From:
Sophie Farrell on behalf of Simeon Brown (MIN)
To:
Councillor Diane Calvert
Subject:
RE: CB-COR0339_transfer request | Concerns about WCC planning, delivery and funding of transport and water infrastructure projects including transparent and effective decision making
Date:
Friday, 14 June 2024 12:13:41 pm
Attachments:
image002.png
Ministieral response to Councillor Dianne Calvert.pdf
Dear Diane,
Please find attached recent correspondence from Hon Simeon Brown.
Kind regards,
Office of Hon Simeon Brown
Minister of Transport, Minister of Local Government, Minister for Energy, Minster for Auckland
Email: [email address] Website: www.Beehive,govt.nz
Private Bag 18041, Parliament Buildings, Wellington 6160, New Zealand
Disclaimer: The information in this email (including attachments) is confidential and may be legally privileged. If an addressing or transmission error has misdirected this
email, please notify the author by replying to this email and destroy the message. If you are not the intended recipient, any use, disclosure, copying or distribution is
prohibited and may be unlawful.
Please note information about meetings related to the Ministers’ portfolios will be proactively released (this does not include personal or constituency matters). For each
meeting in scope, the summary would list: date, time (start and finish), brief description, location, who the meeting was with, and the portfolio. If you attend a meeting with the
Minister on behalf of an organisation, the name of the organisation will be released. If you are a senior staff member at an organisation, or meet with the Minister in your
personal capacity, your name may also be released. The location of the meeting will be released, unless it is a private residence. The proactive release will be consistent with
the provisions in the Official Information Act, including privacy considerations. Under the Privacy Act 1993 you have the right to ask for a copy of any personal information we
hold about you, and to ask for it to be corrected if you think it is wrong. If you’d like to ask for a copy of your information, or to have it corrected, or are concerned about the
release of your information in the meeting disclosure, please contact the sender. You can read more about the proactive release policy at https://www.dia.govt.nz/Proactive-
Releases#MS
From: Councillor Diane Calvert <[email address]>
Sent: Monday, May 20, 2024 3:23 PM
To: Christopher Bishop (MIN) <[email address]>; Simeon Brown (MIN) <[email address]>
Cc: Nicola Willis (MIN) <[email address]>; Paul Robinson
; Steve Piper <s
>; Kirk Hope <
>;
[email address]
Subject: Concerns about WCC planning, delivery and funding of transport and water infrastructure projects including transparent and effective decision making
Importance: High
Kia ora Ministers
I know that you have both recently clearly expressed that Wellington City Council (WCC) work better with businesses in respect of delivering the Golden Mile transport project
(ex LGWM) funded 51% through funding provided by NZTA.
However I and others (both public and elected members) continue to hold concerns about the intention and capability of WCC to deliver this project amongst myriad other
piecemeal transport projects and in accordance with Government’s direction and funding via NZTA.
I say this because:
1. There is
no integrated plan for all transport routes through the CBD (despite LGWM having this in their brief for seven years) which WCC has received in part or due to
apply for NZTA funding. The concern here is that ratepayer and tax payer funding may not be allocated fairly leaving gold plated designs on one route and sub-optimal
design on others. A new plan for Wellington, post-Let’s Get Wellington Moving | The Spinoff
2. There has been
no active engagement with businesses by WCC along the Golden Mile since the Government made its intentions known to Council in December 2023
and your subsequent “please explain” letter Government vs Wellington council tensions laid bare in Golden Mile stoush | The Post
3. WCC is
not intending to change its Golden Mile design in any way other than potentially delay the Lambton Quay portion. It still retains the entire funding of $141
million in its draft budget
Pg 14.
4. WCC officers have recently claimed the
Golden Mile design cannot be altered because the 51% funding by NZTA will be forfeited (despite potentially some of this
funding could be better applied to other CBD transport projects). This seems inconsistent with other WCC advice given that WCC proposes not planning on proceeding
with the Hutt Rd portion of the Thorndon Quay/Hutt Rd transport project and seemingly able to adjust the NZTA funding without loss of the entire allocated funding.
5. The construction of the Thorndon Quay/Hutt road multimillion dollar bike lane has been
bereft with issues for businesses facing disproportionate financial harm
6. Thorndon Quay businesses have recently expressed concerns on the lack of engagement and support by WCC and its contractors despite undertakings made by WCC for
the construction phase.
7. At the time of both WCC and NZTA approval of the Golden Mile ($141 million) and Thorndon Quay/Hutt Rd ($93.6 million) projects in June/July 2023,
there was no
inclusion or mention of the water infrastructure renewal costs for either routes. Note subsequently the Golden Mile water infrastructure renewal work of an additional
$30 million is now included in its long term plan-
Pg 33 and
to be funded solely by WCC (removing funding from more critical water infrastructure renewal work
elsewhere in the city)
8. WCC officers recently admitted that they did not inform elected members or the public of the
need to replace the water infrastructure under Thorndon Quay as part
of the construction. This renewal work (as at June 2020 the figure was $10.6 million) is not planned or budgeted for in the Council’s draft 10 year plan despite officers
admitting that the work will likely need to be completed within five years of the plan (51% funded via NZTA). The yet to be completed work will now need to be ripped
up for the water infrastructure renewal work in a few years because of lack of planning and information provided by WCC officers. What a waste of ratepayers and
taxpayers funding. Leaky pipes buried under new $55m bus and cycle way that could be ripped up | The Post
9. WCC is proposing to
defer 25% of transport renewals yet still wants to proceed with new transport projects costing ratepayers even more
Pg 27
A number of elected members including me are supporting both residents and business owners by holding WCC to account for its continuing lack of engagement with impacted
businesses, reduced service levels to Wellingtonians and the less than adequate quality delivery of major transport projects Seven Wellington City councillors sign notice to
pause on Golden Mile | The Post This is all against a backdrop of a very fragile overall financial situation facing the city and its ratepayers.
Business owners are also attempting to hold WCC to account. ‘A disaster unfolding’: Businesses face nine months of Thorndon Quay roadworks | The Post This is not helped by
WCC officers seemingly using their resources to minimise, deflect and discredit both business owners and elected members’ concerns. Wellington City councillors, staff clash
over alleged meeting ban | The Post
However we need support from Government to ensure the public’s broader concerns are addressed and government agencies do not contribute to WCC undertaking projects
it cannot afford. This includes more active monitoring by NZTA of funds allocated and ensuring benefits are real, improved monitoring by the Ministry of Transport of NZTA and
improved monitoring by Department of Internal Affairs (Local Government) ensuring WCC is acting in good faith in accordance with the Local Government legislation.
In the meantime, both the Government and public would benefit from having an independent observer to ensure information being provided by WCC is both accurate and is
not misleading through omission of facts or the timely access to information. The observer (supported by a team) would give assurance to both the Government (including its
respective agencies) and the public (residents and business owners) on the quality and delivery of the WCC’s engagement practices, its decision making (including the quality of
advice provided by officers) and how elected members are able to carry out their duties effectively and unhindered.
I am happy to meet with you along with small business owners to further discuss my concerns and seek a reasonable solution to the issues facing the capital city, its citizens and
businesses.
Regards
Diane
Councillor Diane Calvert
Wellington City Council | Wharangi/Onslow-Western Ward
P
[email address] | W Wellington.govt.nz | F dianecalvertnz | T dianecalvertnz | W dianecalvert.nz
The information contained in this email is privileged and confidential and intended for the addressee only. If you are not the intended recipient, you are asked to respect that confidentiality and not disclose, copy or make use
of its contents.
If received in error, you are asked to destroy this email and contact the sender immediately. Your assistance is appreciated.
