This week Wellington City Council voted to bring rates down to 3.9%, from a mooted 7.1% in the Draft Long Term Plan.

Wellington Mayor Justin Lester says keeping the rates down is part of ensuring Wellington remains affordable over the next decade.

“The challenge is to keep the city affordable for Wellingtonians while making sure that we tackle issues like housing and transport and continue to grow our economy.”

The Mayor says resilience is at the top of the priority list for the next 10 years.

“Resilience underpins everything we do. We are undergoing unprecedented investment in resilience for this city, and it’s not something we can afford to push back.

“Transport and housing are also key priorities because Wellingtonians need to have safe, comfortable and affordable homes to live in and healthy, efficient and environmentally-friendly choices in the way that they move around the city.”

The Mayor says the economy and the city’s creative sector go hand-in-hand.

“Our creative sector has always been our point of difference. It encompasses the arts, technology, science, innovation, food and fashion. We are a city of thinkers, makers and doers and our investments into bricks and mortar like the Town Hall as well as funding for new events such as Matariki all work to benefit the sector and, in effect, the city’s economy.”

The Mayor says a key part of the LTP’s focus on the Decade of Culture is about attracting, retaining and supporting talent in Wellington. He says keeping the rates low while catering to the needs of a growing population means the Council needs to look for alternate sources of funding to alleviate cost pressures.

“We are looking for avenues that are equitable and will have real impact.”

Deputy Mayor Jill Day, who Chairs the Council’s Long Term Plan Committee, says Council officers have worked hard to get to this point and now it’s up to the community to engage with their feedback.

“Wellingtonians now have the chance to tell us what they think of the plan that the Council has put forward for the next 10 years

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