Wellington City Council
Coat of arms or logo
Logo
Type
Type
Leadership
Deputy Mayor
Laurie Foon
Structure
Seats16[lower-alpha 1]
Political groups
  •   Labour (4)
  •   Green (3)
  •   Independent (9)
Elections
STV
Last election
8 October 2022
Next election
11 October 2025
Meeting place
Ngake, Level 16, 113 The Terrace, Wellington[1]
Website
wellington.govt.nz/
Footnotes
  1. ↑ Includes Mayor
Satellite photo of central Wellington (south at bottom left)

Wellington City Council is a territorial authority in New Zealand, governing the city of Wellington, the country's capital city and third-largest city by population, behind Auckland and Christchurch. It consists of the central historic town and certain additional areas within the Wellington metropolitan area, extending as far north as Linden and covering rural areas such as Mākara and Ohariu. The city adjoins Porirua in the north and Hutt City in the north-east. It is one of nine territorial authorities in the Wellington Region.

Wellington attained city status in 1886. The settlement had become the colonial capital and seat of government by 1865, replacing Auckland. Parliament officially sat in Wellington for the first time on 26 July 1865. During the last half of the nineteenth century, Wellington grew rapidly from 7,460 residents in 1867 to 49,344 by the end of the century.[2]

The council represents a population of 216,200 as of June 2023[3] and consists of a mayor and fifteen councillors elected from six wards (Northern, Onslow-Western, Lambton, Eastern, Southern general wards and Te Whanganui-a-Tara Māori ward).[n 1][4] It administers public works, sanitation, land use and building consents, among other local services. The council has used the marketing slogan "Absolutely Positively Wellington" in an official capacity since the early 1990s.[5]

Council and committees

The mayor and all councillors are members of council. Following a review in 2021 by former Local Government New Zealand chief executive Peter Winder, the council adopted a new committee structure.[6] All committees apart from Te Kaunihera o Pōneke Council and Ngutu Taki CEO Performance Review Committee include two mana whenua representatives, who are paid and have voting rights.[7]

Committees and subcommittees of the Wellington City Council to Feb 2023
CommitteeChairDeputy ChairMembership
Te Kaunihera o PōnekeMayor Tory WhanauDeputy Mayor Laurie FoonMayor and all councillors
Unaunahi Māhirahira Audit and Risk SubcommitteeIndependent appointmentCr Tony RandleMayor Tory Whanau, Cr John Apanowicz, Cr Ray Chung, Cr Iona Pannett, Pouiwi Liz Kelly (Tākai Here representative)
Kōrau Tūāpapa Environment and Infrastructure CommitteeCr Tamantha PaulCr Tim BrownMayor and all councillors and two Tākai Here representatives
Kōrau Mātinitini Social, Cultural and Economic CommitteeCr Teri O'NeillCr Nureddin AbdurahmanMayor and all councillors and two Tākai Here representatives
Kāwai Whakatipu Grants SubcommitteeCr Nicola YoungCr Nīkau Wi NeeraMayor and deputy mayor, Cr Brown, Cr Matthews, Cr O'Neill
Kōrau Tōtōpū Annual Plan/Long-term Plan, Finance and Performance CommitteeCr Rebecca MatthewsCouncillor John ApanowiczMayor and all councillors and two Tākai Here representatives
Koata Hātepe Regulatory Processes CommitteeCr Sarah FreeCr Ben McNultyMayor Whanau, Cr Abdurahman, Cr Calvert, Cr Paul, Pouiwi Holden Hohaia and Pouiwi Liz Kelly (Tākai Here representatives)
Ngutu Taki CEO Performance Review CommitteeMayor Tory WhanauDeputy Mayor Laurie SoonCr Matthews, Cr O'Neill, Cr Paul

Wellington's local electoral wards were given Māori names in 2018, after consultation with mana whenua.[8]

Mayor

One mayor is elected at large from the entire Wellington City district.

