1 9 February 2022

HUTT CITY COUNCIL

Wainuiomata Community Board | Poari Hapori o Wainuiomata

Minutes of a meeting held in the Wainuiomata Library, Queen Street, Wainuiomata on

Wednesday 9 February 2022 commencing at 6.30pm

PRESENT:	Mr G Tupou (Chair)	Ms D McKinley
	Mr G Sue	Ms S Tuala-Le’afa (via audio-visual link)
	Cr K Brown

APOLOGIES:                  Mr T Stallworth and Mrs J Winterburn

IN ATTENDANCE:        Mayor C Barry (part meeting)
Ms H Oram, Director Environment and Sustainability
Mr B Hu, Traffic Engineering Manager

                                          Ms J Randall, Democracy Advisor

PUBLIC BUSINESS

1. APOLOGIES

Resolved: (Mr Tupou/Ms McKinley)                                  Minute No. WCB 22101

“That the apologies received from Mr Stallworth and Mrs Winterburn be accepted and leave of absence be granted.”

2.       PUBLIC COMMENT

Comments are recorded under the item to which they relate.

Precedence of Business

In terms of Standing Order 10.4, the Chair accorded precedence to item 4 ‘Presentation by a Local Councillor from Greater Wellington Regional Council’. The item is recorded in the order in which it is listed on the Order Paper.

3.

Mayor's Address Mayor Barry provided a verbal address attached as page 6 to the minutes. In response to a question from a member, Mayor Barry advised consultation on Three Waters Reforms would take place once government had confirmed the draft bill.

4.

Presentation by Local Councillor from Greater Wellington Regional Council Cr van Lier from Greater Wellington Regional Council (GWRC) provided an update as follows: · A feasibility study was completed at the end of 2021 for an eco-sanctuary with a predator proof fence behind Wainuiomata. The results of the study would be publicly released soon. The area held a significant expanse of conservation forest and would provide benefits for a range of species. There was a possibility of funding from GWRC ‘s 2022-2023 budget.   · GWRC rates for the 2022-23 year were expected to follow the GWRC Long Term Plan forecast with an average increase of $80 per year. Some increases would be targeted. · A plan to provide free bus fares in March 2022 had been postponed due to the risk of Omicron. Free bus fares would be rolled out at a future date with buses linking to events in the region.  · The Airport Flyer service was on schedule to commence by 1 July 2022 between Wellington Airport and Wellington Railway Station. It would be integrated with GWRC’s wider public transport system and would incorporate the use of Snapper cards. · An integrated ticketing system for public transport in the region would be delayed until the end of 2024. Snapper card trials on the Johnsonville train line were a success and the trial was likely to be expanded. · The public transport fare structure was being reviewed and consultation would take place in May or June 2022. GWRC would be looking at incorporating flat rates, reduced zones, capped fares, family passes and event passes. They were also considering expanding concessions to Community Service Card holders. In response to questions from members, Cr van Lier advised that although the eco-sanctuary would be closed to the public, it could be open for educational outreach by schools and groups. He noted there would be wider ecological benefits for Wainuiomata with more bird life and green spaces. He said the sanctuary could not go ahead without funding from the Department of Conservation.  He noted government was supportive of the initiative. He added that GWRC’s work supporting endangered species would continue even if no funding was available for the eco-sanctuary.

5. CONFLICT OF INTEREST DECLARATIONS

There were no conflict of interest declarations.

6.       Minutes

Resolved: (Mr Tupou/Ms McKinley)                                   Minute No. WCB 22102

“That the minutes of the meeting of the Wainuiomata Community Board held on Wednesday,
3 November 2021, be confirmed as a true and correct record.”

7.	Democracy Advisor's Report (21/2225) Report No. WCB2022/1/12 by the Democracy Advisor
	Speaking under public comment, Ms Julie Sylvester requested additional information about Council’s intention to grant an easement for vehicle access for 166 and 169 Upper Fitzherbert Road. The Democracy Advisor agreed to send Ms Sylvester more information about the easement. In response to a question from a member, the Democracy Advisor agreed to report back on the expected date of the Electric Vehicle charging station installation in Wainuiomata.
	Resolved: (Mr Tupou/Mr Sue) Minute No. WCB 22103 “That the Board receives and notes the report.”

