
2008/09
$000
expenditure
2008/09
$000
3.1.1 Tourism promotion
–
4,740
4,740
–
3.1.2 Visitor attractions
–
2,300
2,300
1,300
3.1.3 Convention venues
(5,201)
4,559
9,760
1,239
3.2.1 Suburban and city
centres vitality
–
1,223
1,223
–
3.3.1 events attraction
and support
–
1,858
1,858
–
3.6.1 Creative workforce
–
1,430
1,430
–
Total for 2008/09
(5,201)
16,110
21,311
2,539
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We want Wellington to be an
internationally competitive,
prosperous city.
Through our business support work, we aim to
enhance residents’ quality of life by raising overall
levels of prosperity. We aim to encourage innovation
and entrepreneurship, and to enhance Wellington’s
competitiveness as a world-class location for talent,
business/industry and investment.
We also aim to support the city centre’s
development as the region’s premier retail,
knowledge and entertainment district. We also aim
to make the city more ‘connected’, by securing the
communications and transport infrastructure so vital
to business success.
We support a range of projects that
enhance economic development.
We:
• provide grants for one-off projects that bring
economic benefits to the city
• run a move to Wellington campaign aimed at
attracting and retaining skilled, creative people
• are supporting Positively Wellington Tourism and
Wellington International Airport in their bid to
attract at least one daily long-haul air service to
the city from an Asian destination
• are working on a policy that aims to enhance
the city’s communications infrastructure and
build ICT skills
• represent Wellington’s interests to central
government and other agencies, the business
community, and sister cities.
We also advocate for our community’s interests
through Grow Wellington – the new regional
economic development agency.
We’re also working towards our
broadband vision.
Over the last 10 years, the telecommunications
sector has undergone unprecedented change. High
capacity broadband networks are fast becoming a
‘must have’ infrastructure for modern cities.
Businesses, investors and skilled workers expect
cities to provide affordable, very high speed,
universally available broadband. This is happening
in many cities around the world, and Wellington
needs to follow suit to capture the significant
potential economic and social benefits.
Overseas studies show these are in the areas of
increased employment and productivity, greater
economic activity, and ability to innovate.
The impacts on better education and health
provision are also likely to be significant.
The Council’s vision is for Wellington to achieve
this – universal access to high-speed affordable
broadband – by 2012. We’ve asked potential
industry partners for their help in how best to turn
this vision into a reality. Several costing models
are being explored, including private/public
partnerships and user pays. The objective is to
stimulate more investment that will result in better
services – which doesn’t necessarily mean the
Council has to start building its own infrastructure,
although that is an option.
We’ll continue to work on options in the coming
year. We’ll also work with other local authorities
in the Wellington region with a view to making a
joint approach to the Government’s $500 million
Broadband Investment Fund. We have budgeted
$200,000 in 2008/09 to carry out planning and
feasibility work.
BuSineSS SuPPoRt
Our targets for 2008/09 are:
• at least one long-haul airline is flying
daily to Wellington (we are reviewing the
performance target for the long-haul project
as the production of the aircraft being
targeted in this initiative, Boeing’s new B787
and Airbus’ A350, were delayed and are
initially being allocated to existing routes)
• positive growth in the number of businesses
and jobs in Wellington’s education, ICT,
professional engineering, creative and film,
manufacturing, and biotechnology sectors,
along with positive growth in Wellington’s
location quotients for each sector
• at least 15 events/activities (unchanged from
our 2007/08 target) held with our formal
international partnership cities
(both in Wellington and overseas).
We record the number of economic grant
applications we receive, the number receiving
grants, and the total budget allocation.
Our target is for all economic grants to
be distributed in accordance with
eligibility criteria.
We will also report on our work with stake-
holders to enhance the city’s information and
communications infrastructure.
OPeRATIONAL SPeNDING
CAPITAL SPeNDING
Activity
User charges and
other revenue
$000
Net expenditure / rates
funding requirement
$000
expenditure
2008/09
$000
expenditure
2008/09
$000
3.4.2 Transport gateway
connections
–
200
200
–
3.5.2 economic grants
–
165
165
–
3.7.1 Regional and external
relations
–
269
269
–
Total for 2008/09
–
634
634
–
What it will cost
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enViRonMent
We have nature as a backyard.
From the south coast to ridgeline walks, the city’s
parks, gardens and coastline are a natural playground.
They provide locations for relaxation, recreation,
enjoyment, and spaces for community gatherings and
events.
Our overall aim is to ensure that the city continues
to offer high-quality outdoor environments that are
attractive, accessible, and enhance the city’s unique
‘sense of place’.
Our aim is to balance ecological
needs with opportunities for
enjoyment.
• We look after the city’s parks and gardens,
including the Wellington Botanic Garden, Otari
Wilton’s Bush, Bolton Street Memorial Park, Truby
King Park, and many other reserve areas – these
areas provide beautiful, high-quality venues for
recreation and community festivals/events (the
Wellington Botanic Garden alone has more than
1.3 million visitors a year)
• We protect native plants through our work in the
gardens and at the Berhampore Nursery, which
grows around 80,000 plants each year for use in
parks, gardens and open spaces
• We look after the city’s beaches and coastline,
from the wild south coast to Oriental Bay Beach
– this work includes dune protection, planting,
erosion control and maintenance of boat ramps,
slipways and jetties.
gARDenS AnD BeAcHeS
Our targets for 2008/09 are:
• 90% of residents surveyed have visited
a park at least once in the previous 12
months, and 80% of those rate the quality
and maintenance of the parks as good
or very good (unchanged from our
2007/08 targets)
• 80% of residents surveyed have visited one of
the city’s four botanical gardens at least once
in the previous 12 months (unchanged)
• 90% of the plant collection held by the
botanical gardens meet our defined WCC
plant performance standards for health and
quality (unchanged)
• 75% of residents surveyed have visited one
of the city’s beaches or used wharves, jetties
or boat ramps in the previous 12 months,
and 85% of those rate the cleanliness and
maintenance of the city’s beaches and
coastline as good or very good
(unchanged).
VARIANCES
For the 2008/09 financial year, we are planning
the following variance from our 2006-16
long-term plan: Wellington Botanic Gardens
– defer $1 million of capital spending for the
replacement of the nursery buildings until
2009/10 (this will allow the heritage status of
the nursery buildings to be confirmed and for
our designs to reflect that).