NameAffiliation (if any)First electedResponsibilities
Tory WhanauIndependent2022
  • Ex-officio member of all committees and subcommittees

Te Whanganui-a-Tara Māori ward

Te Whanganui a Tara is a Māori ward created by Wellington City Council in 2021.[9] The 2022 election returned Nīkau Wi-Neera as its first-ever councillor.[10]

NameAffiliation (if any)First electedResponsibilities
Nīkau Wi-NeeraGreens2022
  • Deputy Chair, Pītau Pūmanawa | Grants Subcommittee
  • Member, Kōrau Tōtōpū | Long-term Plan, Finance, and Performance Committee
  • Member, Kōrau Tūāpapa | Environment and Infrastructure Committee
  • Member, Kōrau Mātinitini | Social, Cultural, and Economic Committee[11]

Motukairangi/Eastern Ward

Motukairangi/Eastern Ward returns three councillors to the Wellington City Council. Since 2022 the councillors are:

NameAffiliation (if any)First electedResponsibilities
Sarah FreeIndependent2013
  • Chair, Koata Hātepe | Regulatory Processes Committee
  • Member, Kōrau Tōtōpū | Long-term Plan, Finance, and Performance Committee
  • Member, Kōrau Tūāpapa | Environment and Infrastructure Committee
  • Member, Kōrau Mātinitini | Social, Cultural, and Economic Committee[12]
Teri O'NeillLabour2019
  • Chair, Kōrau Mātinitini | Social, Cultural, and Economic Committee
  • Member, Unaunahi Ngaio | Chief Executive Performance Review Committee
  • Member, Kōrau Tōtōpū | Long-term Plan, Finance, and Performance Committee
  • Member, Kōrau Tūāpapa | Environment and Infrastructure Committee
  • Member, Pītau Pūmanawa | Grants Subcommittee[13]
Tim BrownIndependent2022
  • Deputy Chair, Kōrau Tūāpapa | Environment and Infrastructure Committee
  • Member, Kōrau Tōtōpū | Long-term Plan, Finance, and Performance Committee
  • Member, Kōrau Mātinitini | Social, Cultural, and Economic Committee
  • Member, Pītau Pūmanawa | Grants Subcommittee[14]

Pukehīnau/Lambton Ward

Pukehīnau/Lambton Ward returns three councillors to the Wellington City Council. Since 2022 the councillors are:

NameAffiliation (if any)First electedResponsibilities
Iona PannettIndependent2007
  • Member, Kōrau Tōtōpū | Long-term Plan, Finance, and Performance Committee
  • Member, Kōrau Tūāpapa | Environment and Infrastructure Committee
  • Member, Kōrau Mātinitini | Social, Cultural, and Economic Committee
  • Member, Unaunahi Māhirahira | Audit and Risk Committee[15]
Nicola YoungIndependent2013
  • Chair, Pītau Pūmanawa | Grants Subcommittee
  • Member, Kōrau Tōtōpū | Long-term Plan, Finance, and Performance Committee
  • Member, Kōrau Tūāpapa | Environment and Infrastructure Committee
  • Kōrau Mātinitini | Social, Cultural, and Economic Committee[16]
Tamatha PaulGreens2019
  • Chair, Kōrau Tūāpapa | Environment and Infrastructure Committee
  • Member, Unaunahi Ngaio | Chief Executive Performance Review Committee
  • Member, Kōrau Tōtōpū | Long-term Plan, Finance, and Performance Committee
  • Member, Koata Hātepe | Regulatory Processes Committee
  • Member, Kōrau Mātinitini | Social, Cultural, and Economic Committee[17]

Takapū/Northern Ward

Takapū/Northern Ward returns three councillors to the Wellington City Council. Since 2022 the councillors are:

