Latest news with #GeoffHayward
Scoop
05-06-2025
- General
- Scoop
New Library For Cannons Creek Gets Go-Ahead
Press Release – Porirua City Council The new building, to be placed on Bedford Reserve, near Cannons Creek Pool, will cost $4 million. Funding comes from already existing budgets within Councils 2024-34 Long-term Plan. A new library to be built in Cannons Creek in Porirua in the next two years is being hailed by the Mayor and city councillors as a facility current and future generations will be proud to call their own. The new building, to be placed on Bedford Reserve, near Cannons Creek Pool, will cost $4 million. Funding comes from already existing budgets within Council's 2024-34 Long-term Plan. A report to Council's Te Puna Kōrero meeting on Thursday outlined safety concerns about the current library, which is located alongside other shops, including instances where staff have had to secure the building due to disorder happening outside. The Cannons Creek Library, established in 1985 after taking over a former draper's shop, is 'difficult to secure safely', the report says. Despite this, it is a vibrant community space that has school visits and has become a thriving after-school spot, has a public computer hub and is a drop-in place for people to connect and relax. It also has a NZ Post box. The report also notes the ageing 1960s building has a leaky roof, limited natural light and heating, inadequate staff areas and not enough seating or study space. The building next door is potentially earthquake-prone and a seismic assessment of the library building is due in September this year. Mayor Anita Baker said a new library was critical for the suburb and will create a better environment for library staff and visitors. 'We've had unsafe actions out on the street that have come into the library itself,' she said. 'This is overdue for our community and something our people have wanted for a long time.' Cr Geoff Hayward said this was not just about upgrading a building, but 'preparing a waka for the journey ahead'. 'This is a gift, a vessel of learning, open to all,' he said. 'This community that has been waiting patiently for a facility that reflects its wairua, its mana and future. A new library is saying 'Cannons Creek matters'.' The library will be built with modular technology, meaning it will constructed in a factory and transported to the site, and can be added to or enlarged in the future if required. It will also have new computers for the public to use. Originally, $20 million was set aside for a community hub in Cannons Creek in the 2018-38 Long-term Plan, but agreeing to the $4 million proposal and bringing the project forward was supported by Mayor Baker and councillors. The community will be consulted during the design stage of the project.
Scoop
05-06-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Porirua Backs Regional Approach To Water Services Delivery
Press Release – Porirua City Council They voted unanimously to recommend that Council should jointly establish and co-own a new water organisation with Upper Hutt City Council, Hutt City Council, Wellington City Council and Greater Wellington Regional Council. Porirua City Council's Te Puna Kōrero committee has endorsed a joint regional approach for water services delivery. As part of the Local Water Done Well reform, the Government has mandated that councils must review how water services are delivered. Te Puna Kōrero met this morning to deliberate and made a recommendation to Council, after consulting on two options for a future water services delivery model – a new water services organisation, or a modified version of the status quo. They voted unanimously to recommend that Council should jointly establish and co-own a new water organisation with Upper Hutt City Council, Hutt City Council, Wellington City Council and Greater Wellington Regional Council. Under this model, a multi-council-owned water organisation will take ownership of public water assets. The alternative was a modified version of the current Wellington Water model, where councils retain ownership while Wellington Water manages water services. That recommendation will need to be endorsed at the full Council meeting on 26 June. All five councils are independently making decisions by the end of June on how to proceed. Officers will then develop a joint Water Services Delivery Plan and foundation documents for the new organisation, which must be lodged with the Department of Internal Affairs by 3 September 2025. The intention is that Council will transfer its assets, debt, liabilities and services in relation to drinking water, wastewater and stormwater to the new organisation by1 July 2026. In making today's decision, the committee unanimously supported an amendment from Councillor Geoff Hayward, setting out the principles Porirua City wants reflected in the new organisation's foundation documents. These include recognising water as a public good, safeguarding households from disconnection, value for money, fair pricing, supporting local employment, and upholding Te Mana o te Wai. Porirua Mayor Anita Baker said like many parts of the country, Porirua's water networks faced significant challenges. 'We have old pipes that cause water leaks, contribute to water shortages and are a main contributor to pollution in the harbour. 'While we've poured all the money we can into funding water assets, we simply can't address these challenges on our own. Doing nothing is not an option, and we believe the new model is the best way forward for Porirua.'