What it will cost
OPeRATIONAL SPeNDING
CAPITAL SPeNDING
Activity
User charges and
other revenue
$000
Net expenditure / rates
funding requirement
$000
expenditure
2008/09
$000
expenditure
2008/09
$000
4.1.1 Local parks and
open spaces
(397)
6,934
7,331
1,082
4.2.1 Botanical gardens
(370)
3,768
4,138
544
4.2.2 Beaches and coast
operations
(54)
834
888
561
Total for 2008/09
(821)
11,536
12,357
2,187
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Wellington is literally surrounded
by nature.
One-eighth of Wellington’s area is reserve land,
much of it rugged and covered in bush.
This land, protected for generations, is a vital part
of Wellington’s landscape. It contributes to the city’s
identity, and offers opportunities – within minutes
of downtown – for walking, mountain biking and
other outdoor recreation activities.
Our long-term vision is to substantially improve
natural biodiversity on the Town Belt, Outer
Green Belt land and other reserve land. We aim
to protect these areas from development, restore
native ecosystems, provide opportunities for
enjoyment that do not compromise environmental
values, and maintain these areas in ways that
enhance the city and make it more attractive for
residents and visitors.
We recognise that the key to protecting the city’s
open spaces is for Wellington residents to feel a
sense of ownership and kaitiakitanga/guardianship
over those spaces, and we aim to foster that feeling
by sharing information and supporting volunteer/
community initiatives.
The Town Belt and other natural
areas need to be protected – and,
over time, enhanced through the
regeneration of native bush.
We:
• look after the city’s 34.7 square kilometres of
Wellington Town Belt, Outer Green Belt and other
reserve land
• look after more than 300km of tracks extending
throughout the city’s open space areas – including
160km of walking tracks, 25km of mountain bike
tracks, 14km of four-wheel-drive tracks, and 100+
kilometres of dual use tracks
• remove exotic trees that may be in danger of
falling during storms and replace them with
native trees – one example is the mass planting of
northern rata, with their distinctive red flowers,
on Tinakori Hill
• support community volunteers who help to
look after reserve land – each year, volunteers
plant 18,000-25,000 eco-sourced native plants
throughout the city
• provide grants for projects that benefit the city’s
environment, promote sustainability, raise
awareness of environmental issues, or otherwise
contribute to our environmental objectives
• work with community groups to restore and
protect the city’s streams and surrounding areas
• support facilitators to implement the national
enviroschools programme in Wellington schools
• protect native ecosystems by controlling weeds
and pest animals such as possums and goats on
open space land
• maintain roadside verges and clean city and
residential streets, keeping them safe and
attractive, through litter collection, planting,
mowing, and controlling pest plants and
other weeds.
gReen oPen SPAceS
Our targets for 2008/09 are:
• to carry out four hectares of restorative
planting on Wellington Town Belts
and reserves (unchanged
from our 2007/08 target)
• 60% of residents surveyed have visited the
Wellington Town Belt or Outer Green Belt
at least once in the previous 12 months,
and 85% of those who have visited rate
the cleanliness and maintenance of the
Wellington Town Belt and Outer Green Belt
as good or very good (targets unchanged)
• for community groups and volunteers to plant
26,000 (a 1,000 increase from our 2007/08
target) eco-sourced native plants supplied
by the Council
• 80% of residents surveyed rate the
maintenance and quality of open space
walkways and tracks as good or very good,
and 80% of the walkway and track network
meet required quality service standards
(targets unchanged)
• to apply the Project Kaiwharawhara model,
including regulatory tools, to Porirua and
Owhiro catchments, and develop and
implement catchment plans
• to continue existing service levels for weed
and pest management (based on pest
management plans for 15 areas defined
as ‘key native ecosystems’)
• 95% compliance with performance standards
for CBD street cleaning (unchanged)
• 83% of residents surveyed agree that street
cleaning in central Wellington is of a good
or very good standard (unchanged)
• 83% of residents surveyed agree that roadside
vegetation is maintained to a good or very
good standard (unchanged).
We also record the number of environmental
grant applications we receive, the number
receiving grants, and the total budget
allocation. Our target is for all environmental
grants to be distributed in accordance with
eligibility criteria.
We’re increasing our protection for
native wildlife.
Wellington has a wide range of native plants,
insects and birds, from little blue penguins to giant
weta to native grasses and giant trees. Animal
pests such as possums, rats and stoats eat native
plants, trees and prey on native insects and birds,
while weeds strangle or take over habitat from
native plants.
Since 2005, we have been working with volunteers
who give thousands of hours each year to remove
weeds and animal pests from 12 ‘key native
ecosystems’ (areas of environmental significance)
around the city.
Under our Biodiversity Action Plan, developed in
2007 with the aim of protecting and enhancing the
city’s natural areas, we aim to extend our weed and
pest control work to an additional three key native
ecosystems each year.
To achieve this, additional funding is required.
We are increasing our pest management budget by
$74,000 in the coming year. In total, we’re investing
more than $7 million to manage pest plants and
animals over the next eight years.
We’re also increasing funding by $20,000 from
2009/10 onwards for work related
to classifying reserves.
What it will cost
OPeRATIONAL SPeNDING
CAPITAL SPeNDING
Activity
User charges and
other revenue
$000
Net expenditure / rates
funding requirement
$000
expenditure
2008/09
$000
expenditure
2008/09
$000
2.3.2 Roads Open Spaces
(546)
7,465
8,011
–
4.2.3 Town belts
(236)
4,319
4,555
786
4.3.1 Community
environmental initiatives
–
346
346
–
4.4.1 Walkways
–
418
418
422
4.7.1 Stream protection
–
15
15
21
4.7.2 Pest plant and
animal management
–
871
871
–
Total for 2008/09
(782)
13,434
14,216
1,229
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WAteR
Water is a fundamental need.
It’s crucial for people’s health, and for quality of
life. A city cannot survive without a steady supply
of clean, safe, drinkable water.
It’s also a resource that’s in limited supply. Before
it can be supplied to Wellington households, it has
to be gathered in rainwater catchments, stored,
and treated to ensure it is free of contamination.
