Wellington City Council

Paekawakawa/Southern General Ward
The Wellington City Council provides local services and facilities, such as public transport, rubbish and recycling, libraries, parks, and recreation facilities. It also makes decisions about building and planning, local regulations, and infrastructure, such as water supply and sewerage. The council is made up of 15 councillors and the mayor. Councillors are elected to represent wards (areas in the city). Two councillors will be elected from the Paekawakawa/Southern ward. This is a single transferable vote (STV) election, so you vote by ranking the candidates on your ballot paper. Compare the candidates and their policies to decide who to vote for in the Wellington City Council election.

Local democracy

Local government is a foundational part of our democracy. But local democracy isn’t just about holding elections every three years – it’s about the day-to-day ways people have their say in the decisions that affect us all.

Local democracy

Local government is a foundational part of our democracy. But local democracy isn’t just about holding elections every three years – it’s about the day-to-day ways people have their say in the decisions that affect us all.

  • Full engagement with all stakeholders that have an interest in public assets.

    Māori Te Tiriti: understand and honour the Treaty of Waitangi/Te Tiriti as ignoring comes with bigger risks.

    Internal operation: performance review done using objective measures and pay needs to be on par with the private sector to entice the best.

  • Council needs more to be more proactive and engage more with the constituents it serves, ie more engagement through surveys etc.

    I think the services the council has outsourced, ie contractors to fix pipes and leaks etc. should be operated in house.

    I would like to see a new position in council for all ethnic groups as a representative for them and their communities to bring us together.

  • Create a public database to track councillor votes and make their decisions easily accountable to the public.

    Improve Southern ward representation. Currently we only elect two city councillors despite having a similar population to wards with three.

    Increase youth engagement with council and lobby central government to enable everyone over the age of 16 to vote in local elections.

  • Engage Wellingtonians on social media and local meetings to gauge views and provide feedback.

    Due to the pandemic, HandW has been impacted. Wellington has so many great places to exercise and explore. Would like to share places to visit.

    See if we can incorporate wellbeing days for staff in council. Would be separate to sick days. 4 a year to allow rest for any purpose.

  • Promote the participation and involvement of Wellington's disability community through accessible formats for council information.

    Pay competitive wages to officials to attract the best people to the council. Pay peanuts, get monkeys!

    Increase transparency and accountability around council processes and decisions.

  • Restore a physical interface between the public and council and reinstate greater public accessibility to council staff and services.

    Wellington City Council must be an exemplary employer – staff conditions and workloads are important. Increase council workforce rather than employ "consultants".

    Ensure community engagement as part of the planning process. The strongest solutions can come from those who know best – the residents.

  • Community engagement for me is a subject close to my heart but my version is different to what I have personally experienced, I want better!

  • Publish an online, publicly-accessible record of both Councils decisions and voting records.

    Reduce the number of closed council and committee meetings to only those that are strictly necessary.

    Engage with mana whenua as set out in Tākai Here (the relationship agreement between WCC and mana whenua).

  • Trial participatory budgeting and citizens assemblies to give residents influence over spending on local projects and issues in their community.

    Advocate for more accessible elections, special voting booths at universities, online voting and campaigns to engage underrepresented voters.

    Meet regularly with the Greater Wellington Regional Council to advance areas where interests and responsibilities overlap.

  • Full engagement with all stakeholders that have an interest in public assets.

    Māori Te Tiriti: understand and honour the Treaty of Waitangi/Te Tiriti as ignoring comes with bigger risks.

    Internal operation: performance review done using objective measures and pay needs to be on par with the private sector to entice the best.

  • Council needs more to be more proactive and engage more with the constituents it serves, ie more engagement through surveys etc.

    I think the services the council has outsourced, ie contractors to fix pipes and leaks etc. should be operated in house.

    I would like to see a new position in council for all ethnic groups as a representative for them and their communities to bring us together.

  • Create a public database to track councillor votes and make their decisions easily accountable to the public.

    Improve Southern ward representation. Currently we only elect two city councillors despite having a similar population to wards with three.

    Increase youth engagement with council and lobby central government to enable everyone over the age of 16 to vote in local elections.

  • Engage Wellingtonians on social media and local meetings to gauge views and provide feedback.

    Due to the pandemic, HandW has been impacted. Wellington has so many great places to exercise and explore. Would like to share places to visit.

    See if we can incorporate wellbeing days for staff in council. Would be separate to sick days. 4 a year to allow rest for any purpose.

  • Promote the participation and involvement of Wellington's disability community through accessible formats for council information.

    Pay competitive wages to officials to attract the best people to the council. Pay peanuts, get monkeys!

    Increase transparency and accountability around council processes and decisions.

  • Restore a physical interface between the public and council and reinstate greater public accessibility to council staff and services.

    Wellington City Council must be an exemplary employer – staff conditions and workloads are important. Increase council workforce rather than employ "consultants".

    Ensure community engagement as part of the planning process. The strongest solutions can come from those who know best – the residents.

  • Community engagement for me is a subject close to my heart but my version is different to what I have personally experienced, I want better!

  • Publish an online, publicly-accessible record of both Councils decisions and voting records.

    Reduce the number of closed council and committee meetings to only those that are strictly necessary.

    Engage with mana whenua as set out in Tākai Here (the relationship agreement between WCC and mana whenua).

  • Trial participatory budgeting and citizens assemblies to give residents influence over spending on local projects and issues in their community.

    Advocate for more accessible elections, special voting booths at universities, online voting and campaigns to engage underrepresented voters.

    Meet regularly with the Greater Wellington Regional Council to advance areas where interests and responsibilities overlap.