Thursday 16 August 2018

Aspirations to provide for the intergenerational wellbeing of residents are key to a green paper vision presented to Horowhenua District Council’s Strategy Committee meeting yesterday.

The draft vision is supported by a programme of works aimed at growing neighbourhoods and building stronger communities that are better equipped to withstand the shocks and stresses of the changing environment and economy.

The draft Horowhenua 2040 vision is:

With many hands the threads which weave our neighbourhoods and communities together will be strengthened from the Tararua Ranges to the sea.

He rau ringa e pakari ai ngā taura whiri i ō tātou kāinga noho me ō tātou hapori – mai i te pae maunga o Tararua ki te moana.

Community Wellbeing Committee Chair Barry Judd said the draft vision is the start of a community conversation that will drive Council’s policies and programmes in future, as well as build collaborative leadership with community groups and government agencies.

“Together we can achieve real results for those in need, grow our economy and improve our environment across Horowhenua.”

Council’s Group Manager Customer and Regulatory Services, Nicki Brady, has led the development of the vision, which was created with Council’s Community Outcomes in mind and is supported by three themes:

• People – our place of opportunity:

o Education – to ensure people have opportunities to reach their full potential and smooth transitions to and from work

o Housing for all

o Improving health, wellbeing and resilience, and ensuring safety

o Ensuring a good start in life

• Community – our vibrant and connected place

o Build cohesive and strong communities, connecting our residents, local groups and community organisations

o Strengthen our community and social sector

o Empower and enable communities to become more resilient in the face of adversity

• Place – our place to live, work and play

o Deliver infrastructure for growth

o Support the local economy to grow

o Contribute and promote cultural traditions

o Ensure a safe and clean environment.

Mrs Brady said as a fourth-generation Levin resident and a mother, it had been an honour to help create the new vision for the District.

“I am born and bred in the Horowhenua and am very proud to call this district my home. I care deeply for those who live here and want our environment to reflect our history, beauty and diversity,” she said.

“Moreover, there is a level of excitement by the groups I’ve spoken with about the new approach. We are hoping it will create a community conversation about how we can collectively improve the wellbeing of our Horowhenua residents.”

Cr Judd said the draft Horowhenua 2040 vision was well received by the Committee when it was presented at the meeting on Tuesday.

“As a Committee we have six action points which we are working towards and have had some excellent traction in these areas through our collaborative approach. We can see that this platform will allow us to achieve more together and that is a very exciting prospect,” Mr Judd said.

“We are considering the programme of work which would be required to deliver our vision. This includes a number of projects to stimulate regeneration, recreation and beautification in our towns, build capability and capacity and increase productivity.”

Mrs Brady said that Council had looked into the Provincial Growth Fund and considered those projects which aligned to the intent and criteria of the fund.

“Over the past few months a number of our team have worked really hard to develop a programme of work to achieve our aspirations. We are now in a position to approach the Provincial Growth Fund so we can grow and investigate the possibilities further,” Mrs Brady said.

What is a green paper?

A green paper is a tentative government report or strategy that has been prepared for discussion. It is not set in concrete and, in this case, the Council is keen for the community to have its say alongside the stakeholders already engaged in the process. Eventually, the vision will be a living aspirational goal of Council and all plans and projects carried out by Council will work towards achieving the vision.

ENDS

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