NameAffiliation (if any)First electedResponsibilities
Ben McNultyLabour2022
  • Deputy Chair, Koata Hātepe | Regulatory Processes Committee
  • Member, Kōrau Tōtōpū | Long-term Plan, Finance, and Performance Committee
  • Member, Kōrau Tūāpapa | Environment and Infrastructure Committee
  • Member, Kōrau Mātinitini | Social, Cultural, and Economic Committee[18]
Tony RandleIndependent2022
  • Deputy Chair, Unaunahi Māhirahira | Audit and Risk Committee
  • Member, Kōrau Tōtōpū | Long-term Plan, Finance, and Performance Committee
  • Member, Kōrau Tūāpapa | Environment and Infrastructure Committee
  • Member, Kōrau Mātinitini | Social, Cultural, and Economic Committee[19]
John ApanowiczA Voice for Wellington2022
  • Deputy Chair, Kōrau Tōtōpū | Long-term Plan, Finance, and Performance Committee
  • Member, Kōrau Tūāpapa | Environment and Infrastructure Committee
  • Member, Pūroro Hātepe Regulatory Processes Kōrau Mātinitini | Social, Cultural, and Economic Committee
  • Member, Unaunahi Māhirahira | Audit and Risk Committee[20]

Wharangi/Onslow-Western Ward

Wharangi/Onslow-Western Ward returns three councillors to the Wellington City Council. Since 2022 the councillors are:

NameAffiliation (if any)First electedResponsibilities
Diane CalvertIndependent2016
  • Member, Kōrau Tōtōpū | Long-term Plan, Finance, and Performance Committee
  • Member, Koata Hātepe | Regulatory Processes Committee
  • Member, Kōrau Tūāpapa | Environment and Infrastructure Committee
  • Member, Kōrau Mātinitini | Social, Cultural, and Economic Committee[21]
Rebecca MatthewsLabour2019
  • Chair, Kōrau Tōtōpū | Long-term Plan, Finance, and Performance Committee
  • Member, Unaunahi Ngaio | Chief Executive Performance Review Committee
  • Member, Kōrau Tūāpapa | Environment and Infrastructure Committee
  • Member, Kōrau Mātinitini | Social, Cultural, and Economic Committee
  • Member, Pītau Pūmanawa | Grants Subcommittee[22]
Ray ChungIndependent2022
  • Member, Kōrau Tōtōpū | Long-term Plan, Finance, and Performance Committee
  • Member, Kōrau Tūāpapa | Environment and Infrastructure Committee
  • Member, Kōrau Mātinitini | Social, Cultural, and Economic Committee
  • Member, Unaunahi Māhirahira | Audit and Risk Committee[23]

Paekawakawa/Southern Ward

Paekawakawa/Southern Ward is the only ward that returns two councillors to the Wellington City Council (all others returning one or three). Since 2022 the councillors are:

NameAffiliation (if any)First electedResponsibilities
Laurie FoonGreens2019
  • Deputy Mayor
  • Deputy Chair, Unaunahi Ngaio | Chief Executive Performance Review Committee
  • Member, Kōrau Tōtōpū | Long-term Plan, Finance, and Performance Committee
  • Member, Kōrau Tūāpapa | Environment and Infrastructure Committee
  • Member, Kōrau Mātinitini | Social, Cultural, and Economic Committee
  • Member, Pītau Pūmanawa | Grants Subcommittee[24]
Nureddin AbdurahmanLabour2022
  • Deputy Chair, Kōrau Mātinitini | Social, Cultural, and Economic Committee
  • Member, Kōrau Tōtōpū | Long-term Plan, Finance, and Performance Committee
  • Member, Koata Hātepe | Regulatory Processes Committee
  • Member, Kōrau Tūāpapa | Environment and Infrastructure Committee[25]

Community boards

The council has created two local community boards under the provisions of Part 4 of the Local Government Act 2002,[26] with members elected using a single transferable vote (STV) system[27] or appointed by the council.

These are:

Coat of arms

Coat of arms of Wellington City Council
Notes
The City of Wellington has a Coat of Arms. The blazon is:[31]
Crest
On a Mural Crown Argent a Dolphin Naiant Azure, Mantled Gules.
Escutcheon
Quarterly Gules and Azure, a Cross Or between; In the first quarter a Fleece Or; in the second quarter on Water barry wavy proper in base a Lymphad sail furled pennon and flags flying Argent; in the third quarter a Garb Or; in the fourth quarter five Plates in Saltire Argent.
Supporters
On the dexter side a Lion gorged with a Collar and Chain reflexed over the back Or, and on the sinister side a Moa proper.
Motto
Suprema a Situ (Supreme by position)
Symbolism
The shield is divided vertically and horizontally, quarter of which the first and fourth are red and the remaining pair are blue. A golden cross is placed over the entire shield centrally between these quarters. The top left quarter contains a golden fleece (usually depicted as a whole sheep with a band around its middle). The second quarter is depicted as a silver sailing ship (lymphad) with its sails furled as it would be in port but with its flags flying, placed on waves in their natural colour. The third quarter contains a golden wheat sheaf, and the fourth has five silver discs arranged in a saltire.