It is then piped to Wellington city. All of this requires
extensive and costly infrastructure – reservoirs,
pipes, treatment stations and so on.
Already, every day, more than 450 litres of water
is consumed per person in Wellington city.
And consumption has been increasing. If a one in
50 year drought occurs anytime from this year, the
region’s water supply may not be able to
meet demand.
Our goal is to continue to provide safe, drinkable
water to all households and businesses – while
also moving the city towards a more sustainable
approach in which water is used wisely and
without waste.
We own and operate the water
supply network, and promote
conservation measures.
We:
• own a water supply network that includes
75 reservoirs, 34 pumping stations and about
1,000km of underground pipes
• contract Capacity, a company that we own jointly
with the Hutt City Council, to manage, maintain,
monitor and operate the network and carry out
upgrades and renewals
• buy more than 30,000 million litres of water per
year from the Greater Wellington and supply the
water to Wellington properties.
We are currently investigating future water needs
and conservation targets in conjunction with three
councils in the region. As these plans are finalised,
decisions will need to be made about what water
conservation tools are implemented in each city.
What it will cost
OPeRATIONAL SPeNDING
CAPITAL SPeNDING
Activity
User charges and
other revenue
$000
Net expenditure / rates
funding requirement
$000
expenditure
2008/09
$000
expenditure
2008/09
$000
4.5.5 Water network
(30)
16,481
16,511
11,610
4.6.1 Water collection and
treatment
–
13,187
13,187
–
Total for 2008/09
(30)
29,668
29,698
11,610
Our targets for 2008/09 are:
• 97% (unchanged from our 2007/08 target)
of service requests relating to the
water network are responded to within
one hour of the request being received
(‘response’ includes initial investigation
and prioritisation of work) (this target is
unchanged from 2007/08)
• 75% (unchanged) of residents surveyed about
water network service are satisfied with work
carried out
• all water delivered to Wellington properties
complies with Drinking Water Standards for
New Zealand (2005)
• no more than 18% (1% decrease since
2007/08) of water in the network is
unaccounted for.
VARIANCES
For the 2008/09 financial year, we are planning
the following variances from our 2006-16 long-
term plan:
• water reservoir/pump station renewals –
reduce capital spending by $1 million by
deferring the final stages of the Messines
Road water reservoir until 2009/10 (this will
allow for further consideration to be given to
the best option for the project)
• water reservoir/pump station upgrades
– reduce capital spending by $50,000 by
deferring the water reservoir/pump station
upgrade project (delays to the project in
2007/08 have led to consequential delays for
the 2008/09 programme).
We want to safeguard public
health and safety, and protect the
city’s waterways from pollution.
Wellington’s stormwater network keeps residents and
property safe by protecting the city from flooding. Each
year, the network carries about 80 million cubic metres
of runoff from roofs, paths, kerbs and channels and
drains to streams and the harbour.
The sewage network, which carries about 29
million cubic metres of wastewater a year, protects
human health and the environment by removing
wastewater from homes and treating it to make it
safe for disposal.
In this work, our key aims are safety and
sustainability: wastewater should be disposed
of in ways that protect public health and don’t
compromise ecosystems.
To achieve this, we provide
comprehensive stormwater
drainage and sewage networks.
We:
• own the city’s stormwater and wastewater
network, including thousands of kilometres of
piplines, as well as pumping stations and sewage
treatment plants
• contract Capacity, a company that we own jointly
with the Hutt City Council, to manage, maintain,
monitor and operate the networks and carry out
upgrades and renewals
• ensure that sewage and trade waste is treated to
safe levels before disposal
• monitor and regulate trade wastes to ensure that
harmful substances don’t enter the sewage system.
We’re planning improvements to
the Moa Point wastewater plant.
We have lodged an application with Greater Wellington
Regional Council to renew our resource consent to
operate the Moa Point wastewater treatment plant.
As part of our resource consent application, we have
committed to two projects that will reduce the risk and
impact of discharges from the plant’s short outfall.
• We plan to add to the capacity of the Moa Point
inlet by increasing the number of pumps, and
make improvements to the screens and grit
removal systems to handle the increased flow
– we have budgeted $1 million for this work in
2008/09 and $1 million in 2009/10
• We also plan to treat any bypass flows – overflows
that can occur during very heavy rainfall – with
ultra violet light. This two-year pilot will be met
from existing budgets, and funding requirements
for a full-size UV treatment plant will be confirmed
as part of an assessment of the effectiveness
of the pilot.
WASteWAteR AnD StoRMWAteR
Our 2008/09 stormwater management
targets are:
• 97% (unchanged from 2007/08 target) of
service requests relating to the stormwater
network are responded to within one hour
of the request being received (‘response’
includes initial investigation and prioritisation
of work)
• 75% (unchanged) of residents surveyed about
stormwater network service are satisfied with
work carried out
• stormwater discharges are free of scums
or foams, floating or suspended material,
abnormal colour or clarity, and fats or gross
solids, on 100% (unchanged) of sampling days
• annual faecal coliform counts are less than
1,000 per 100ml at 90% (10% increase from
2007/08’s target) of monitored freshwater
sampling sites (lower levels of bacteria mean
the water is cleaner)
• water quality at monitored bathing beaches
comply with Ministry for the environment
guidelines on 90% (unchanged) of sampling
days (green status).
Our 2008/09 wastewater network (sewage
collection and disposal) and treatment
targets are:
• 97% (unchanged) of service requests relating
to the wastewater network are responded to
within one hour of the request being received
(‘response’ includes initial investigation and
prioritisation of work)
• 75% (unchanged) of residents surveyed about
wastewater network service are satisfied with
work carried out
• annual median faecal coliform counts
are less than 2,000 per 100ml at 80%
(unchanged) of monitored harbour/coastal
sampling sites (lower levels of bacteria mean
the water is cleaner)
• 100% (unchanged) of businesses producing
trade waste are inspected throughout the year
• no infringement notices are received for
breaches of resource consents relating to
wastewater treatment plants (unchanged).
