Business Central September 2021

| 3 “Infrastructure plays a critical part of our strategic objectives, which include planning for growth and meeting our environmental, social, cultural and economic obligations that deliver well-being.” Sean Rush Capital on track for transformation T T Karen Phelps Wellington is focused on developing an infrastructure strategy for long-term use including future technology and population changes in the city. DEVELOPMENT Wellington City Council T T to page 4 W ellington is undergoing an infra- structure transformation, which will see key assets in the region serve the community well for the coming decades, says City Councillor Sean Rush. “Infrastructure plays a critical part of our strategic objectives, which include planning for growth and meeting our environmental, social, cultural and economic obligations that deliver well-being,” says Sean, who chairs Wellington City Council’s Infrastructure Com- mittee. “Infrastructure must be developed in a timely, least intrusive and cost effective man- ner and one that delivers inter-generational equity.” The impact of the Kaikōura earthquake in November 2016 and the floods of 2016/17 have brought a sharper focus on how resilient Wellington needs to be to survive and thrive with adverse shocks and stresses including population growth, earthquakes and climate change, he says. The council’s vision places high importance on improving water supply and wastewater infrastructure that it is resilient to adverse events and supports the region’s economic and social development. In order to achieves these things Sean says that Wellington needs to be forward looking and future oriented, developing a strategy for long-term use including future technology and population changes. “We must also be adaptable, building and developing assets that are resilient to social and environmental changes, including ad- verse events. “This means a coordinated effort and devel- oping our infrastructure in consultation with our major partners reflecting our part in the national system (central government, territo- rial authorities, council-controlled organisa- tions). We will develop our infrastructure with other partners too, wherever that would be practical and cost-effective,” he says. Naturally enough a key challenge to devel- opment is affordability. “Funding of course is a big issue, particularly when balanced with other major spend items, such as earthquake strengthening, and with limited funding tools at our disposal. “That’s why we would like the Government to consider allowing councils to access other funding tools: congestion charging, tolls and PPP structures. “The other challenge, as many others will know, is capacity. “New Zealand has a shortage of workers in this space and we need to be smart about how we, as an industry, utilise those resources efficiently,” he says. Another key challenge for the city, as with many other metropolitan centres, is ageing infrastructure. Sean says that as an asset nears the end of its life, there is an increased chance of asset failure resulting in reduced levels of service and function, and costs tend to escalate to- wards the end of an asset’s life as repairs and maintenance activity increases to keep the asset in service. “Older assets may also no longer be fit for purpose - they may no longer meet the needs of users, be legislatively compliant or they may contain technology that is no longer supported. “These older assets may not be easy to adapt to the changing future needs of the community – additional capacity and in- creased resilience cannot be simply added to most assets.