8.       Information Items

a)	Wainuiomata Local Area Traffic Management - update (22/63) Memorandum dated 21 January 2022 by the Traffic Engineering Manager
	The Traffic Engineering Manager elaborated on the memorandum. He confirmed Council expected to have draft designs for the project completed by April 2022 and would then plan consultation and implementation. In response to questions from members, the Traffic Engineering Manager advised he would confirm dates for the consultation at the Board’s meeting on 13 April 2022. He agreed the schools impacted by the changes would be asked for input before Council undertook consultation.
	Resolved: (Mr Tupou/Cr Brown) Minute No. WCB 22104 “That the report be noted and received.”

b)	Traffic Resolutions - Confirmation of Restrictions Installed under Land Transport (Road User) Rule 2004 (22/101) Report No. WCB2022/1/15 by the Transport Asset and Planning Lead
	The Traffic Engineering Manager acknowledged that recommendation (2)a contained in the officer’s report referred to an address in Naenae rather than Wainuiomata. Members noted that recommendation (2)a in the report would not be considered at this meeting.
	Resolved: (Mr Tupou/Cr Brown) Minute No. WCB 22105 “That the Board: (1)   receives the report; (2)   notes that the following parking restriction has been installed within the Wainuiomata Community Board catchment area as follows: · the installation of a No Stopping – At All Times restriction (8 metres) across the vehicle access (driveway) serving property number 18 Main Road, Wainuiomata, as shown on the plan attached as Appendix 2 to the report; (3)   notes that Council will rescind any previous resolutions pertaining to traffic controls made pursuant to any bylaw to the extent that they conflict with the traffic controls described in this resolution; at its meeting in February 2022; and (4)   notes that these restrictions have already been installed and are currently being enforced through the Land Transport (Road User) Rule 2004.” For the reason that the parking restrictions appear in the Land Transport (Road User) Rule 2004, and these resolutions formally reinforce the restriction(s) as recommended in Part 13 – Parking Control – Traffic Control Devices Manual.

Minor item not on the agenda

Resolved: (Mr Tupou/Ms McKinley)                                  Minute No. WCB 22106

“That in terms of Standing Order 10.13, the Board agrees that a minor matter relating to the Chair’s report which was not included on the order paper be discussed at this meeting.”

Chair’s Report

The Chair’s report was tabled by the Chair and is attached as page 7 to the minutes.

10.     QUESTIONS

There were no questions.

The meeting was concluded with a Karakia.

There being no further business the Chair declared the meeting closed at 7.33 pm.

G Tupou

CHAIR

CONFIRMED as a true and correct record

Dated this 13th day of April 2022

Mayoral Address

Kia ora tatou,  

Firstly, welcome back, I hope you have all had a refreshing summer break and are feeling energised as we get back into work for 2022!    This year we will be heavily focusing on delivering our Long Term Plan. As you know, over the next ten years Council will invest $1.5 billion in projects that aim to build strong foundations for the future of our city.    In particular, we are addressing issues within our Three Waters network and transport infrastructure, both of which continue to affect the communities you represent.  

If we want to build a city where everyone can thrive, we need to get the basics right – and that starts with ensuring our water is safe to drink, our systems handling storm events, and our infrastructure having the capacity to support the growth we’re experiencing.  And it also means building and improving a transport system that makes it easier for everyone to get around our city. Whether it be on public transport, on bikes, walking, or in private vehicles, we are determined to address the causes of congestion so all modes can move around Lower Hutt efficiently.  

Wainuiomata

In Wainuiomata, work will continue to repair and replace leaky pipes and solve cross-contamination issues to improve our waterways.  We’re also progressing our ambitious plan to refresh and rejuvenate the heart of Wainuiomata. This involves investing $5.5 million into the Queen St redevelopment in 2022, so that we can bring some life back to our town centre. Recently we announced our lead contractor, and work will be starting soon once designs are finalised.  

I’ve been seeing and hearing some concern around the loss of parking spaces along Queen St. It’s important to note that there are still some design changes to come, so we don’t have a final number yet for net parking spaces changes.  However, the Countdown redevelopment saw a significant increase in parking spaces – up to 235 now.   Ultimately, we want Queen St to be a space for people and revitalising the area to cater for this will be hugely beneficial for local businesses.  

COVID-19

2022 is shaping up to be another busy year, and it’s fair to say COVID-19 is going to continue to play a part.   I urge you all to encourage members of your community to get boosted, or vaccinated if they haven’t started that journey yet, and continue to scan into places they visit.  

With omicron being the dominant variant in New Zealand now, cases are sure to rise. We need to do everything we can to prevent the spread, but in the case that it does, we need to be equipped to track and deal with outbreaks.  And encourage your communities to be prepared for self-isolation. Every family, big or small, needs to have a plan for how they can be supported in the event that a member has to self-isolate.  

Conclusion

While 2022 will include a number of challenges, I’m confident that this year will also be full of amazing opportunities.  The work we’re doing together in Lower Hutt – getting the basics right to build the foundations needed for our future – will bring our communities closer together, and I’m excited to see what we will collectively achieve this year.