OPeRATIONAL SPeNDING
CAPITAL SPeNDING
Activity
User charges and
other revenue
$000
Net expenditure / rates
funding requirement
$000
expenditure
2008/09
$000
expenditure
2008/09
$000
4.6.2 Stormwater
management
(8)
12,434
12,442
3,354
4.6.3 Sewage collection
and disposal network
(650)
14,904
15,554
8,865
4.6.4 Sewage treatment
(736)
19,493
20,229
–
Total for 2008/09
(1,394)
46,831
48,225
12,219
What it will cost
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Sustainability is about meeting
today’s needs in ways that don’t
cause future harm.
A truly sustainable city meets its energy needs from
renewable supplies. It uses resources efficiently,
and it finds ways to re-use or recycle instead of
adding to the amount of rubbish sent to landfills.
Wellington can’t yet claim to be a truly sustainable
city – but in some areas we are heading in the right
direction. The city’s recycling volumes, for example,
have been steadily increasing in recent years.
We want Wellington to be a
sustainable city.
We:
• provide weekly household recycling collections in
suburban areas and the CBD – residents strongly
support this work and the vast majority recycle
• provide weekly rubbish collections from
households and daily collections in the CBD
• operate the Southern Landfill, with the aims of
minimising the amount of waste disposed of
and ensuring that waste is disposed off safely
– the landfill operates a transfer station where
recyclables are separated, a Second Treasure
Shop where second-hand items can be dropped
off, and facilities for collection and disposal of
hazardous waste such as paints, batteries, gas
bottles, garden chemicals, oils and solvents
• manage the city’s 30+ closed landfills to reduce
any environmental impacts
• provide residents with information about waste
reduction, and carry out research about the impact
of waste on the city
• operate a Kai to Compost programme, collecting
food scraps from restaurants, hotels and
other businesses
• enforce waste bylaws (which can include fines for
disposing of waste in inappropriate ways)
• are working to encourage energy efficiency in the
city by looking for ways to reduce our own energy
use, and by developing guidelines on sustainable
building covering areas such as water conservation,
energy reduction and waste reduction.
In 2008/09, we’ll be investigating
the viability of turning sewage
sludge into energy using
a bioreactor.
We are committed to reducing our impact on the
environment and in 2008/09 we’ll undertake a
feasibility study that will canvass options for the
future disposal of Wellington’s sewage sludge.
The feasibility study will assess both the financial
and environmental costs and benefits of any
options investigated. The study will focus on the
following two options:
• converting organic waste (primarily sewage sludge)
into electricity or LPG using a bioreactor
• working with the Porirua City Council in a joint
approach for the disposal of sewage sludge using
a sewage drying plant.
We’re budgeting $50,000 to undertake the
feasibility study.
We’ll also investigate whether it’s
feasible to establish micro wind
turbines in Carey’s Gully
We take climate change seriously and are committed
to implementing measures that will contribute to
our long-term goal of becoming a carbon neutral
city. The development of renewable energy has
become a priority in recent years and wind energy
technology has matured to become a major source
of sustainable energy.
In 2008/09, we’re investigating the feasibility of
establishing a commercially viable micro wind-
farm within Carey’s Gully – the site of the Southern
Landfill. If viable, we will look to partner with a
commercial energy company on the development
of the project. We’re budgeting $50,000 for the
feasibility study.
WASte ReDuction AnD eneRgy
conSeRVAtion
Our targets for 2008/09 are:
• collect 13,500 (a 900 increase from our
2007/08 target) tonnes of kerbside recycling
• 86% (1% increase) of residents surveyed say
they have used kerbside recycling weekly in
the previous 12 months
• 77% (1% increase) of residents surveyed
say our kerbside recycling service is good
or very good
• divert 35,500 (1600 increase) tonnes of
recyclable waste from the landfill, while total
waste to the landfill will be maintained at no
more than 65,000 tonnes (unchanged from
our 2007/08 target)
• maintain domestic waste collection once a
week and inner-city waste collection six
days a week (excluding Christmas, New Year
and easter)
• landfill and hazardous waste facility
open 9.5 hours a day, seven days a week,
52 weeks a year (excluding Christmas,
New Year and easter)
• landfill resource consent quality standards
are met on all occasions
• 94% (18% increase) of closed landfills that
need monitoring systems have systems in
place measured as a percentage of all known
landfills requiring such work (NB: our long-
term target is 100%).
We have set a long-term target of stabilising
Wellington City Council (corporate) greenhouse
gas emissions at 2003 levels by 2009/10 and
reducing them by 40% by 2020. Our goal is to
be carbon neutral by 2012.
We’ll also monitor greenhouse gas emissions
for the city (we have set a target of stabilising
emissions at 2001 levels by 2010 and reducing
them by 30% by 2020).
VARIANCES
For the 2008/09 financial year, we are
planning the following variance from our
2006-16 long-term plan: Southern Landfill
Improvements – reduce capital spending
by $700,000 (previously planned tunnelling
work is no longer required because we have
identified a more cost effective solution).
What it will cost
OPeRATIONAL SPeNDING
CAPITAL SPeNDING
Activity
User charges and
other revenue
$000
Net expenditure / rates
funding requirement
$000
expenditure
2008/09 $000
expenditure 2008/09
$000
4.5.1 energy efficiency
and conservation
–
109
109
124
4.5.4 Waste minimi-
sation, disposal and
recycling management
(8,218)
1,013
9,231
759
Total for 2008/09
(8,218)
1,122
9,340
883
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Nature is one of Wellington’s
biggest attractions.
In the Karori Sanctuary and Wellington Zoo,
Wellington has two facilities that play crucial roles
in wildlife conservation, and educating people
about nature. The sanctuary has a 500-year vision
of restoring pristine native forest and bird life in a
valley just minutes from the city.
The Zoo has a programme of breeding and
rearing endangered species from New Zealand
and abroad. In the next few years, these facilities
will be joined by the Aquarium of New Zealand –
Te Moana Tamariki. Together, these will make vital
contributions to conservation while also benefiting
the economy by positioning Wellington as a centre
of nature-based visitor attractions.
We’re supporting initiatives that
put conservation at the heart of
the city‘s visitor experience.