The mural crown (a crown depicted as if made of stonewalling) is common as a crest in city coats of arms. It is coloured silver, and from its top comes a swimming dolphin. Around the crest is mantling in red. The supporters on either side of the shield are a golden heraldic lion with a chained collar around its neck to the left, and a moa in its natural colouring on the right (the terms "sinister" and "dexter" relate to the shield from the holder's point of view, not the viewer's, thus dexter is the viewer's left and sinister is the viewer's right). The base on which the supporters stand is normally not emblazoned but is left to the artist to decide. The Motto may be translated as "Supreme by position".

Demographics

Historical population
YearPop.±% p.a.
2006179,466—    
2013190,956+0.89%
2018202,737+1.20%
Source: [32]

Wellington City had a population of 202,737 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 11,781 people (6.2%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 23,271 people (13.0%) since the 2006 census. There were 74,841 households. There were 98,823 males and 103,911 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.95 males per female. The median age was 34.1 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 32,856 people (16.2%) aged under 15 years, 54,999 (27.1%) aged 15 to 29, 93,669 (46.2%) aged 30 to 64, and 21,213 (10.5%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 74.1% European/Pākehā, 8.6% Māori, 5.1% Pacific peoples, 18.3% Asian, and 4.5% other ethnicities (totals add to more than 100% since people could identify with multiple ethnicities).

The proportion of people born overseas was 33.4%, compared with 27.1% nationally.

Although some people objected to giving their religion, 53.2% had no religion, 31.4% were Christian, 3.7% were Hindu, 1.6% were Muslim, 1.7% were Buddhist and 3.3% had other religions.

Of those at least 15 years old, 74,922 (44.1%) people had a bachelor or higher degree, and 12,690 (7.5%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $41,800, compared with $31,800 nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 96,453 (56.8%) people were employed full-time, 24,738 (14.6%) were part-time, and 7,719 (4.5%) were unemployed.[32]

Individual wards
NamePopulationHouseholdsMedian ageMedian income
Takapū Northern Ward47,79616,46735.9 years$41,500
Wharangi Onslow-Western Ward43,17615,75038.6 years$51,800
Pukehīnau Lambton Ward46,14018,20428.4 years$37,500
Motukairangi Eastern Ward37,96514,19937 years$41,100
Paekawakawa Southern Ward27,65410,22134 years$38,700
New Zealand37.4 years$31,800

Suburbs

Wellington city has 57 officially defined suburbs; one can group them by the wards used to elect the city council. Some areas, while officially forming part of a larger suburb (or several suburbs), are considered by some to be separate communities. The officially defined suburbs include:

Official suburbs of Wellington: the darker tone indicate built-up areas, the lighter parkland, green belt or rural areas.

Takapū Northern Ward

Wharangi Onslow-Western Ward

Pukehīnau Lambton Ward

Within Lambton Ward, the council's tourism agency has designated three inner-city "quarters", as marketing subdivisions to promote international and domestic tourism. They are:

Paekawakawa Southern Ward

Motukairangi Eastern Ward

Council-owned companies and enterprises

The Wellington City Council owns or directly operates several companies.

The council is a part-owner of Wellington Airport, and has two representatives on the airport's board. Mayor Andy Foster has been a member of the board since 2016, but has been criticised for poor attendance at board meetings.[33]

The seven council-controlled organisations (CCOs) are[34]

The council has a similar interest in the Wellington Regional Stadium Trust.

