Welcome to my Website

Thanks for your support; I’m really proud to by your city councillor. There is much work to be done to achieve my plans as outlined during the campaign. These plans can now be found by clicking on ‘what I’m working on’. My colleagues have given me the honour of holding the responsibility for what's known as 3 waters and waste, which is in effect the city infrastructure, pipes and drains, along with waste including recycling in addition to this I will be siting on the board of the new company Wellington Venues Limited, which will manage the council owned venues including, the Events Center, Michael Fowler Centre, Town Hall, St. James Theatre and Opera House. This is going to keep me busy.

Over the next three years I’m going to continue to blog with you through Facebook and will endeavour to keep this website up to date, with updates on projects and what I’ve been up to!  Please remind me if I’m falling behind!

I will continue to update the page with relevant questions and answers as appropriate as I find if one person has asked a question others are also often pondering the same question!

Question from Doug

4 November 2010

My elderly mother lives in an own your own townhouse complex and don’t have room for the wheelie-bin and a recycling bin!

My Response:

That is fine; you can opt for council to provide you with a yearly supply of recycling bags free of charge.  If you need some more, you can purchase them from council service centre.  If you have further questions either email me or check out the council’s website, it has information on the current system for recycling along with what‘s coming in March 2011

My Plans

I’m really excited to provide strong leadership in the North as we move into the implementation phase of a number of long term local projects, policies and plans including:

• Community Facilities Plan
• Relocation of the Johnsonville Library to a site adjacent to the Community Centre and Keith Spry Pool to create a state of the art 1800m² Library.  Planning for the relocation begins in this current year, with construction scheduled for 2013/14.
• Extension and upgrade to the Keith Spry Pool, to create a combined teaching and hydrotherapy pool, a leisure water play area and an outdoor ‘wet deck’ all this is due to commence construction in 2011/12.
• Tawa Pool roof will be replaced, in 2011/12.  This should bring to an end the rain within the building!
• Provides for investment to align with the development of the town centre and school to provide indoor recreation and community space.
• Northern Reserves Plan
• Improving and extending the track networks throughout the north in particular in areas identified as future reserve in Churton Park / Stebbings Valley.
• Working with the local Glenside community to find a good use for the Halfway House, let’s try and preserve and restore it to a functional building.
• Walking and Cycling Plan
• Tawa stream walkway project.
• This will link Willowbank reserve to Grasslees Reserve through to Kenepuru Railway station and beyond.
• In addition it will create cross valley connections including a level crossing from the Tawa Pool across to Tawa College and many more.
• Newlands Town Centre Plan
• Johnsonville Town Centre Plan
• Improved road layout – it’s fully consented; we’re awaiting the next move by the mall developers.
• Northern Growth Management Plan
• Westchester Drive extension – its ready to go, the consents are in place and the contract is due to be let in the next few weeks.  Construction is imminent!
• The town centre now has a zoning to allow it to be developed – plans are in progress!
• Hutt connector – linking the northern suburbs with the Hutt Valley – It’s in the long-term council budget in 2018/19, but there is plenty of work yet to do to make it a reality!  This will ease congestion on Ngauranga Gorge, which along with clip on lanes between Ngauranga and the city, will make getting into Wellington much easier for both the car and bus.

           
Together we have developed these plans, the next three years is a time for implementation and consolidation.  The northern suburbs have waited along time for this level of investment, but we need to maintain consistency within council leadership to ensure these projects are implemented.

But things can’t stop there we need to keep an eye to the future, there is still more to be done including:

• Town Centre Planning is needed in Tawa, it is scheduled for 2012.  I believe this is too late it needs to be brought forward; we need to collaborate with private investors, to align this work with the significant investment that is planned for the Tawa Mall and Supermarket.
• Public Transport
• Walking and Cycling – Middleton Road

A full list can be found on What Im Working On