We:
• support the sanctuary by providing land and
offering to provide a loan to contribute to
development of new visitor facilities
• fund Wellington Zoo (which attracts more than
160,000 visitors each year)
We’re providing transitional
funding to the Karori Sanctuary
over the next two years
The Karori Sanctuary is a world-first conservation
attraction located minutes from downtown
Wellington. We have previously agreed to provide
a loan to contribute towards the development of a
new visitor centre that would allow the Sanctuary
to generate revenue. Delays to this project have
meant that revenues will now be recognised later
than expected. We’re providing transitional funding
to the Sanctuary to ensure they can continue to
operate. We’re budgeting $300,000 in 2008/09 and
$700,000 in 2009/10 for this work.
enViRonMentAl conSeRVAtion
AttRActionS
Our targets for 2008/09 are:
• Karori Sanctuary will attract 90,000 visitors.
We had previously indicated 180,000 visitors
but this increase was linked to the opening of
the (now delayed) visitor centre.
We will also monitor the number and type
of endemic bird species recorded at the
Karori Sanctuary.
Performance measures for Wellington Zoo are
shown in the council-controlled organisations
section of this annual plan – see the appendix.
VARIANCES
For the 2008/09 financial year, we are planning
the following variance from our 2006-16 long-
term plan: defer $1 million (to 2009/10 ) of our
$8 million loan to the Karori Sanctuary for their
Visitor Centre project and rephase our $7 million
loan to the Marine Education Centre to 2010/11
to reflect updated information on when this
will likely be required.
What it will cost
OPeRATIONAL SPeNDING
CAPITAL SPeNDING
Activity
User charges and
other revenue
$000
Net expenditure / rates
funding requirement
$000
expenditure
2008/09
$000
expenditure
2008/09
$000
4.8.1 environmental and
conservation attractions
–
4,421
4,421
2,272
Total for 2008/09
–
4,421
4,421
2,272
Wellington needs roads and other
infrastructure.
The Kiwi Point Quarry’s output is needed for
the region’s roads and other infrastructure.
It contributes to a community goal of ensuring that
‘Wellington’s long-term environmental health
is protected through well-planned and well-
maintained infrastructure’.
We ensure raw materials are provided for this
infrastructure, while also aiming for long-term
restoration of the environment.
We own the Kiwi Point Quarry in Ngauranga Gorge
and manage a contract for the operation of the
quarry, which provides aggregate to the local
construction market. Each year, about 250,000
tonnes of rock are extracted for use on roading
and other infrastructure. In our management of
this resource, we aim to minimise environmental
impacts by restoring and developing the area while
contributing to the city’s development needs.
quARRy
Our targets for 2008/09 are to meet all
commercial objectives, and to comply with
all District Plan, resource consent and quarry
licence requirements.
What it will cost
OPeRATIONAL SPeNDING
CAPITAL SPeNDING
Activity
User charges and
other revenue
$000
Net
surplus
$000
expenditure
2008/09
$000
expenditure
2008/09
$000
4.5.2 Quarry
(497)
(302)
195
–
Total for 2008/09
(497)
(302)
195
–
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cultuRAl WellBeing
High-quality galleries and
museums contribute to Wellington’s
status as New Zealand’s arts and
culture capital.
They are significant visitor attractions, benefiting
the city’s economy. They entertain and challenge
residents and visitors alike, encouraging
engagement and participation in the arts.
They play critical roles in protecting the city’s
heritage – enhancing our sense of shared identity.
In addition, several of the museums and galleries
are housed in listed historic buildings which
contribute to the city’s heritage and ‘sense of place’.
We fund the Wellington Museums Trust, which
operates the Museum of Wellington City and Sea,
the City Gallery, Capital E, the Wellington Cable Car
Museum, the Colonial Cottage Museum, and the
Plimmer’s Ark conservation project.
2008/09 will see the opening of the extended City
Gallery that includes new exhibition space for the
city’s art collection.
We’ve committed ongoing funding
for the National Children’s Arts
Festival.
Wellington Museums Trust runs the National
Children’s Arts Festival, which is held every two
years and celebrates the creativity and innovation
of young people. Attendance has grown every
year since the festival was first held in 2003.
We’ve committed to provide funding of $100,000 in
2008/09 and $50,000 annually from 2009/10 to the
Wellington Museums Trust to run the festival.
Based on last year’s attendance levels our grant
equates to a subsidy of around $2.60 per attendee.
We’re also proposing to increase
trustee fees for members of the
Wellington Museums Trust.
In November 2007, the Council agreed to increase
fees for Wellington Museums Trust trustees.
Additional funding of $23,000 a year is budgeted
to cover these costs.
gAlleRieS AnD MuSeuMS
Performance measures and targets for the
Wellington Museums Trust are shown in the
council controlled organisations section of this
annual plan – see the appendix.
What it will cost
OPeRATIONAL SPeNDING
CAPITAL SPeNDING
Activity
User charges and
other revenue
$000
Net expenditure / rates
funding requirement
$000
expenditure
2008/09
$000
expenditure
2008/09
$000
5.4.1 City galleries and
museums
–
6,498
6,498
2,900
Total for 2008/09
–
6,498
6,498
2,900
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By knowing the past, we know
who we are.
Wellington’s history is worth preserving for many
reasons. The most obvious is that understanding
the past contributes to people’s sense of shared
heritage and identity as residents of the city and
as members of particular groups or families.
History can contribute to our sense of pride in
the city, and our sense that we all have a stake
in its future.
Maintaining records of our heritage also has an
inherent educational value. Historic records are
used by historians, genealogists, students and other
members of the public. They also have practical
value – they can help people to conduct their
business with better information, or understand
their property before carrying out building work.
So we preserve and celebrate the
city’s heritage.
We:
• provide the Wellington City Archives, which holds
a vast amount of information about the city’s
history and development from the 1840s to the
present – the archives are accessible to members
of the public
• manage Te Ara o Nga Tupuna the Maori Heritage
Trail, which begins at Pipitea Marae in Thorndon
and ends at Owhiro Bay; the sites included in
the trail have been selected for their importance
to Wellington’s history and Maori culture,
their accessibility to the public, and their
viewing interest
• take a pro-active role in protecting and enhancing
the city’s local sense of place.
In addition to these projects, we use our District
Plan to protect historical sites and artefacts (see
urban planning) and we provide grants for the
restoration of heritage buildings (see earthquake
risk mitigation).
