Driving affordable, focused strategic change: councillors' top 10 priorities
As your elected representatives, we’ll act on the things that matter most to you. As we head into the Annual Plan for 2023/24, we’ll tighten our belt for these tough economic times. We’re committed to delivering the ‘top 10’ things annually that matter to you, to get the job done. But we want to make sure we hit the mark for you – we welcome your feedback on whether we have this list right. Ultimately, we want our services to support you, our businesses, community and environment to thrive no matter what comes our way.
Our top 10 priorities are grouped by place, people and partnership.
Help us make Kāpiti even better together! To learn more and have your say online, visit our Vision Kāpiti page and have your say.
Working with our mana whenua partners
Our mana whenua partners are Te Āti Awa ki Whakarongotai, Ngā Hapū o Ōtaki and Ngāti Toa Rangatira. You can read more at Iwi and hapū.
Targeted action
2023/24
Progress decision on Māori ward.
2024/25
Refresh our partnership agreement.
2025/26
Develop our local government response through a te Tiriti o Waitangi | Treaty of Waitangi approach.
Looking after our rivers, streams, and oceans, and ensuring supporting infrastructure is resilient and in top condition.
Our priority
Develop a plan to address inland flooding and ponding – stormwater, infrastructure, and the impacts of three waters reforms.
Targeted action 2023/24
- Deliver stormwater our infrastructure programme to upgrade systems, future-proof and increase drainage capacity.
- Use a "whole-of-catchment" focus to manage quality, flow, and sediment levels.
Targeted action 2024/25
- Set out a plan for the health and restoration of streams.
- Use a "whole-of-catchment" focus to manage quality, flow, and sediment levels.
- Optimise water reforms, transition, including delivery of infrastructure plans.
Targeted action 2025/26
- Implement Whaitua Kāpiti recommendations and Greater Wellington regional plan change requirements.
- Introduce working arrangements with the new water entity to optimise our ecosystem.
Making the most of our land so we meet the needs of current and future residents in a sustainable way.
Our priority
Implement a ‘good’ growth strategy balancing needs for housing and our environment, through appropriate district and regional spatial planning.
Targeted action 2023/24
- Drive solutions around ‘good growth’ at the right place and pace for
Kāpiti, with room for open space. - Work in partnership to ensure accountability for environmental goals.
- Improve safety, reach, and accessibility of our active mode transport network.
Targeted action 2024/25
- Revisit implementation of Te Tupu Pai | Growing well so environmental wellbeing and open spaces are optimised.
- Take a more balanced regulatory approach to consenting to drive ‘good growth’.
Targeted action 2025/26
- Work with partners on next steps for the airport, including updating the regional policy statement.
- Extend the complex development opportunity (CDO) to ensure infrastructure for growth (including jobs, health, education, transport) is planned across our district.
A healthy, enhanced natural environment for us to live as part of, so we’re resilient to climate change as our population grows.
Our priority
Develop a climate strategy to reach our bold emissions reduction goals and an environment strategy to set out the state of the environment and how we enhance it.
Targeted action 2023/24
- Introduce (publicly) an emissions reduction target by June 2023.
- Implement a Climate Strategy and Environment strategy to deliver on this and other targets.
- Be a role model – implement sustainable practices.
Targeted action 2024/25
- Introduce climate and environment action plan.
- Report on state of the environment.
- Activate community response to waste minimisation and management.
- Be a role model – implement sustainable practices.
- Improve access to ‘active’ public transport to reduce emissions.
Targeted action 2025/26
- Introduce new coastal and flood risk rules that address coastal advisory panel (CAP) recommendations.
- Determine climate adaptation actions for future years.
- Implement climate and environment action plans to deliver on goals.
- Be a role model – implement sustainable practice.
Targeted action 2023/24
- Build strong community centres, both precincts and physical buildings.
- Progressively refresh our townships, so that current and future generations bear the burden and benefits.
- Progress towards an age-friendly Kāpiti.
Targeted action 2024/25
- Progress review of community safety and crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED).
