Great chance to ask questions
Tick for local govt forum but black mark over gallery
Last week I attended the regional, provincial and metro combined meeting in Wellington. These meetings are attended by elected members and senior staff from across the local government sector.
It’s also a great chance to hear from central government representatives and ask questions.
Nicola Willis gave a perspective on National’s approach to the relationship between the levels of Government, Green Party spokeswoman for local government Eugenie Sage talked about waste and other environmental issues, and Minister of Local Government Kieren McAnulty gave an update on reform including Future for Local Government and Three Waters.
I took the opportunity to ask McAnulty about the approach to supporting local councils through the health reform and our role in the new localities.
The reply was that this work hasn’t been a focus for the Ministry of Local Government, and they would welcome a conversation about how they and the Ministry of Health can work together to support the sector.
After the sector meeting, it was a quick trip to Levin to meet another minister, this time Michael Wood, Minister of Transport, as he visited the Levin Railway Station to talk about the recent Budget announcement of new trains for the Wellington region.
On the way back we walked a short section of the new shared pathway.
This is part of the 35km cycleway which spans the district, and has already proved popular since opening a couple of weeks ago.
I look forward to seeing the positive impact on local businesses, and locals and people visiting the district enjoying this newest link in our network of cycleways, bridleways and walkways.
On a less positive note, some may have read of the Mahara Gallery operational funding issue, with sufficient funding not having been allocated in the council Longterm Plan.
The council commissioned a review which was recently presented to council, and it has acknowledged and taken responsibility for this oversight.
Fortunately we have been able to find the funds to cover the first year through the Three Waters Better Off funding, and we will be using this first year to work with the gallery on a streamlined operating model to take us into the future.
As the gallery for the district, Mahara will be an important centre for arts in the region, and I’m looking forward to the facility opening its doors to the public later in the year.