Simeon Brown gets advice on Wellington City Council intervention as Tori Whānau seeks to ‘share the pain’

“I take this seriously and urgently, but I’m not going to go into those details today.”

Question from Newstalk ZB Drive a car Host Heather du Plessis-Allan whether he had to make any decision before Cabinet, Brown said intervention was a ministerial power under the Local Government Act.

“However, in all of this, it is important to consult with colleagues.”

Meanwhile, Wellington Mayor Tory Whānau said budget cuts would target new infrastructure and public works projects as they are financed by debt.

Whānau met with councilors this afternoon to discuss what the “fast track process” for amending the LTP would be.

She hopes that key elements of the draft amendment will be ready by the end of the year.

“Saving is a complex process and we also discussed the principles we should use to do this,” whanau said.

“I think every council member agrees that as a top priority, decisions to amend the LTP should not increase rates further and should not reduce water supply funding.

“The focus is on cutting new infrastructure and community building projects because they are financed by debt.”

Whānau said it wanted to avoid cuts to social housing and critical climate action.

“I know cutting community projects is difficult,” whanau said.

“When that is taken into account, I believe we should aim to share the pain as much as possible between different areas and between the city center and the suburbs.”

Councilors previously agreed to investigate the sale of council land leases and carbon credits.

There will be a key council meeting on November 21 to discuss what cuts will be part of the LTP amendment.

Brown said he was not informed of the decisions made at the whanau meeting with councilors today.

“I met with the mayor last week and she told me about some of the work she is doing.

“Ultimately, as I said last week, we have concerns about the fact that they have decided to effectively review their entire long-term plan and we are obviously concerned about the impact that may have on taxpayers here in Wellington. »

At this stage, Brown had no further meetings scheduled with whanau.

Whanau says closing the financial hole left by the airport’s stalled sale without raising rates further is the bottom line for her.

Despite this, Brown continues to express concern about further rate increases.

Wellington ratepayers have seen one of the highest tax increases in the country, with the latest increase averaging $1000 per household, or a 21% increase.

Georgina Campbell is a Wellington-based reporter with a special interest in local government, transport and seismic issues. She joined Herald in 2019 after working as a television journalist.