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WORKING<br />
TOGETHER<br />
For the Western Bay’s future<br />
BY GARRY WEBBER,<br />
Garry Webber is the Mayor of Western<br />
Bay of Plenty District Council<br />
COVID-19 HAS DEALT<br />
A BLOW to the region<br />
this year that is going<br />
to be felt for a long<br />
time, which is why we<br />
must adapt and work<br />
hard to ensure we help<br />
communities get back on their feet.<br />
These are once in a generation<br />
circumstances and we need to accept<br />
that the world will be different. The<br />
pandemic has forced not only a great<br />
shift from the traditional ways of working<br />
to a more distributed and remote mode,<br />
but also revealed an increased level of<br />
empathy for others.<br />
As the Western Bay Council worked<br />
towards finalising its <strong>2020</strong>-21 Annual<br />
Plan, we were mindful of the delicate<br />
balance required between real financial<br />
prudence and keeping our economy<br />
going in a post COVID-19 environment.<br />
We are really fortunate that in our district<br />
we have two significant sectors that<br />
are enjoying a reasonable degree of<br />
growth.<br />
First, the Kiwifruit industry is planning to<br />
double its output over the next 10 years<br />
and second, our population growth was<br />
forecast to continue, which will see the<br />
continuation of new houses being built.<br />
As a district, and region, we must<br />
continue to embrace adaptability,<br />
flexibility, and quick reaction to help<br />
the local economy by being nimble<br />
and able to kick-start good projects and<br />
create jobs.<br />
Council plays a vital role in this process<br />
to rebuild communities, particularly<br />
as a way to focus central government<br />
funding through to local communities<br />
and also with our own projects,<br />
infrastructure and processes such as<br />
consenting and regulatory roles.<br />
Infrastructure crucial for the region<br />
Our $515 million Crown Infrastructure<br />
Partners bid is testament to this<br />
commitment to ensure an immediate<br />
stimulatory effect on the construction<br />
industry, its workforce and the economy.<br />
The 16 district-wide projects we applied<br />
for will involve significant labour input,<br />
which would go some way to ensuring<br />
those displaced as the direct result of<br />
COVID-19 will have opportunities to find<br />
a new employment.<br />
As a well-managed provincial<br />
council, Western Bay of Plenty District<br />
Council has a track record of working<br />
constructively in partnership, both as<br />
lead and in support of others.<br />
Therefore, our bid is part of a<br />
coordinated Bay of Plenty regional<br />
package to support the economic<br />
recovery of New Zealand.<br />
The projects are consistent with the<br />
long-term direction of both the<br />
SmartGrowth BOP partnership and the<br />
Urban Form and Transport Initiative<br />
(UFTI) initiative, which aim to deliver<br />
a step change in housing, transport<br />
and place-making for the sub-region’s<br />
communities.<br />
GARRY WEBBER.<br />
It’s thinking about what we can and<br />
should do, together, to get the best<br />
possible outcome for the region.<br />
If successful, and linked with the $900<br />
million Tauranga Northern Link, this<br />
would be a huge win for the district<br />
to ensure the region thrives by taking<br />
advantage of economic growth<br />
opportunities.<br />
While the future remains somewhat<br />
unclear post-pandemic, it is imperative<br />
we all learn from the digital experiences<br />
we have faced under the initial phases<br />
of COVID-19 to our advantage to<br />
modernise our own businesses and the<br />
economy so as to provide real benefit to<br />
those areas that matter most within our<br />
communities.<br />
6 | YEAR BOOK <strong>2020</strong>
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