Wellington City Council Te Kaunihera o Pōneke | |
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Type | |
Type | |
Leadership | |
Tory Whanau,Green | |
Deputy Mayor | Laurie Foon,Green |
Structure | |
Seats | 16 [lower-alpha 1] |
Political groups |
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Elections | |
STV | |
Last election | 8 October 2022 |
Next election | 11 October 2025 |
Meeting place | |
Ngake, Level 16, 113 The Terrace, Wellington [1] | |
Website | |
wellington.govt.nz/ | |
Footnotes | |
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Wellington City Council is a territorial authority in New Zealand, governing the city of Wellington, the country's capital city and third-largest city by population, behind Auckland and Christchurch. It consists of the central historic town and certain additional areas within the Wellington metropolitan area, extending as far north as Linden and covering rural areas such as Mākara and Ohariu. The city adjoins Porirua in the north and Hutt City in the north-east. It is one of nine territorial authorities in the Wellington Region.
Wellington attained city status in 1886. The settlement had become the colonial capital and seat of government by 1865, replacing Auckland. Parliament officially sat in Wellington for the first time on 26 July 1865. During the last half of the nineteenth century, Wellington grew rapidly from 7,460 residents in 1867 to 49,344 by the end of the century. [2]
The council represents a population of 216,200 as of June 2023 [3] and consists of a mayor and fifteen councillors elected from six wards (Northern, Onslow-Western, Lambton, Eastern, Southern general wards and Te Whanganui-a-Tara Māori ward). [n 1] [4] It administers public works, sanitation, land use and building consents, among other local services. The council has used the marketing slogan "Absolutely Positively Wellington" in an official capacity since the early 1990s. [5]
The mayor and all councillors are members of council. Following a review in 2021 by former Local Government New Zealand chief executive Peter Winder, the council adopted a new committee structure. [6] All committees apart from Te Kaunihera o Pōneke Council and Ngutu Taki CEO Performance Review Committee include two mana whenua representatives, who are paid and have voting rights. [7]
Committee | Chair | Deputy Chair | Membership |
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Te Kaunihera o Pōneke | Mayor Tory Whanau | Deputy Mayor Laurie Foon | Mayor and all councillors |
Unaunahi Māhirahira Audit and Risk Subcommittee | Independent appointment | Cr Tony Randle | Mayor Tory Whanau, Cr John Apanowicz, Cr Ray Chung, Cr Iona Pannett, Pouiwi Liz Kelly (Tākai Here representative) |
Kōrau Tūāpapa Environment and Infrastructure Committee | Cr Tim Brown | Mayor and all councillors and two Tākai Here representatives | |
Kōrau Mātinitini Social, Cultural and Economic Committee | Cr Teri O'Neill | Cr Nureddin Abdurahman | Mayor and all councillors and two Tākai Here representatives |
Kāwai Whakatipu Grants Subcommittee | Cr Nicola Young | Cr Nīkau Wi Neera | Mayor and deputy mayor, Cr Brown, Cr Matthews, Cr O'Neill |
Kōrau Tōtōpū Annual Plan/Long-term Plan, Finance and Performance Committee | Cr Rebecca Matthews | Councillor John Apanowicz | Mayor and all councillors and two Tākai Here representatives |
Koata Hātepe Regulatory Processes Committee | Cr Sarah Free | Cr Ben McNulty | Mayor Whanau, Cr Abdurahman, Cr Calvert, Cr Paul, Pouiwi Holden Hohaia and Pouiwi Liz Kelly (Tākai Here representatives) |
Ngutu Taki CEO Performance Review Committee | Mayor Tory Whanau | Deputy Mayor Laurie Soon | Cr Matthews, Cr O'Neill, Cr Paul |
Wellington's local electoral wards were given Māori names in 2018, after consultation with mana whenua. [8]
One mayor is elected at large from the entire Wellington City district.
