Long Term Plan 2018-2028 Have Your Say on Our Extraordinary Region
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Consultation Document for the Greater Wellington Regional Council LONG TERM PLAN 2018-2028 HAVE YOUR SAY ON OUR EXTRAORDINARY REGION The proposals in this draft 10 Year Plan require an increase Greater Wellington Regional in rates of $8 million in 2018/19 and $75 million over the 10 Council (Greater Wellington) years of the plan. This equates to an average rates increase of 6.7 percent for the 2018/19 year. In the next three years is reviewing what we plan to the average rates increase will be 6.3 percent and over the 10 years of the plan, the average annual rates increase will be deliver to our community over 5 percent. the next 10 years and beyond. The proposed average increase in residential rates across our region in the 2018/19 year is $30.89 a year, $2.57 per In this consultation document, we outline our key priorities month. for the next decade. These priorities will affect you and your community. As part of the 10 year planning process, we’re also reviewing our Revenue and Financing Policy. This policy sets out how The world we live in is changing. It’s very different from we allocate rates across the region and among different the world of a decade ago. We are adapting our thinking groups of ratepayers. We’re proposing to change how to address these changes and looking to what our region’s we allocate funding through rates for our work in public future needs may be. In particular, we’re continuing to invest transport and flood management. We want your feedback in the resilience of our region so we are equipped for the on the proposed changes. A summary of the changes is challenges that climate change and events such as floods and included in this document and more detail is at earthquakes could bring to the Wellington region. www.whatmatters.co.nz. Much of what we deliver is part of long-term programmes. While these adjust to changing circumstances over time, the overall direction remains consistent with previous Finding more information consultation with the community. We’re not proposing any significant changes, but we do want your feedback on three This document allows you to give us feedback on our key choices: issues. We can’t cover everything that Greater Wellington does in this document, so you’ll find more information in our • How we improve the long-term levels of service on the supporting documents. Wairarapa rail line and the Capital Connection You can find our Supporting Information (including our • What level of capability we want for the Wellington Infrastructure Strategy and Financial Strategy), which Region Emergency Management Office (WREMO) provides more detail on our work programme, at • Whether Greater Wellington should continue leading www.whatmatters.co.nz. You’ll also find details of the a programme to establish additional water storage for concurrent consultation on the changes to our Revenue and Wairarapa Financing Policy. We are also highlighting some areas where we will be seeking feedback from the community at a later date. These relate to future options for Wellington’s transport network and how the region is set up to deliver economic development programmes. Consultation period: Monday 26 March to Sunday 29 April 2018 2 OUR VISION AND PRIORITIES Our vision: An extraordinary region – thriving, connected and resilient Greater Wellington has identified four key priorities for the Wellington region over the next 10 years. FRESHWATER QUALITY AND BIODIVERSITY The quality of the freshwater in our rivers, lakes and streams is maintained or improved, and our region has healthy plant, bird and wildlife habitats REGIONAL RESILIENCE Our infrastructure is resilient to adverse events and supports our region’s economic and social development WATER SUPPLY Our bulk water supply infrastructure consistently delivers high-quality drinking water to the four city councils (Porirua, Hutt City, Upper Hutt and Wellington) PUBLIC TRANSPORT The Wellington region has a world-class integrated public transport network Greater Wellington is committed to mitigating the effects of climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions across all its areas of influence, helping to create the conditions for a smart, innovative, low-carbon regional economy. Investing in our Extraordinary Region – Consultation Document for the Greater Wellington Regional Council Long Term Plan 2018-2028 3 4 KEY PROGRAMMES Much of what we deliver is part of long-term programmes to address our priorities and the challenges ahead. We have outlined our key programmes on the following pages, all of which have been the subject of previous consultation processes. For this 10 Year Plan we have reviewed and updated these programmes to reflect current circumstances. This has meant some changes to timing and costs. Investing in our Extraordinary Region – Consultation Document for the Greater Wellington Regional Council Long Term Plan 2018-2028 5 6 PUBLIC TRANSPORT Meeting customers’ A single ticketing system The extension of Snapper in July 2018 across the entire bus expectations for the Metlink fleet will mark a significant improvement for ticketing on bus services. The extension of Snapper is an interim solution and network and services is a prelude to a single ticketing system for travel on all public transport in the region, whether by bus, train or ferry. Greater The Wellington region has a high-quality, well-used public Wellington is working closely with the NZ Transport Agency transport network (the Metlink network). Per capita, we and other regions as part of a national approach to integrated have the country’s highest number of public transport users. ticketing. To prepare for this, a new Metlink fare schedule Our buses, trains and harbour ferries play an important role will come into effect in July 2018. The new fares have been in helping people get to work and to play, and contribute simplified and applied consistently across the network. significantly to the region’s liveability and economic productivity. Transforming your bus experience Delivering on our vision of a world-class public transport system is a big focus for Greater Wellington. We have a long- The Wellington city bus network service is stretched, and term commitment to improving public transport services in future demands and expectations will make this worse. The the region and it will take time and money to make changes. new bus network will provide greater coverage and high We’ve already seen the benefits of the substantial investment frequency routes (increased capacity). In preparation for we’ve made in the Matangi trains. We’re now delivering a the new bus network we are developing transfer hubs and similar step change to the bus network. In mid-2018 we will be shelters and more extensive public transport information, launching a new bus network in Wellington, and bus operators including Real Time Information and wayfinding. While the will be working under new contracts throughout new bus network will significantly improve the overall bus the region. service levels, it will not meet all current and future patronage demands or customer expectations. Capacity and frequency We understand that expectations of the services we deliver of service levels could be enhanced to attract patronage and are evolving. It is clear from customer feedback that you want better cope with urban population and economic growth. As a us to invest in reducing emissions and providing seamless result, the 10 Year Plan includes funding for additional service connections. The introduction of new buses in 2018 will enhancements for greater coverage, capacity, shoulder reduce congestion and harmful emissions. A more modern peak service and frequency. We’ve allocated $600,000 for fleet, alongside our commitment to a higher level of customer these improvements in 2018/19, as well as ongoing funding service, will bring us closer to meeting our goal of providing throughout the 10 years of the plan. the region with a modern, world-class public transport network. We will be introducing a single ticket system for the bus network and are on the way to a system which means you Overall for this area, the level of service is proposed to can travel on a bus, train and ferry using one ticket. This is all increase over the 10 years of the plan. part of our Public Transport Transformation Programme. Our focus over the next 10 years is: 1. Continually improving levels of service for customers 2. Unlocking capacity to cater for ongoing and expected high levels of population and economic growth 3. Improving the resilience of the network as a whole Investing in our Extraordinary Region – Consultation Document for the Greater Wellington Regional Council Long Term Plan 2018-2028 7 REGIONAL RESILIENCE Being prepared to cope with RiverLink – a key flood management programme emergencies A key project for Greater Wellington is RiverLink. This is We have an important to role to play readying our region for a joint project with the Hutt City Council and the New adverse events. This means providing support to you and your Zealand Transport Agency to protect the Hutt CBD, and family, protecting core infrastructure such as water supply and areas downstream, from the effects of a major flood. The plan public transport from the effects of emergency events, and includes widening the river and constructing larger stopbanks, making sure we’re in a position to recover. contributing to the regeneration of the city centre and improving transport options that connect central Lower Hutt We need to be confident we have the right systems and to State Highway 2. structures in place given the increased frequency and severity of events. RiverLink will deliver the levels of service agreed and consulted on as part of the floodplain management plan some We administer and resource the Wellington Regional years ago and confirmed through the Hutt Valley Flood Emergency Management Office (WREMO), which is jointly Management Subcommittee.