Lower Hutt businesses win Gold awards

Sunil Vather from IM-Able and family with
Mayor Ray Wallace at the Gold Award presentation

The Wellington Gold awards threw up newcomers to the fold of success with gold awards for business excellence. They include companies working globally but living locally. 

My congratulations go to Discovering Gold winner GNS Science for Black Gold, to Emerging Gold winner Im-Able, to Supporting Gold winner NZ Diving and Salvage, and the ACC Workplace Safety Award winner Kiwirail Hutt Workshops. Finalists Nuenz, Tenderest and Sanpro came very close and are also congratulated for a fine effort.

A key focus of Hutt city Council’s strategic plan is to encourage business development in Lower Hutt and to support those emerging enterprises which will form the future base for building prosperity.

Barry a true inspiration

Community Patrol Coordinator Barry Renshaw signed on for three months and stayed 12 years. Barry took on the job as patrol coordinator to keep things going but continued helping the Wainuiomata community patrol become the very successful patrol it is.

Recipient of a Civic Award in 2009, Barry has shown true leadership in supporting the activities of the patrol.

The Community Patrols of New Zealand held their national training seminar here in Lower Hutt and it was a great success. Local coordinators and community patrol members were involved in organising the event over the past two years. The Seminar attracted more than 360 delegates to Lower Hutt.

 People see what community patrols achieve. They are out there in the suburbs keeping an eye out and liaising with Police. The result is that crime in Lower Hutt is steadily reducing and that’s a good thing.  The Community Patrols and the Neighbourhood Groups are helping residents feel safe in our city.

Heavy duty surface for Jackson Street

New heavy duty asphalt road surfacing in Jackson Street has been laid providing a sound foundation for the constant traffic along one of Lower Hutt’s busier streets.

Disruption and delays in recent weeks for shopkeepers and shoppers will be a thing of the past following completion of the current work.

Typically 14,000 vehicles, including nearly 1000 buses and heavy vehicles, use the road every day causing high pavement stresses.

Sections of pavement from earlier work on Jackson Street between Hutt Road and Queen Street had started to show the first signs of fatigue and cracking prompting the latest work.

 My sincere thanks  goes to all the shop keepers and shoppers for their understanding and patience during the road works.

Exhibition well worth a look

The range and scope of the artwork produced by over 30 individual artists at this year’s exhibition by the Hutt Valley Disabled Resources Trust at the Offline Gallery is truly stunning with over 70 works being exhibited.

The Hutt Valley Disabled Resources Trust has played an important role within the valley for more than 30 years and currently provides a range of services to 95 disabled people. The dedicated art studio is one of the most popular programmes provided by the centre.

This exhibition – the sixth annual event – is one of the few opportunities for client artists to become commercial and sell pieces to members of the public.

I was lucky enough to buy a wonderful piece of artwork and encourage you all to visit and buy.

Pictured at the exhibition opening is  Susan Gray, Chief Executive HVDRT, Left, Ray Wallace and Rawiri Evans, Chair HVDRT.

City Anchorage Centre provides child minding service

Parents seeking some respite while doing business or shopping in the central city can leave their children at the new short term Mini Me child minding centre at the High Street Anchorage Centre. The centre provides a place where parents can leave their children in good care for an hour or so. It embraces the young and old in a communal place.

The Mini Me child minding centre will open initially on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Children can be left for up to two hours. The cost is a just gold coin donation.

Staff working in the centre will be experienced, police vetted, child care minders. The centre has been fortunate to attract students from Hutt Valley High School. They are students who have expressed an interest in pursuing a career in early childhood education through the school’s Gateway Programme.

This is a double benefit for the community, as the Anchorage facility provides a pathway for building a career for the six Hut Valley High students who will start with the programme from today.

Further support of the facility is being provided by the Montessori School at Avalon where the group has a facility at the Avalon Assembly of God.

Mayor of Lower Hutt Ray Wallace is pictured cutting the ribbon to open the child minding centre at the Anchorage in High Street with manager Tracey Pomare at left.

Customer service key in doing a good job

The annual Pride of Workmanship Awards promoted by the Rotary Club of Hutt Valley highlight people in our community who go the extra mile to provide a touch of great service.

These awards are not just about providing good service and being good employees. They support the ethos of own it – do it. They are about being a good citizen.  They show a true commitment to the service of others and a belief in taking ownership of a task and doing a great job.

Excellent customer service is a key to growth, for any organisation. 

The award winners, truly amazing people who can deliver that service, are listed here:  Macaulay Metals Joanne Roelofs, St Oran’s College Lex Inglis, BNZ Shanti Kalupahana, Yvonne Hewitt, Te Omanga Hospice Denise  Walsh, Metal Art Ltd Debbie Lewis, Nominator Carl Longstaff  Caley Dent, Powder Coating Services Ltd Hayden Wallis.

Lower Hutt – a great place to live

I was invited to talk about Lower Hutt and the last 10 years to coincide with the first decade of the Dominion Post which featured all the cities within the Wellington region. This is what I said:

“Lower Hutt is a great city. Our people love living here. It is a place with a wonderful range of natural features . Families can go to the beach, climb the hills or walk along the river banks.

There is a vibrance.  The Jackson Street, heritage zone includes shopping and restaurants, while the central business district and Westfield Mallprovide a diversity of shopping and services.

We have encouraged the growth of business enterprise. Innovation and 800 science-based companies provide a firm base for growing into the future. Lower Hutt businesses are living locally and doing business globally. This is an emerging trend in Lower Hutt as we secure our future prosperity.

The Hut City Council has considered its future and provided for infrastructure. New community facilities are also included in the new Long Term Plan. The council itself is in good shape and was winner of the Gold Award, the only local authority in New Zealand to do so.

As the Mayor of Lower Hutt, I can say this is a great place to live and our current campaign, I love Hutt City, has wide support.

The last decade has been a period of significant change, but through it all, our people in Lower Hutt still love living here.”

Representation Review survey results out soon

We have been asking the views of residents about the seven second-level community boards and committees that represent their communities as part of a representation review council is required to carry out every six years. We have undertaken two surveys.

One in May covered whether or not the city should continue with community boards and committees. A second survey covering three options, has just been completed and the results will be reviewed by council later this month (July).

This survey discussed the options of staying with three community boards and four community committees have seven community boards elected by local communities, or disestablishing community boards. The result will be examined with interest.

Civic Award nominees confirmed

Three high calibre members of the community have been confirmed as recipients of Lower Hutt Civic Awards. Council at its July 10 meeting confirmed the recommendations from the Civic Awards Committee including three youth awards. Nominations are still be received for the Wellington Airport Community Awards. The successful nominees will be announced in September.

Other council decisions included approval of a submission by Council on the proposed amendment to the Local Government Act 2002 and confirmation of the Trustees on the Community Facilities Trust. They are a very high calibre and will do a very good job.

For further discussion on the Council meeting go on YouTube for a short summary of decisions made. 

part one - http://youtu.be/rFqHLHMhiKg
part two - http://youtu.be/b8YbJ_O_SMc