WRS Office Projects
Genuine Progress Index (GPI)
Genuine Progress Indexes (or Indicators) are a way of assessing the economic development of cities, regions or countries as well as looking at factors influencing the quality of life for residents. The success of the WRS is to be measured through a GPI.
The GPI Working Group continues to work together to develop indicators for the proposed GPI for the Wellington region. See the Genuine Progress box on the home page for more information.
See the GPI page by clicking on the dark blue box on the RHS of the home page.
Urban Design
The WRS office continues to work with the two remaining Wairarapa councils in the region yet to sign up to the protocol. This has included the provision of resourcing material and working to set up a governance level workshop to help the councils understand the implications for signing. This is particularly relevant for smaller/rural councils.
A working group of representatives from each of the TLAs has been set up in order to put forward recommendations to the Senior Offices Resource Team (SORT) on urban design matters. A paper on options for an urban design review panel for the Wellington region has been completed.
Council-led projects
Industrial Land
Hutt City Council is leading the project on industrial-based employment locations.
Within the region, prime industrial land prices are rising, partly as a result of competition with commercial and residential demands. Whilst there does appears at present to be an adequate supply of industrial land across the region we do not understand how this situation may change in the future and what the impact of this might be. However, we can already see impacts on some particular sites and areas of a reduction in industrial use of land.
The project is investigating demand and supply of industrial land in the region in order to determine future availability for businesses coming into the region and any implications for planning and policy. A report has been commissioned on the current status of industrial land in the region.
Open Spaces
Greater Wellington Regional Council is leading this project.
It is anticipated that a matrix will be developed to identify the types, roles, functions and values of public open space within the Wellington region open spaces network. It is proposed to develop regional objectives to facilitate the development and management of an integrated public open space network, establish criteria in order to identify current and future significant regional open spaces, develop processes to promote the sharing of resources and collaboration across agencies, and investigate how to more effectively promote, educate and raise awareness of public open spaces.
There is an alignment with the work that the Greater Wellington parks department are progressing with their review of future use of Greater Wellington owned and managed parks.
Broadband
The Broadband Operating Group (BOG) is driving the development of a regional fibre broadband network for the whole of the Wellington region. It is comprised of a cross section of local government, central government and district health board representatives across the Wellington region with interests in the telecommunications sector. See the Regional Broadband Plan box on the right hand side of the home page for more information.
BOG submitted an Expression of Interest (EOI) to the previous government's Broadband Investment Fund (BIF) but it is awaiting news on what the National-led government is planning to do in the broadband infrastructure area.
See the Regional Broadband Plan page by clicking on the teal coloured box on the RHS of the home page for more information.
Wellington Region Labour Market Strategy
This project is being led by central government and private sector partners. There are five strands to the strategy
• Collation and Dissemination of Labour Market Information and Initiatives (DoL)
• Labour Force and Skills (MSD)
• Promoting Work Choices (Trade Start)
• Business Performance – Productivity (EMA (Central))
• Integrated Labour Market Responses by the Tertiary Sector (WelTec)
One of the key actions is “productivity” in the Wellington region, which particularly involves the manufacturing sector. The Productivity action group has started with three companies in the Manufacturing Sector. The first stage of the project has been completed, the reports and recommendations delivered, and the companies are implementing the interventions recommended in the report.
The Department of Labour’s Workplace Productivity Agenda team funded the project and a second phase of the project is underway. An evaluation of the project and the best practice manual will be available later in the year.
Updated 11 December 2008
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