News release
Tuesday 6 March 2012
Greater Wellington outlines plans for the next 10 years

Greater Wellington’s draft 10-year plan proposes continued significant investment in public transport and flood protection, as well as programmes to improve the region’s environment and boost economic growth.

The draft Long Term Plan 2012-22 sets out the services Greater Wellington Regional Council proposes providing over the next 10 years, how much it proposes to spend and how they will be funded.

In public transport, key projects include continuing to roll out the Matangi trains and modernise the rest of the trains and the rail network, upgrading park and ride facilities, and introducing a network-wide electronic ticket for use on all buses and trains in the Metlink public transport network.

In flood protection, projects include major upgrades along the Hutt River to protect the Lower Hutt CBD and along the Otaki River, close to the town.

In water supply, the plan includes completion of work already underway to extend and earthquake strengthen the Stuart Macaskill Lakes at Te Marua and proposes investigating future water storage options to meet population growth.

Other proposals include expansion of pest control to more areas of the region, boosting the sustainable land management programme to cover more landowners, improving regional parks and continuing investigations into water storage in the Wairarapa Valley.

The Plan sets out a proposed increase in rates income for the 2012/13 year of 5.7%, which equates to an average increase of $16.60 (32 cents per week) for residential ratepayers and $25 (48 cents a week) across all ratepayers. The increase comprises three components:

• Ongoing Regional Council services, which includes most of our current activities (1.33% - i.e. $6 average increase in 2012/13)
• Commitments made in previous years for long term programmes, such as the delivery of Matangi trains and flood protection work (2.6% - i.e. $11 average increase in 2012/13)
• Proposed new service improvements. (1.74% - i.e. $8 average increase in 2012/13).

“In developing the proposals, we’ve been acutely aware of the struggle that so many households face in the current economic climate. We have kept costs down and kept the rise in the cost of Regional Council day-to-day services lower than inflation,” Greater Wellington Regional Chair Fran Wilde says.
“However, there are services – such as public transport – which do need continued investment – and we need to fulfil commitments we’ve made in past years. There is also a range of new service improvements that we are proposing and we want people’s views on these.

“We want to make sure Greater Wellington continues to deliver good value for ratepayers’ money by delivering the right services at the best cost.”

A copy of the draft 10-Year Plan can be viewed and downloaded from Greater Wellington’s web site, www.gw.govt.nz/long-term-plan

The Plan will be considered by Greater Wellington Regional Councillors at a Council meeting on Thursday 8 March 2012, and will be available for public consultation from late March to early May.

ENDS

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