Kia ora and welcome to the July edition of our monthly eNews. This edition features:
- WRLC’s Annual Report 2021 / 22
- WRLC Annual Partners Forum Video – available to view
- Wellington Regional Economic Development Plan gets the go ahead
- The Future of Featherston – Have your say
- WRLC July 2022 Meeting Papers
What have we been up to? WRLC Annual Report 2021/22
We are proud to share the inaugural Wellington Regional Leadership Committee Annual Report 2021-22 with you, outlining WRLC’s year one’s highlights and achievements, gives an overview of our projects, our funding, and lessons learnt.
Congratulations to the project teams within iwi, local government and central government who have delivered this work.
As a high growth urban area, our region’s cross-boundary growth-related challenges are maybe a good news story, as they’ve highlighted that we are all interconnected and achieve much more when we work together, enabling us to advance our shared goals far more than working individually.
When we all see the influence we have in our roles, we can create real impact for public good, enabling better connections between each other and helping us all to realise our desire to contribute.
We’re excited about year two as many projects move into the implementation phase, delivering tangible positive changes for the Wellington-Wairarapa-Horowhenua region.
We made a film! WRLC: Our collective story so far…
When considering how we would present the story of our work programme to date at this June’s Annual WRLC Partners Forum, WRLC Programme Director Kim Kelly said, “how about a video?” A video? Sure, how hard can that be? We said. However, true to our underpinning values of collaboration, our talented Project Leads and their teams each did an amazing job in a short timeframe, of sharing their projects goals, challenges and opportunities, and desired outcomes, to help paint the picture of the future we are collectively shaping for the region.
Thank you to everyone who contributed to making this, and to the masterminds at Mediasol.
The Wellington Regional Economic Development Plan gets the go-ahead
On Tuesday 26 July at the WRLC meeting, the committee formally approved the final version of the Wellington Regional Economic Development Plan August 2022 – 2032.
The vision for the plan is “to build a future-focused, creative, sustainabie and thriving region for all to be proud of.”
The plan has two main aims:
- Create some of the 100,000 new decent jobs needed in our region over the next 30 years due to anticipated population growth
- Improve quality of life by supporting our region to be more productive, resilient, inclusive and sustainable with thriving Maori and Pasifika communiites.
The committee were deeply impressed with the comprehensive work involved in the plan’s development, successfully led by Stuart Taylor and WellingtonNZ, who will now manage implementation of it’s 33 initiatives. The plan is designed to be a living document, to guide the region’s long-term direction, and help the region to prioritise, fund and deliver high impact economic initiatives over the next five to 10 years.
The final plan will be available shortly here.
Featherston Masterplan – Have your say by August 19th
Through last year’s comprehensive spatial planning process in South Wairarapa, Featherston was identified as a Future Growth Node (referred to as an Urban Renewal Area in the Wellington Regional Growth Framework), and has been prioritised as the first town in South Wairarapa to be masterplanned.
SWDC are now inviting feedback on their discussion document, ‘A Plan for the Future of Featherston’, and two concept options, you can view these and give your feedback – here.
Consultation ends on 5pm Friday, August 19. Formal consultation and hearings will be held later in the year. It’s hoped to finalise and release the Masterplan in early 2023.
More recently, WRLC has identified it as a Complex Development Opportunity (CDO) – read more about this on page 10 of our Annual Report.
Discussion document and feedback here
WRLC July 2022 Meeting Papers
The WRLC held their most recent meeting on Tuesday 26 July to consider, support and advance the WRLC work programme.
You can view their meeting papers here.
About the Wellington Regional Leadership Committee
WRLC is a joint regional partnership which brings together Iwi leaders, Mayors, Ministers of Government, and an independent chair, to join up thinking and work collaboratively on the cross-boundary, growth-related challenges in the Wellington-Wairarapa-Horowhenua region.
WRLC brings a solution-focused approach to exploring and activating better ways of working together on the region’s challenges and opportunities, working better today to positively shape tomorrow, ensuring our region is a place where people want to live and work.
WRLC is supporting and building the region’s capacity to work together and demonstrate shared responsibility for our challenges, unlocking and maximising our potential to a build positive future for our region and it’s people.
Our work covers five key areas: Iwi capacity, housing, climate change, transport and economic development and recovery. You can find out more about our projects on our project page.
If you have any questions or are interested in getting involved, you can contact us at hello@wrlc.org.nz