HeRitAge
Our targets for 2008/09 are:
• 98% (unchanged from our 2007/08 target) of
archives information requests are completed
within agreed timeframes
• at least 33,000 (unchanged) additional items
are added to the Archives database
• the last of the identified cultural heritage sites
will be added to the Maori Heritage Trail.
What it will cost
OPeRATIONAL SPeNDING
CAPITAL SPeNDING
Activity
User charges and
other revenue
$000
Net expenditure / rates
funding requirement
$000
expenditure
2008/09 $000
expenditure 2008/09
$000
5.1.1 City Archives
(226)
1,385
1,611
–
5.1.2 Promotion of heritage
landmarks
–
–
–
68
Total for 2008/09
(226)
1,385
1,611
68
Wellington thrives because of its
creative communities.
A buzzing local arts and festival scene is important
in many ways. It ensures there’s always plenty
to see and do, and that the city’s atmosphere is
lively and vibrant. It also provides other benefits,
such as the chance to celebrate Wellington’s many
cultures. By sharing our experiences through art and
performance, we’ll build stronger, more cohesive
communities.
We support well over 100
community celebrations, fairs
and cultural events, every year.
• We support a wide range of cultural and arts
events/festivals including: the Diwali Festival
of Lights, Chinese New Year celebrations, Cuba
Carnival, Summer City, Christmas Carols at the
Stadium, Waitangi Day celebrations, the Round
the Bays Fun Run, and dozens of other suburban
fairs, cultural events, parades and community and
charity events.
• We provide grants to support community-based
arts and culture organisations and initiatives –
such as Arts Access Aotearoa, Pablo’s Art Studios,
Vincent’s Art Workshop, the Christmas Parade Trust,
Fringe Festival, the Wellington International Jazz
Festival, and many more.
• We run a popular community arts programme
and provide exhibition space at Toi Poneke –
Wellington Arts Centre.
• We provide subsidies for community groups to use
the Wellington Convention Centre.
coMMunity ARtS AnD
cultuRAl SuPPoRt
Our targets for 2008/09 are:
• 110 free events (unchanged from our 2007/08
target) will be held at Civic Square, with
a combined attendance of 140,000 (5,000
increase)
• 80 (unchanged) community festivals and
events will be supported by WCC, with
estimated combined attendance of 600,000
(unchanged)
• 90% (unchanged) of residents surveyed
are satisfied with WCC associated events
and festivals
• 34 community groups (unchanged) to
access the Wellington Convention Centre
with assistance from the venues subsidy,
38 events (unchanged) held, and for the
total WCC venues subsidy budget to be spent.
We record the number of arts and culture
grant applications we receive, the number
receiving grants, and the total budget
allocation. Our target is for all arts and culture
grants to be distributed in accordance with
eligibility criteria.
What it will cost
OPeRATIONAL SPeNDING
CAPITAL SPeNDING
Activity
User charges and
other revenue
$000
Net expenditure / rates
funding requirement
$000
expenditure
2008/09
$000
expenditure
2008/09
$000
5.2.1 Arts and cultural
festivals
(352)
1,502
1,854
–
5.2.3 Cultural grants
–
738
738
–
5.3.1 Access and support
for community arts
–
486
486
42
Total for 2008/09
(352)
2,726
3,078
42
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Wellington’s reputation as
New Zealand’s arts and culture
capital depends on the quality and
breadth of its professional
arts scene.
Wellington is home to top-class orchestras and
dance, theatre and opera companies, as well as
Toi Poneke – Wellington Arts Centre and
The New Zealand International Arts Festival.
These organisations entertain residents and
visitors, contribute to the city’s economy, foster
the development of the city’s emerging artists
and entertainers, and provide opportunities for
high-quality artistic expression.
New Zealand’s premier arts
festivals and organisations are
based in Wellington and enjoy
our support.
• We support the country’s premier arts and cultural
event – the New Zealand International Arts
Festival – with an annual grant of $750,000; held
every two years, the festival celebrates the very
best of international and national theatre, dance,
music, opera, writing, and visual arts, and brings
thousands of visitors to the city
• We provide and operate Toi Poneke – Wellington
Arts Centre; opened in 2005 it provides a home to
many emerging artists, theatre groups, designers,
producers and dance organisations
• We provide the New Zealand Symphony
Orchestra with a permanent home within the
Wellington Convention Centre, giving it ready
access to the centre’s auditoriums as rehearsal
and concert venues
• We provide funding to the Chapman Tripp Theatre
Awards, the NGC Wellington Sinfonia, the NBR
New Zealand Opera, Downstage Theatre, Circa
Theatre, Bats Theatre, Taki Rua Theatre, and the
Wellington Sculpture Trust
• We host the public art panel, which guides
decisions on the purchase and placement of the
city’s collection
• We maintain more than 80 permanent public
artworks, monuments, plaques and fountains
throughout the city, such as the Cobham Drive
wind sculptures.
ARtS PARtneRSHiPS
Our target for 2008/09 is for Toi Poneke –
Wellington Arts Centre to achieve occupancy
rates of 97% (this is a 1% increase from our
2007/08 target) for the arts studios, 97% (1%
increase) for tenancies and 66% (3% increase)
for room hire.
We will also record the number of new Council
supported artworks installed in public spaces.
The key categories of public art are defined as:
major stand-alone public art (e.g. sculptures
or monuments); the integration of public
art design into our urban and suburban
environment; community public art, (e.g.
public murals and aerosol art); temporary
public art works. The type and number of
artworks supported can vary from year to year,
therefore a target is not appropriate. Our target
is to support as many worthwhile projects
as possible throughout the stated categories,
making best use of the allocated budget.
What it will cost
OPeRATIONAL SPeNDING
CAPITAL SPeNDING
Activity
User charges and
other revenue
$000
Net expenditure / rates
funding requirement
$000
expenditure
2008/09
$000
expenditure
2008/09
$000
5.2.2 The NZ International
Arts Festival
–
750
750
–
5.4.2 Arts partnerships
(497)
1,334
1,831
–
Total for 2008/09
(497)
2,084
2,581
–
SociAl AnD RecReAtion
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Libraries are places to read, listen,
find information, and get together.
