president’s report to the 2016 annual general meeting · president’s report to the 2016 annual...
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President’sReporttothe2016AnnualGeneralMeetingThishasbeenabusyandexcitingyeartobePresidentofourAssociation.Thisreportcoverssomeofthehighlightsfor2015-2016.TherelationshipwithWellingtonCityCouncil.Whatadifferenceayearmakes!InOctober2015wewerereportingonmakingeffortstocontactWCCofficerstodiscusslongstandingissueswithstreetcleaningandothermaintenance,andthefrustrationsofnotbeingablemakeprogresswiththis.AttheMarchmeetingJeanieMcCaffertypresentedthefirstdraftofapaper–“Newtownisn’tRubbishbutitsStreetsAre”–andwedecidedtowritetotheWCCCEOKevinLaveryandinvitehimtocometooneofourmeetings.HecameinMay,withDavidChick-newlyarrivedChiefCityPlanner,GeoffSwainson–ManagerTransportandSolidWaste,andDevenSingh–ManagerTransportAssets.KevinLaveryheardourconcernsandfollowedupwithproposalsthatwehaveaworkingpartywithCouncilOfficersandContractorsaboutourissues,andthatWCCappointanofficertoliaisewithNewtown.Theworkingpartyhasbeendelayedbecauseonecontractendedandthecurrentoneistemporary,butwehavebeeninvitedtomeetingsatWCCtodiscussproblems,CouncilofficershavecometoNRAmeetings,andwearedevelopinggoodconnectionswithkeyWCCpersonnel.InadditionwehavebeenconsultedonthejobdescriptionforthenewWCCNewtownCommunityLiaisonOfficer,andthejobhasbeenadvertised.Manypeoplehavecontributedtotheseoutcomes;particularacknowledgementtoJeanieMcCafferty,DavidWilcock,EvelynHopkinsandSteveCosgroveforbeingactiveandpersistentwithstreetcleaningissues,andtoTomLaw,PeterFraterandJanePattersonforinputintodiscussionswithJennyRains,WCCCommunityServiceManager,aboutthenewposition.CoincidentallywhiletheaboveissueswerebeingnegotiatedalongstandingWCCLongTermPlancommitmenttoredevelopcommunityfacilitiesinNewtowncametofruition.Inthisfinancialyear(July2016–June2017)thereis$48,000availabletodevelopaconceptthroughcommunityengagement,todecidehowtospendfundingforcapitalprojectsof$610,137in2017/18and$2,728,177in2019/20.JennyRainshasaskedourAssociationtotakealeadroleintheCommunityEngagementphaseofthisproject.Thismeansholdingthe$48,000andcontractingsomeonetodotheworkofengagement.Ithinkthatwearewellplacedtodothis,andproposethatweaccepttheinvitation.VogelmornandAroValleyhavealreadybeeninvolvedinsimilarprojects,sowecanlearnfromtheirexperience.SubmissionsWehavemadesubmissionstoWellingtonCityCouncilontheTownBeltBill,theDogPolicyandtheAnimalBylaw,andtoGreaterWellingtonRegionalCouncilontheAirportRunwayExtension.