Sister-city relationships

The ceremonial mace of Wellington City Council, gifted to the city by Harrogate in 1954[35]
Sister cities[36]
Historical sister cities[38]
Friendly cities[39]
  • China Tianjin, People's Republic of China

History

Amalgamations

The City of Wellington has subsumed many neighbouring boroughs including:

List of town clerks/chief executives

The city council was legally headed by a town clerk, who was in charge of the council administration and operations, later renamed as chief executive officer in 1991.[45] Holders of the office since 1842 are:[46]

Name Years
George White 1842–1843
Robert Suckling Cheesman
1843
William Bannister 1863–1865
J. B. Wallace 1865–1867
John Rigg 1867–1871
William Hester 1872–1877
Charles C. Graham 1877–1883
Thomas F. Martin 1883–1889
Joseph Page 1889-1902
John R. Palmer 1902–1925
Robert Tait Jr. (acting) 1925–1926
Edwin Philip Norman 1926–1952
Basil Peterson 1952–1956
Mervyn Sinclair Duckworth 1956–1964
Francis W. Pringle 1964–1972
Ian McCutcheon 1972–1984
David Niven 1984–1991
Doug Matheson (acting)
1991
Angela C. Griffin 1991–1997
Garry Poole 1998–2013
Kevin Lavery 2013–2019
Barbara McKerrow 2019–present

Buildings

Wellington Town Hall, incorporating the Mayor's Office and Council Chambers

The Wellington City Council owns and until May 2019 operated from a complex on Wakefield Street, with various extensions each representing a distinctive architectural period. The complex incorporates the Wellington Town Hall which opened in 1904, with the most recent extension completed in 1991 alongside the Wellington Central Library.

The Wakefield Street complex has been cleared of back office functions, and since 28 May 2019 will be closed completely for repairs and earthquake strengthening. In the interim, most of the council's central office staff are located in commercial premises at 113 The Terrace, and the council's public service centre is at 12 Manners Street. Due to repairs also being needed to the Wellington Central Library, and Capital E, all of the civic buildings on Civic Square are closed, except for the City Gallery.

Use of pseudoscience

In December 2019, at the New Zealand Skeptics annual conference, the Wellington City Council and the Downer Group were co-awarded the Bent Spoon by NZ Skeptics for "showing the most egregious gullibility in 2019" for the contractor's use of water divining to find underground pipes.[47]