Libraries enhance cultural well-being by providing
access to books, music, magazines and information.
They have a heritage role and a focus on Wellington
local history.
They enhance social connectedness by ensuring
that people have access to information resources
and providing focal points for community events.
This activity contributes to our goals of making
Wellington more liveable, more inclusive, more
actively engaged, better connected, healthier
and safer.
We own and operate an extensive
libraries network.
This includes the central library and 11
branch libraries spread throughout the city,
specialist collections, the libraries website
(www.wcl.govt.nz) and internet services, and
a variety of outreach programmes including
books to babies, and services to schools and to
the housebound.
Use of the libraries is very high: the vast majority
of Wellingtonians are registered as library users,
and on average almost 20 items are borrowed per
resident each year.
liBRARieS
Our targets for 2008/09 are:
• 85% (1% increase from our 2007/08 target)
of residents surveyed have used a
WCC library (including website) in the last
12 months
• 92% (unchanged) of library users rate their
overall satisfaction with library services as
good or very good
• 3.2 million items (unchanged) will be issued
from WCC libraries.
VARIANCES
For the 2008/09 financial year, we are planning
the following variances from our 2006-16 long-
term plan: library material upgrades – reduce
capital spending by $177,000 with a 10 percent
reduction in the purchase of new materials;
Central Library furniture and equipment –
reduce budget by $100,000. These are part
of a number of savings from across our
activities to ensure that we stay within our
borrowing limits.
.
What it will cost
OPeRATIONAL SPeNDING
CAPITAL SPeNDING
Activity
User charges and
other revenue
$000
Net expenditure / rates
funding requirement
$000
expenditure
2008/09
$000
expenditure
2008/09
$000
6.4.8 Libraries network
(2,212)
19,730
21,942
2,251
Total for 2008/09
(2,212)
19,730
21,942
2,251
Sports and recreation are important
for health and well-being.
Access to sports and recreation opportunities –
for people of all ages, abilities and circumstances –
is important for health and well-being.
Recreation, sport and play also bring people
together, strengthening social cohesion. By offering
a wide choice of facilities and activities, Wellington
becomes a more appealing place for people
to live. Through our recreation facilities and
programmes, we aim for Wellington to become
more liveable, more inclusive, more actively
engaged and healthier.
We’re the city’s biggest provider
of places to play.
We:
• provide seven swimming pools (five indoor and
two outdoor), which collectively attract more than
1.2 million visitors each year – these pools provide
opportunities for fun, recreation, exercise, aquatic
sports, and learning water skills
• provide 46 sports grounds which provide year-
round opportunities for recreation and competitive
sport (cricket, softball, rugby, league, hockey,
soccer and netball and a range of other sports);
high-use facilities include the National Hockey
Stadium, Rugby League Park, Newtown Park and
Hataitai Park
• provide or support recreation centres in
five suburbs – Karori, Newlands, Kilbirnie,
Khandallah (Nairnville) and Tawa – which
provide a range of recreation, sport and leisure
opportunities, and together attract more than
280,000 users each year
• provide over 100 neighbourhood playgrounds and
skate parks throughout the city
• own two marinas, the evans Bay Marina and
the Clyde Quay Boat Harbour, which provide
public boat ramp access to the harbour as well
as supporting the recreational activities of a large
number of boat owners
• are involved in dozens of recreational, sport,
fitness and leisure programmes across the city and
throughout the year – programmes include the
Run Swim series, Stepping Out Month of Walking,
Kids Kiwi-tri, Dance Your Socks Off festival and
many other programmes that together attract tens
of thousands of participants every year
• provide ongoing funding to the Basin Reserve Trust
to help ensure the iconic sports ground remains
New Zealand’s premier test cricket venue
• manage the Passport to Leisure scheme that
provides community services card holders with
discounted access to recreation centres, swimming
pools, and recreation programmes.
In the coming year we’ll continue to work on
the planning phase of the new 12 court indoor
community sports centre to be built at Cobham
Drive. We will lodge a notified resource consent for
the facility in the coming month and construction is
scheduled to begin this summer.
RecReAtion FAcilitieS AnD
PRogRAMMeS
Our targets for 2008/09 are:
• 60,000 (unchanged from our 2007/08 target)
people will use WCC recreation programmes
(excluding programmes offered at recreation
facilities)
• 70 WCC recreation programmes (unchanged)
will be held during the year (excluding
programmes offered at recreation facilities)
• 1,500,000 (50,000 increase) people will use
WCC swimming pools
• 95% (4% increase) of users surveyed will rate
the quality of WCC swimming pools as good or
very good
• WCC outdoor sports fields will have utilisation
rates of 68% (unchanged) in winter and
78% (unchanged) in summer – we will
also monitor usage and utilisation of the
new artificial surface at Nairnville Park (and
nearby sports fields)
• 80% (unchanged) of users surveyed will rate
the quality and maintenance of the sports
fields as good or very good
• 310,000 (unchanged) people will use WCC
recreation centres
• 88% (3% increase) of users surveyed will rate
the quality of WCC recreation centres as good
or very good
• 88% (unchanged) of residents surveyed who
have children under 14 will say their children
have used a WCC playground or skate park in
the previous 12 months
• 85% (unchanged) of residents whose children
use playgrounds or skate parks will rate those
facilities as good or very good
• 95% (unchanged) occupancy rate for berths
and boatsheds that are hired out
• 60,000 (5,000 increase) Passport to Leisure
users will participate in WCC recreation
facilities and programmes
• 30% (unchanged) of community services
card holders will participate in WCC
recreation programmes.
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We’re planning to install Astroturf
in Nairnville Park.
High levels of demand mean that many of the city’s
sportsfields are over utilised, which is causing the
quality of the turf to decrease. There is also conflict
between training and competition, with training
lowering the quality of the fields for competition.
In the coming year, we are planning to install an
artificial surface on the upper field at Nairnville
Park. The existing field has poor drainage and is
often out of action during winter months. With
the installation of an artificial surface, the facility
could be used 365 days a year regardless of weather
conditions. Floodlights are planned to allow use of
the facility to be maximised.
The project will act as a pilot and guide future
decisions on whether more of our sportsfields
require artificial surfaces. We’re budgeting $750,000
for this work in 2008/09.