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InMaywemadeasubmissionontheWCC2016AnnualPlantotheGovernance,FinanceandPlanningCommittee.ItispreferabletomakesubmissionsonwhatshouldbeintheAnnualPlanduringthepre-planningphase,butthecallforsuchsubmissionscameoutinJanuaryandwedon’thavebusinessmeetingsinDecemberorJanuary.AnnaKembleWelchmadeapre-planningsubmissioninFebruaryonbehalfoftheNRAFestivalCommittee,proposingthatWCCincreasethefundsavailableforevents,butwedidn’tmanagetogetanyotherideastogether.ThisyearitwouldbegoodtodiscussideasinOctoberandNovember,tobereadyforthe2017Plan.TheFestivalCommitteemadeasubmissiontotheWCCEconomicGrowthandArtsCommitteeinAprilabouttheneedforincreasedfundingfortheNewtownFestival.ThepositiveresponsefromCouncilorswasveryheartening.PlanningIssuesInDecemberweappearedatthehearingforPlanChange79,opposingrezoningapropertyat42bRiddiford.Althoughtherezoningwasapprovedtherewereheightlimitsimposedonanynewbuilding.Thenextstepwillbewhenanyactualbuildingplansareproposed.WehavebeenconsultedbyResidentsontheplansforproposeddevelopmentsat4RegentStandattheMaryPotterHospice.Thisisongoing.MyacknowledgementstoMartinHanleyforhisknowledgeandexperiencewithplanningissues,andhiswillingnesstoputtimeandenergyintotheseconsultations.OtherConsultationsAssociationmembershavebeeninvolvedwithmeetingsabouttransportissuesfortheKeepWellingtonMovingprojectrunbyGWRC,WCCandNZTA,andalsoaboutthefutureoftheBasinReserve.TheNewtownBusinessGroupConsultationInJulytheNewtownBusinessGroupcontractedRogerTweedytoinvestigatewaysofdevelopingtheNewtownMainstreet.HeconsultedwithanumberofusintheprocessofdoingthisandinAugustreportedback.OneofhisrecommendationswasthatthereshouldbeoneAssociationforNewtown,representingResidentsandBusinesses.TheimplicationsofthisforourAssociationissomethingweneedtodiscuss.NewtownFestivalThe20thNewtownFestivalStreetFaironSundayMarch6th2016wasagreatsuccess,andthiswasacknowledgedbyavoteofthankscarriedwithacclamationatourMarchmeeting.CopiesoftheFestivalReportareavailable.MartinHanleyinhisreportwilltalkmoreaboutfutureplans.KeepNewtownCleanForawhileaftertheNRAtookoverresponsibilityforKeepNewtownCleanweactivelyattemptedtofindavolunteertotakeonthejobofcoordinator.ThiswasunsuccessfulandItookitonbydefault,but
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Idon’tregretit.WehaveagoodroutinegoingandIampleasedforourAssociationtohaveapresenceonthestreetsina‘handson’fashion.DaveandLizofSBMaintenance,graffitiremovalcontractorstoWCC,areagreatsupport.Theyarealwaysthere,andtheydothisasvolunteers.TheireffortsincludevisitingNewtownthedaybefore,lookingforwhatneedsfixing,takingphotosandpreparingbriefingsfortheKNCvolunteers.Theyneedaspecialvoteofthanks,asdoNewtownNewWorldwhodonateallthesuppliesfortheBBQ.StThomas’sCourtyardGardenProjectThisstartedwithdoingsomeweedingasaKeepNewtownCleanactivityinSeptember2015.WenowhaveajointprojectwithStThomas’stocompletelyrenewthegarden.ItisrightonRiddifordStandanimportantpartoftheNewtownstreetscape.CherylRobilliardhasdonatedherexpertiseincomingupwithaplan,wehavepurchasedplantsandplantinghasstarted.Itwilltakesometimebeforethefullvisionisrealisedbutitisunderway.WeappliedforaNeighboursDaygrantlastyear,andreceived$400.ThiswenttowardsanafternoonteaintheCourtyardon19thMarch,andalsotowardssomeofthegardencosts.Manythankstoallwhohavedonatedtimeandexpertise–andbakingforthelovelyafternoontea!ConclusionIhaveenjoyedtheexperienceofbeingPresident,andhavelearntagreatdealaboutallsortsofthings,includingWCCsystemsandplanningprocesses.Iamverygratefultoeveryonewhohashelped,byrespondingtoemails,contributingtosubmissions,attendingmeetings,andinmanyotherways.AparticularacknowledgementtoPeterFrater,whowasTreasurerformanyyearsbeforestandingdowntowardstheendoflastyear,toSteveCosgrovefortakingnotesatourmeetings,andtoKevinLethbridgeforkeepingthemembershiprecords.Iwouldbewillingtocontinueinthisroleifthatisthewishofthemembership.RhonaCarsonPresident.