Name | Affiliation (if any) | First elected | Responsibilities | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Tory Whanau | Independent | 2022 |
|
Te Whanganui a Tara is a Māori ward created by Wellington City Council in 2021. [9] The 2022 election returned Nīkau Wi-Neera as its first-ever councillor. [10]
Name | Affiliation (if any) | First elected | Responsibilities | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Nīkau Wi-Neera | Greens | 2022 |
| |
Motukairangi/Eastern Ward returns three councillors to the Wellington City Council. Since 2022 the councillors are:
Name | Affiliation (if any) | First elected | Responsibilities | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Sarah Free | Independent | 2013 |
| |
Teri O'Neill | Labour | 2019 |
| |
Tim Brown | Independent | 2022 |
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Pukehīnau/Lambton Ward returns three councillors to the Wellington City Council. Since 2024 the councillors are:
Name | Affiliation (if any) | First elected | Responsibilities | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Iona Pannett | Independent | 2007 |
| |
Nicola Young | Independent | 2013 |
| |
Geordie Rogers | Greens | 2024 |
Takapū/Northern Ward returns three councillors to the Wellington City Council. Since 2022 the councillors are:
Name | Affiliation (if any) | First elected | Responsibilities | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Ben McNulty | Labour | 2022 |
| |
Tony Randle | Independent | 2022 |
| |
John Apanowicz | A Voice for Wellington | 2022 |
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Wharangi/Onslow-Western Ward returns three councillors to the Wellington City Council. Since 2022 the councillors are:
Name | Affiliation (if any) | First elected | Responsibilities | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Diane Calvert | Independent | 2016 |
| |
Rebecca Matthews | Labour | 2019 |
| |
Ray Chung | Independent | 2022 |
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Paekawakawa/Southern Ward is the only ward that returns two councillors to the Wellington City Council (all others returning one or three). Since 2022 the councillors are:
Name | Affiliation (if any) | First elected | Responsibilities | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Laurie Foon | Greens | 2019 |
| |
Nureddin Abdurahman | Labour | 2022 |
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The council has created two local community boards under the provisions of Part 4 of the Local Government Act 2002, [25] with members elected using a single transferable vote (STV) system [26] or appointed by the council.
These are:
|
Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
---|---|---|
2006 | 179,466 | — |
2013 | 190,956 | +0.89% |
2018 | 202,737 | +1.20% |
Source: [31] |
Wellington City had a population of 202,737 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 11,781 people (6.2%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 23,271 people (13.0%) since the 2006 census. There were 74,841 households. There were 98,823 males and 103,911 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.95 males per female. The median age was 34.1 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 32,856 people (16.2%) aged under 15 years, 54,999 (27.1%) aged 15 to 29, 93,669 (46.2%) aged 30 to 64, and 21,213 (10.5%) aged 65 or older.
Ethnicities were 74.1% European/Pākehā, 8.6% Māori, 5.1% Pacific peoples, 18.3% Asian, and 4.5% other ethnicities (totals add to more than 100% since people could identify with multiple ethnicities).
The proportion of people born overseas was 33.4%, compared with 27.1% nationally.
Although some people objected to giving their religion, 53.2% had no religion, 31.4% were Christian, 3.7% were Hindu, 1.6% were Muslim, 1.7% were Buddhist and 3.3% had other religions.
Of those at least 15 years old, 74,922 (44.1%) people had a bachelor or higher degree, and 12,690 (7.5%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $41,800, compared with $31,800 nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 96,453 (56.8%) people were employed full-time, 24,738 (14.6%) were part-time, and 7,719 (4.5%) were unemployed. [31]
Name | Population | Households | Median age | Median income |
---|---|---|---|---|
Takapū Northern Ward | 47,796 | 16,467 | 35.9 years | $41,500 |
Wharangi Onslow-Western Ward | 43,176 | 15,750 | 38.6 years | $51,800 |
Pukehīnau Lambton Ward | 46,140 | 18,204 | 28.4 years | $37,500 |
Motukairangi Eastern Ward | 37,965 | 14,199 | 37 years | $41,100 |
Paekawakawa Southern Ward | 27,654 | 10,221 | 34 years | $38,700 |
New Zealand | 37.4 years | $31,800 |
Wellington city has 57 officially defined suburbs; one can group them by the wards used to elect the city council. Some areas, while officially forming part of a larger suburb (or several suburbs), are considered by some to be separate communities. The officially defined suburbs include:
Within Lambton Ward, the council's tourism agency has designated three inner-city "quarters", as marketing subdivisions to promote international and domestic tourism. They are:
The Wellington City Council owns or directly operates several companies.
The council is a part-owner of Wellington Airport, and has two representatives on the airport's board. Mayor Andy Foster has been a member of the board since 2016, but has been criticised for poor attendance at board meetings. [32]
The seven council-controlled organisations (CCOs) are [33]
The council has a similar interest in the Wellington Regional Stadium Trust.
