New Council Chief Makes Impression on Wellington Businesses

New Council Chief Makes Impression on Wellington Businesses

11 June 2013

Wellington businesses will be delighted to hear that City Council CEO Kevin Lavery will be the furtherest thing from a seat warmer they could imagine, says Wellington Employers’ Chamber of Commerce CEO Raewyn Bleakely.

Mr Lavery this morning laid out for 160 members of the Chamber his vision for taking the council and Wellington forward – from investing in infrastructure such as the airport extension, a convention centre, waterfront developments and visitor attraction projects, to cutting council costs, rationalising the region’s local bodies, and developing incentives for attracting business.

“He’s certainly hit the ground running in his new job and he’s speaking the sort of language Wellington desperately needs to hear in stagnant economic times.

“He’s highlighting a number of priorities that have been on the Chamber’s agenda for a long time and he’s talking in a detailed way about how he sees he could deliver on that through the City Council and with the support of councillors, and business is delighted to hear that.

“Ideas such as setting up a $2 million economic development fund to help kick-start new projects instead of waiting for new funding at budget time, and picking the brains of the business community about the right investments show the city could be in for a very interesting time.

“The fact that he’s very cost-conscious, and wants to run the council like a business and make responsible decisions with ratepayers’ money, is very reassuring.

“It was also very heartening to hear him stress that he wanted to work with business and be genuinely open and support the really important contribution the business sector makes to the city’s future.

“Transforming the council’s relationship with business is a key to taking our economy forward.”

ENDS

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