12 October 2017

Statement from Diane Calvert, Wellington City Council (Onslow-Western Ward) re Karori Campus

Victoria University, Wellington (VUW) recently advised they have put the whole of the Karori Campus site, (excluding the carparking area purchased by Wellington City Council for the Karori Swimming Pool) on the open market with tenders closing in late November. VUW considers that the University has complied with its obligations under the Public Works Act.

The Ministry of Education had been negotiating with VUW under the Public Works Act in relation to its requirements for educational purposes. Recreational courts space on the campus site is included in these requirements (for both educational and community use).

On Tuesday this week, myself, the Mayor and the Chief Executive from the Council met with Minister Kaye, local MP Grant Robertson and senior Ministry of Education officials to discuss the current state of negotiations in respect of the Karori Campus and the Ministry’s requirements under the Public Works Act.

The Ministry has advised that I may publicly release their letter to me and which is attached to this release. The Council supports the Ministry’s position.

We look forward to these negotiations reaching a satisfactory outcome for all parties. Local councillors (myself, Simon Woolf and Andy Foster) will also continue to advocate for the continuation and expansion of community activities on any part of the site that is not subject to the Public Works Act.

http://img.scoop.co.nz/media/pdfs/1710/Councillor_Diane_Calvert_4_October_2017_from_MinED.PDF

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