See also

Notes

Footnotes
  1. ↑ Multiple councillors are elected to general wards using the single transferable vote (STV) system
Citations
  1. ↑ Wellington City Council (22 April 2021). "Speaking at meetings". Wellington City Council. Retrieved 13 August 2021.
  2. ↑ "Wellington region. Page 8 – From town to city: 1865–1899". TeAra.govt.nz. Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Retrieved 15 November 2016.
  3. ↑ "Subnational population estimates (RC, SA2), by age and sex, at 30 June 1996-2023 (2023 boundaries)". Statistics New Zealand. Retrieved 25 October 2023. (regional councils); "Subnational population estimates (TA, SA2), by age and sex, at 30 June 1996-2023 (2023 boundaries)". Statistics New Zealand. Retrieved 25 October 2023. (territorial authorities); "Subnational population estimates (urban rural), by age and sex, at 30 June 1996-2023 (2023 boundaries)". Statistics New Zealand. Retrieved 25 October 2023. (urban areas)
  4. ↑ "Overview – Elections 2010 – Wellington City Council". Retrieved 10 August 2010.
  5. ↑ Maclean, Chris (14 November 2012). "Branding Wellington". TeAra.govt.nz. Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Retrieved 14 October 2013.
  6. ↑ Wellington City Council. "Council's new committee structure agreed". Wellington City Council. Retrieved 13 August 2021.
  7. ↑ Wellington City Council (29 April 2021). "Council votes to include mana whenua at the meeting table". Wellington City Council. Retrieved 13 August 2021.
  8. ↑ Wellington City Council (13 June 2018). "Bilingual naming of Wellington City Council wards". Wellington City Council. Retrieved 13 August 2021.
  9. ↑ Campbell, Georgina (14 March 2022). "Labour announces Wellington local body election candidates". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 12 April 2022.
  10. ↑ "Wellington City Council – 2022 Triennial Elections" (PDF). Wellington City Council. Retrieved 14 October 2022.
  11. ↑ "Councillor Nīkau Wi Neera". Wellington City Council. 2 December 2022. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  12. ↑ "Councillor Sarah Free". Wellington City Council. 16 November 2022. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  13. ↑ "Councillor Teri O'Neill". Wellington City Council. 16 November 2022. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  14. ↑ "Councillor Tim Brown". Wellington City Council. 2 December 2022. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  15. ↑ "Councillor Iona Pannett". Wellington City Council. 16 November 2022. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  16. ↑ "Councillor Nicola Young". Wellington City Council. 16 November 2022. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  17. ↑ "Councillor Tamatha Paul". Wellington City Council. 16 November 2022. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  18. ↑ "Councillor Ben McNulty". Wellington City Council. 2 December 2022. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  19. ↑ "Councillor Tony Randle". Wellington City Council. 2 December 2022. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  20. ↑ "Councillor John Apanowicz". Wellington City Council. 2 December 2022. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  21. ↑ "Councillor Diane Calvert". Wellington City Council. 21 November 2022. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  22. ↑ "Councillor Rebecca Matthews". Wellington City Council. 16 November 2022. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  23. ↑ "Councillor Ray Chung". Wellington City Council. 2 December 2022. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  24. ↑ "Deputy Mayor Laurie Foon". Wellington City Council. 3 February 2023. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  25. ↑ "Councillor Nureddin Abdurahman". Wellington City Council. 30 November 2022. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  26. ↑ "Local Government Act 2002 No 84 (as at 01 July 2017)". www.legislation.govt.nz. Retrieved 5 February 2022.
  27. ↑ "Electoral Systems". Wellington City Council. Retrieved 5 February 2022.
  28. ↑ "Tawa Community Board". Wellington City Council. Retrieved 5 February 2022.
  29. 1 2 "Ward maps and boundaries". Wellington City Council. Retrieved 5 February 2022.
  30. ↑ "Mākara/Ōhāriu Community Board". Wellington City Council. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  31. ↑ "Coats of Arms – Local". Te Ara – The Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Retrieved 7 February 2022.
  32. 1 2 "Statistical area 1 dataset for 2018 Census". Statistics New Zealand. March 2020. Wellington City (047). 2018 Census place summary: Wellington City
  33. ↑ Campbell, Georgina. "Report reveals Wellington Mayor Andy Foster's poor airport board meeting attendance". The New Zealand Herald. New Zealand Media and Entertainment. Retrieved 11 October 2021.
  34. ↑ Wellington City Council. "Te Pūrongo ā-Tau Annual Report 2019–2020" (PDF). Wellington City Council. p. 105. Retrieved 1 October 2021.
  35. ↑ "Harrogate, England". wellington.govt.nz. Wellington City Council. 7 April 2022. Retrieved 24 September 2022.
  36. ↑ "Sister Cities – Overview". Wellington City Council. Retrieved 19 November 2014.
  37. ↑ "Canberra and Wellington Strengthen Ties". ACT Government. Retrieved 6 July 2016.
  38. ↑ "Historical Sister Cities". Wellington City Council. Retrieved 18 January 2014.
  39. ↑ "Friendly cities". Wellington City Council. Retrieved 18 January 2014.
  40. ↑ Betts 1970, p. 39.
  41. 1 2 Yska 2006, p. 113.
  42. ↑ Yska 2006, pp. 91–2.
  43. ↑ Betts 1970, p. 86.
  44. ↑ Yska 2006, p. 234.
  45. ↑ Yska 2006, p. 243.
  46. ↑ Betts 1970, p. 262.
  47. ↑ "Wellington City Council wins Skeptics award after contractor divines for water". December 2019.

References

  • Betts, George (1970). Betts on Wellington: a city and its politics. Wellington: A. H. & A. W. Reed Ltd. ISBN 0 589 00469 7.
  • Wellington: Biography of a City by Redmer Yska (2006, Reed Books, Auckland) ISBN 9780790011172
  • A Complete Guide To Heraldry by A.C. Fox-Davies 1909.
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