Scoop
05-06-2025
- General
- Scoop
New Library For Cannons Creek Gets Go-Ahead
A new library to be built in Cannons Creek in Porirua in the next two years is being hailed by the Mayor and city councillors as a facility current and future generations will be proud to call their own. The new building, to be placed on Bedford Reserve, near Cannons Creek Pool, will cost $4 million. Funding comes from already existing budgets within Council's 2024-34 Long-term Plan. A report to Council's Te Puna Kōrero meeting on Thursday outlined safety concerns about the current library, which is located alongside other shops, including instances where staff have had to secure the building due to disorder happening outside. The Cannons Creek Library, established in 1985 after taking over a former draper's shop, is "difficult to secure safely", the report says. Despite this, it is a vibrant community space that has school visits and has become a thriving after-school spot, has a public computer hub and is a drop-in place for people to connect and relax. It also has a NZ Post box. The report also notes the ageing 1960s building has a leaky roof, limited natural light and heating, inadequate staff areas and not enough seating or study space. The building next door is potentially earthquake-prone and a seismic assessment of the library building is due in September this year. Mayor Anita Baker said a new library was critical for the suburb and will create a better environment for library staff and visitors. "We've had unsafe actions out on the street that have come into the library itself," she said. "This is overdue for our community and something our people have wanted for a long time." Cr Geoff Hayward said this was not just about upgrading a building, but "preparing a waka for the journey ahead". "This is a gift, a vessel of learning, open to all," he said. "This community that has been waiting patiently for a facility that reflects its wairua, its mana and future. A new library is saying 'Cannons Creek matters'." The library will be built with modular technology, meaning it will constructed in a factory and transported to the site, and can be added to or enlarged in the future if required. It will also have new computers for the public to use. Originally, $20 million was set aside for a community hub in Cannons Creek in the 2018-38 Long-term Plan, but agreeing to the $4 million proposal and bringing the project forward was supported by Mayor Baker and councillors. The community will be consulted during the design stage of the project.
Scoop
05-06-2025
- Business
- Scoop
Porirua Backs Regional Approach To Water Services Delivery
Porirua City Council's Te Puna Kōrero committee has endorsed a joint regional approach for water services delivery. As part of the Local Water Done Well reform, the Government has mandated that councils must review how water services are delivered. Te Puna Kōrero met this morning to deliberate and made a recommendation to Council, after consulting on two options for a future water services delivery model - a new water services organisation, or a modified version of the status quo. They voted unanimously to recommend that Council should jointly establish and co-own a new water organisation with Upper Hutt City Council, Hutt City Council, Wellington City Council and Greater Wellington Regional Council. Under this model, a multi-council-owned water organisation will take ownership of public water assets. The alternative was a modified version of the current Wellington Water model, where councils retain ownership while Wellington Water manages water services. That recommendation will need to be endorsed at the full Council meeting on 26 June. All five councils are independently making decisions by the end of June on how to proceed. Officers will then develop a joint Water Services Delivery Plan and foundation documents for the new organisation, which must be lodged with the Department of Internal Affairs by 3 September 2025. The intention is that Council will transfer its assets, debt, liabilities and services in relation to drinking water, wastewater and stormwater to the new organisation by1 July 2026. In making today's decision, the committee unanimously supported an amendment from Councillor Geoff Hayward, setting out the principles Porirua City wants reflected in the new organisation's foundation documents. These include recognising water as a public good, safeguarding households from disconnection, value for money, fair pricing, supporting local employment, and upholding Te Mana o te Wai. Porirua Mayor Anita Baker said like many parts of the country, Porirua's water networks faced significant challenges. "We have old pipes that cause water leaks, contribute to water shortages and are a main contributor to pollution in the harbour. "While we've poured all the money we can into funding water assets, we simply can't address these challenges on our own. Doing nothing is not an option, and we believe the new model is the best way forward for Porirua."
Scoop
29-05-2025
- Business
- Scoop
Porirua City Council To Launch Pilot Waste Minimisation Grant Scheme
Press Release – Porirua City Council Starting in the 2025/26 financial year, part of the funds received by Porirua City Council from the Waste Levy Subsidy will be used to provide community grants to groups with projects that will encourage reuse, repurposing and recycling capacity in the … A pilot scheme offering grants to Porirua projects that enable waste minimisation in the city was approved at a full Porirua City Council meeting this morning. Starting in the 2025/26 financial year, part of the funds received by Porirua City Council from the Waste Levy Subsidy will be used to provide community grants to groups with projects that will encourage reuse, repurposing and recycling capacity in the city. The scheme will initially run as a 12-month pilot to gauge the level of demand and the types of projects sought. There will be two levels of funding available for projects. The first will be grants of up to $30,000 that will become available in a single application round. The second will be grants of up to $2000 which can be applied for year round. Establishing this grant is part of the enacting Porirua City's 2023-29 Waste Management and Minimisation Plan. Porirua City Councillor Geoff Hayward, who represents Porirua City on the Wellington Region Waste Management and Minimisation Joint Committee, says this scheme will empower communities in the city. 'It's the kind of initiative that reflects the best of what local government can do. It's backing communities to lead solutions using existing levers wisely. 'It will reduce pressure on rates and support our goal to reduce the amount of waste going to landfill.' Waste minimisation initiatives could include new projects that reduce waste at the source and encourage movement towards a circular economy. Projects that focus on reduction, redesign, reuse, repair and repurpose will also be considered. 'We want to see initiatives that create new opportunities and encourage community participation in waste minimisation,' says Councillor Hayward. Porirua Mayor Anita Baker says this is a positive move for waste reduction in Porirua. 'This is another way that we can work towards making our communities more healthy and encourage more people to get involved in positive outcomes.' The grant scheme will now be developed with more information to come once the details have been finalised.