We’re also increasing our sportsfields operations
budget by $88,000 in 2008/09 and $162,000 in
2009/10 to meet the increased costs of materials
used in maintaining the city’s sportsfields.
What it will cost
OPeRATIONAL SPeNDING
CAPITAL SPeNDING
Activity
User charges and
other revenue
$000
Net expenditure / rates
funding requirement
$000
expenditure
2008/09
$000
expenditure
2008/09
$000
6.1.2 Recreation
partnerships
–
624
624
–
6.3.1 Access support
–
73
73
–
6.3.3 Recreation
programmes
(230)
821
1,051
–
6.4.1 Swimming pools
(6,345)
9,819
16,164
1,752
6.4.2 Sports fields
(391)
2,785
3,176
1,337
6.4.3 Recreation centres
(664)
3,114
3,778
12,116
6.4.4 Playgrounds
–
732
732
519
6.4.5 Marinas
(516)
(3)
513
151
Total for 2008/09
(8,146)
17,695
26,111
15,875
VARIANCES
For the 2008/09 financial year, we are
planning the following variance from our
2006-16 long-term plan: Aquatic facility
upgrades – defer capital spending of $2.45
million until 2009/10 for the Keith Spry Pool
upgrade, the Thorndon pool access and water
features projects. The Keith Spry pool upgrade
project needs to be considered alongside the
Johnsonville Centre redevelopment project.
We aim to protect Wellingtonians
from health and safety hazards.
These hazards include earthquakes and floods to
crime, food-borne disease, dangerous dogs, and
other threats.
Health and safety are crucial to our goals of making
the city more liveable, more inclusive, more actively
engaged, better connected, healthier and safer.
Our work includes crime prevention,
public health regulation, and more.
We:
• operate the Wellington emergency Management
Office (WeMO), which works to ensure the city
is well-prepared for earthquakes, floods and
other emergencies
• work to ensure Wellington continues to be a safe city
– through measures that discourage crime and tackle
the causes of crime and disorder; key projects include
operation of closed circuit TV cameras in the central
city, monitoring by city safety officers, banning liquor
consumption in public places in the central city at
times, and ensuring public areas are well lit and
highly visible
• regulate public health activities in accordance with
legislation, bylaws and Council policies – this work
includes licensing of food premises, licensing of
liquor sales, registration of dogs, licensing of
businesses that discharge trade waste, and
inspection of these activities
• operate two cemeteries, at Karori and Makara,
as well as a crematorium at Karori Cemetery
• provide 60 public toilets throughout the city
We’re planning a range of initiatives
to ensure that Courtenay Place is
vibrant and safe.
Most residents regard Wellington as a safe place to live.
Almost all (99%) feel safe during daylight hours in the
central city, but this falls to 74% after dark.
The Courtenay Place precinct – the city’s premier
entertainment area – has been the subject of a
comprehensive safety audit and we’re planning to
implement a range of safety initiatives for this area so
it can retain its vitality and be a safe place to enjoy at
night. The initiatives include:
• introduction of a 24/7 liquor ban across the central
city and establishing an alcohol accord with
licensees, agencies, the local community and
Council to address safety and alcohol-related issues
• increasing the number of our Walkwise staff working
in the city at peak times
• installing five more CCTV cameras in the central
city – including three in Courtenay Place
• upgrading street lighting in Courtenay Place and
revitalising the Courtenay Place streetscape
• establishing a late-night taxi stand and queuing
system and facilitating summer concerts in Courtenay
Place Park
• establishing a dedicated Council officer to manage
safety issues relating to Courtenay Place.
We’re budgeting $287,000 in operational funding for
these projects and $420,000 in capital funding.
We’re also committed to continue
with our ‘flying squad’ to remove
graffiti from the city’s streetscapes.
Graffiti make the city less attractive. Unless it is
removed quickly, it can lead to further property
damage and, ultimately, to other forms of street
crime. This is a problem Wellington takes seriously.
Last year, we established a ‘flying squad’ to
eliminate graffiti from public spaces and from
private property that faces public areas. The flying
squad was initially established on a one-year
trial basis
We have committed to the extend the trial through
2008/2009 before making a final decision about
whether to continue with this service. We have
budgeted $225,000 for 2008/09.
PuBlic HeAltH AnD SAFety
Our targets for 2008/09 are:
• 83% (this is a 1% increase from our 2007/08
target) of WCC public toilets will meet the
required service level standard for cleanliness
(monitored through regular internal service
level audits)
• 60% (5% increase) of residents surveyed
are satisfied with the cleanliness of WCC
public toilets
• 55% (unchanged) of residents surveyed
are satisfied with the availability of WCC
public toilets
• all scheduled food premises inspections will
be completed during the year
• 95% (unchanged) of food premises with
an inspection rating of “excellent” or
“very good” will maintain or improve their
inspection rating (this excludes new premises
and those that have a change in occupier
during the year)
• 100% (unchanged) of high risk licensed
premises and 25% (unchanged) of medium
risk premises will be inspected under the Sale
of Liquor Act (1998) during the year (note:
low risk premises are primarily restaurants
and are inspected by health officers)
• WCC City Safety Officers will patrol
Wellington’s inner city 24 hours a day, seven
days a week, 52 weeks a year
• 45 (unchanged) emergency preparedness
programmes will be carried out in schools
and 70 (unchanged) will be carried out in
businesses during the year
• all of our emergency management partners
will be satisfied with overall emergency
planning in Wellington.
We will monitor and report on the number of
safety incidents in the Courtenay Place area
during the year.
We will also monitor perceptions of city safety
by measuring the percentage of residents
surveyed who rate city safety issues (such as
vandalism, graffiti, behaviour of others etc) as
a problem over the previous 12 months.
For cemeteries and crematoria, our
performance target is to retain ISO9001/
2000 accreditation.
What it will cost
OPeRATIONAL SPeNDING
CAPITAL SPeNDING
Activity
User charges and
other revenue
$000
Net expenditure / rates
funding requirement
$000
expenditure
2008/09
$000
expenditure
2008/09
$000
6.5.1 Burials & cremations
(791)
811
1,602
423
6.5.2 Public toilets
–
1,543
1,543
533
6.5.3 Public health