Wellington City Council backtracks on pool and library cuts

Khandallah Pool still faces the chopping block and could be closed. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Wellington City Council has backtracked on proposed cuts to pool and library hours, one councillor apologising for what he said should never have been on the table.

The council finalised its draft 10-year budget today in a marathon meeting that lasted more than six hours and brought one resident to tears.

The budget crunch comes amid the city’s looming water shortage crisis and urgent calls to pour more money into pipes that are leaking 44 per cent of the region’s drinking water.

The cost savings which were being proposed included Tawa Pool and Karori Pool only opening six days a week and shortening Thorndon Pool’s season from 23 weeks to 14 weeks.

Suburban libraries, apart from Johnsonville, were facing a reduction in opening hours equivalent to one day a week.

But Wellington mayor Tory Whanau has taken those proposals off the table after an outcry by residents.

“Libraries and swimming pools are part of the fabric of our communities. I know how much they mean to people.

“After listening to community feedback I put forward an amendment that removes reductions to opening hours of pools and libraries from the draft plan.”

The council’s public New Year’s Eve celebration has also been saved.

However, permanently closing Khandallah Pool is still up for consideration.

Resident Maree Newson held back tears as she pleaded with the council to keep Khandallah Pool open.

There have also been some additions to the proposed budget including $1.5 million for Te Papa to host visitor attractions.

It’s unclear how the changes will affect the previously proposed 15.4 per cent rates increase.

Chief financial officer Andrea Reeves will need to look at the numbers but she indicated the changes could result in another 1 to 2 per cent on rates.

Labour councillor Ben McNulty apologised to swim clubs for proposing the cuts.

He said council officials had done nothing wrong by bringing the cuts to the table, as they had been told to find possible ways to save money, but elected members should have been more clear about what they considered tenable.

“For us to get hundreds of emails, for people to be up overnight, for people to be worried about their jobs when the political will to do so was never there, was a failure of all of collectively around this table.

“I do want to say sorry and I really am disappointed that we put that out there when it really was never ever up for serious consideration.”

The draft long-term plan will now be completed and put out for public consultation.

Georgina Campbell is a Wellington-based reporter who has a particular interest in local government, transport, and seismic issues. She joined the Herald in 2019 after working as a broadcast journalist.