Ros Connelly - Greater Wellington Regional Councillor
This is my second year as Upper Hutt’s representative on the Greater Wellington Regional Council, so here is my second annual report.
It’s been a challenging year, as we face the changes COVID will mean for our foreseeable future. COVID has affected Greater Wellington
Regional Council – especially our public transport operations. It meant a return to virtual meetings, which I still haven’t learned to love.
But despite the challenges, this year has seen many successes for Greater Wellington Regional Council.
Here are just a few of the highlights:
• The appointment of a new Chief Executive
• A Long Term Plan that will reduce regional council emissions by two thirds
• The creation of a $10 million dollar low carbon fund with over $2 million allocated this year to restore wetlands and forests in Raumati and Kaitoke
• Funding for a Living Wage base rate for all bus drivers and support for better driver pay and conditions
• New train stations at Trentham and Wallaceville, plus the installation of four new Upper Hutt bus shelters and the enhancement/renewal of 13 other Upper Hutt bus stops
• Restoring a cheaper public-run airport bus service, ready to roll by July 2022 (I proposed this service be extended to the Hutt Valley but this motion was not passed)
• A trial with Snapper on rail to be delivered by the end of 2021 ahead of integrated ticketing
• A Council commitment to pursue a threatened-species sanctuary in Wainuiomata
• An aerial predator control operation to protect the ecosystem (ancient rata in particular) in the Akatarawa Forest
• The purchase of 98 new electric buses
• A plan for our regional parks that commits to the phasing-out of animal grazing
• Consents lodged for the Riverlink project (the Greater Wellington, Hutt City and Waka Kotahi project to improve access and flood protection at Melling)
• Completion of the Whanganui-a-tara Whaitua – a plan for Fresh Water Management in the Hutt Valley and Wellington
• Fast response and action to restore the riverbank and river trail between Heretaunga and Trentham following flood damage
• The opening of a new, wheelchair-accessible bridge in the Kaitoke regional park
• Awhi for the development of Te Matarau a Maui – a Wellington regional Maori economic development strategy
• Helping with the COVID vaccination drive (through provision of the Delta BUSter mobile vaccination bus and supporting Kokiri Hauora to vaccinate the Hutt)
Please contact me if you want to talk about anything in this report or have questions or issues with which I can help.
Email: ros.connelly@gw.govt.nz
Facebook: fb.me/rosconnellyforupperhutt
Instagram: @rosconnelly
Poll: Is it ok to regift something that you have been given?
🎁 Holiday Gift Chat!
Do you ever regift?
What’s your take on asking for a receipt if a gift doesn’t fit?
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79.8% Yes! It's better to regift what I don't need
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20.2% No. It's the thought and effort that matters
Today’s Mind-Bender is the Last of the Year! Can You Guess It Before Everyone Else? 🌟🎁🌲
I dance in the sky with green and gold, a spectacle few are lucky to behold; I’m best seen in the south, a celestial sight—what am I, lighting up the New Zealand night?
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Driven On The Akatarawa Rd Lately?
If so, its good to know you are still alive and reading this.
We have a function to go to over Christmas up that way and having heard a few hairy stories about the road, I went up there on Thursday to check it out. The road's ok, narrow and winding, but not much worse than a Wellington hill suburb. What was pretty scary was the behavior of other drivers. Three vehicles heading the other way at speed would have crashed into me if I hadn't been pulled off the road. I had pulled in to check the address when a truck came flying past, taking up all of the narrow road at speed. There is no way the driver would have been able to stop had they come around the corner immediately in front of me. The other two drivers came hurtling past as I had turned in to turn around and come back down the hill. They were also driving at speed and taking up most of the road. Coming back down I passed another car coming up and estimate that the safe speed to pass another car was about 30-35 kms.p.h. So, now we're thinking, do we go to the function or not.? Feels a bit like we're taking our life in our hands going up there. Drivers appear to be overconfident, and they are courting serious injury.
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