- Partner with iwi to progress ‘by Māori for all’ solutions.
- Progress community hubs in Paraparaumu, Waikanae, and Ōtaki libraries.
Targeted action 2025/26
- Introduce the creativity and heritage strategy, with joint funding arrangements with central government.
- Report on inclusion and accessibility goals, and intergenerational inequity.
Ensuring the Kāpiti economy thrives, so people can ‘make a living’ in our district.
Our priority
Enable residents to earn a living in Kāpiti through increased tourism and economic development.
Targeted action 2023/24
- Land the Kāpiti story.
- Refresh our destination management plan (DMP) to refocus effort and increase tourism.
- Increase support for the tourism and hospitality industry.
Targeted action 2024/25
- Refresh the economic development strategy.
- Implement the workforce strategy.
Targeted action 2025/26
- Implement the economic development strategy.
- Support and nurture the Economic Development Kotahitanga Board (EDKB).
- Review regulatory fees structure.
Improving access to affordable, warm, dry and safe housing options that meet our local need.
Our priority
Implement the housing strategy.
Targeted action 2023/24
- Progress an affordable housing entity (affordable housing options equate to 30 percent of average salary in the Kāpiti community) or approach to improve access to housing.
- Improve older persons’ housing.
Targeted action 2024/25
- Introduce the new affordable housing entity (affordable housing options equate to 30 percent of average salary in the Kāpiti community) or approach to improve access to long-term housing options.
- Develop older persons’ housing.
Targeted action 2025/26
- Improve access to social housing through partnership.
- Introduce older persons’ housing strategy, including Council’s role in housing.
Improving our overall health through access to affordable health services in our community.
Our priority
Shape the design for a health strategy to create more coordination and more service.
Targeted action 2023/24
- Take a lead advocacy role in local health, along with the community and iwi.
- Map local health need.
- Develop local solutions to health services.
- Set a health strategy.
Targeted action 2024/25
- Advocate local solutions to health needs to central government and Ministers.
- Implement the health strategy action plan.
Targeted action 2025/26
- Advocate local solutions to health needs.
- Implement the health strategy action plan.
Targeted action 2023/24
- Set aspirations for Kāpiti life in 2060+.
- Land a pathway for actioning change to achieve this vision, that is affordable and locally supported.
- Set goals to ensure we meet local needs and report progress.
Targeted action 2024/25
- Land aspirations for Kāpiti life in 2060+.
- Secure central government and other funding sources.
- Introduce a ‘master plan’ to deliver on our aspirations.
- Review our ratings system.
Targeted action 2025/26
- Release Vision Kāpiti to 2060+.
- Introduce other funding streams.
- Identify wider funding options within community, for example, Te Raukura ki Kāpiti.
- Implement the Vision Kāpiti ‘master plan’.
Ensuring Kāpiti Coast District Council engages well, and delivers value locally.
Our priority
Lift mana and pride in Kāpiti Coast District Council’s operational culture so that we deliver more value to you.
Targeted action 2023/24
- Build a sense of community, recognise achievements and encourage professional development.
- Improve engagement and feedback to the community on what we do and why.
Targeted action 2024/25
- Create meaningful engagement with central government.
- Introduce ‘values-based’ engagement approach and goals, on the back of engagement with communities.
Targeted action 2025/26
- Introduce new feedback approach to ensure values-based engagement goals are achieved.
- Support participation in engagement.
- Report on progress to achieve trust and confidence goals.
Improving trust and confidence in our role and service for the community we serve.
Our priority
Support Kāpiti Coast District Council to remain on track and improve accountability.
Targeted action 2024/25
- Report meaningfully on progress, including our effectiveness in addressing ‘need’ and improving wellbeing.
- Review the strategic use of debt to optimise investment, rather than spending.
Targeted action 2025/26
- Assess community ‘happiness’ and gaps in meeting ‘needs’.
- Be transparent about decisions that impact rates now and in the future.
- Optimise the use of funding to improve effectiveness.
- Top 10 Priorities [PDF 640 KB]