Proposed/air marked future sister cities
The City of Wellington has subsumed many neighbouring boroughs including:
The city council was legally headed by a town clerk, who was in charge of the council administration and operations, later renamed as chief executive officer in 1991. [45] Holders of the office since 1842 are: [46]
Name | Years |
---|---|
George White | 1842–1843 |
Robert Suckling Cheesman | 1843 |
William Bannister | 1863–1865 |
J. B. Wallace | 1865–1867 |
John Rigg | 1867–1871 |
William Hester | 1872–1877 |
Charles C. Graham | 1877–1883 |
Thomas F. Martin | 1883–1889 |
Joseph Page | 1889-1902 |
John R. Palmer | 1902–1925 |
Robert Tait Jr. (acting) | 1925–1926 |
Edwin Philip Norman | 1926–1952 |
Basil Peterson | 1952–1956 |
Mervyn Sinclair Duckworth | 1956–1964 |
Francis W. Pringle | 1964–1972 |
Ian McCutcheon | 1972–1984 |
David Niven | 1984–1991 |
Doug Matheson (acting) | 1991 |
Angela C. Griffin | 1991–1997 |
Garry Poole | 1998–2013 |
Kevin Lavery | 2013–2019 |
Barbara McKerrow | 2019–present |
The Wellington City Council owns and until May 2019 operated from a complex on Wakefield Street, with various extensions each representing a distinctive architectural period. The complex incorporates the Wellington Town Hall which opened in 1904, with the most recent extension completed in 1991 alongside the Wellington Central Library.
The Wakefield Street complex has been cleared of back office functions, and since 28 May 2019 will be closed completely for repairs and earthquake strengthening. In the interim, most of the council's central office staff are located in commercial premises at 113 The Terrace, and the council's public service centre is at 12 Manners Street. Due to repairs also being needed to the Wellington Central Library, and Capital E, all of the civic buildings on Civic Square are closed, except for the City Gallery.
In December 2019, at the New Zealand Skeptics annual conference, the Wellington City Council and the Downer Group were co-awarded the Bent Spoon by NZ Skeptics for "showing the most egregious gullibility in 2019" for the contractor's use of water divining to find underground pipes. [47]
Wellington is the capital city of New Zealand. It is located at the south-western tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Remutaka Range. Wellington is the third-largest city in New Zealand, and is the administrative centre of the Wellington Region. It is the world's southernmost capital of a sovereign state. Wellington features a temperate maritime climate, and is the world's windiest city by average wind speed.
Porirua, a city in the Wellington Region of the North Island of New Zealand, is one of the four cities that constitute the Wellington metropolitan area. The name 'Porirua' is a corruption of 'Pari-rua', meaning "the tide sweeping up both reaches". It almost completely surrounds Porirua Harbour at the southern end of the Kāpiti Coast. As of June 2023, Porirua has a population of 60,900.
Wellington Harbour is a large natural harbour on the southern tip of New Zealand's North Island. The harbour entrance is from Cook Strait. Central Wellington is located on parts of the western and southern sides of the harbour, and the suburban area of Lower Hutt is to the north and east.
Tawa is the northernmost suburb within the Wellington city boundary, located roughly 15 km north of Wellington's CBD between Churton Park and Porirua in the North Island of New Zealand. It takes its name from the broadleaf tree, which was once prolific throughout the area, although its most famous tree is the Bucket Tree, a large macrocarpa with the topiary of an upside-down bucket. Tawa is also known for its large number of churches, representing a wide range of Christian denominations.
The Mayor of Wellington is the head of the municipal government of the City of Wellington. The mayor presides over the Wellington City Council. The mayor is directly elected using the Single Transferable Vote method of proportional representation. The current mayor is Tory Whanau, elected in October 2022 for a three-year-term.
Sir Francis Joseph Kitts was a New Zealand politician. Originally from the South Island, he served in the military and later was a civil servant before entering politics with the Labour Party. He was the Member of Parliament for Wellington Central between 1954 and 1960. He was also the longest-serving Mayor of Wellington, holding the post from 1956 to 1974. He was also a member at various times of several other local bodies and was still an elected official at his death.
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Wellington City Libraries is the public library service for Wellington, New Zealand.
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Mākara is a locality located at the western edge of Wellington, New Zealand, close to the shore of the Tasman Sea. The suburb is named after the Mākara Stream.
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Hutt County was one of the former counties of New Zealand. It occupied the south-western corner of the North Island, extending south from the Waikanae River and lying to the west of the summits of the Rimutaka Ranges. The county's name arose from the fact that a large amount of its land area lay in the Hutt River catchment.
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