Covid 19 Delta outbreak: Upper Hutt won't require vaccine pass for council facilities

By RNZ

Upper Hutt has decided to stick with its decision to not require vaccine passes upon entry to council facilities.

The decision was reviewed after initial opposition from some members of the public earlier in the month.

Upper Hutt City Council is in the heart of Covid Response Minister Chris Hipkins' Remutaka electorate.

Chief executive Peter Kelly said the council's position could change and it would continue to monitor the risk.

"While we have received messages of support over the past two weeks, we have also heard messages of concern from staff, elected officials and members of the community," Kelly said.

"We have factored that into our risk-based approach so that if the risk changes, our settings will also change."

Vaccine passes would not be required for the local library, council civic centre or the H2O Xtream Aquatic Centre.

The exception was the council's art exhibition facility Whirinaki Whare Taonga.

The council would monitor Covid-19 daily cases for the region and if there was community transmission, vaccine passes would be required to enter council facilities, he said.

Accessibility and equity considerations, as well as high vaccine rates across the city, contributed to the decision.

Upper Hutt City Council will not require vaccine passes to allow people to use council facilities.

Hutt City Council and Wellington City Council require visitors to council facilities to produce a vaccine pass.