Green Party to issue a 'please explain' over Wellington deputy mayor's cycleway vote

Wellington Mayor Andy Foster and Deputy Mayor Sarah Free. Photo / WCC

Wellington's local Green Party is convening following concerns from members about how some city councillors voted on the capital's draft 10-year budget.

The fallout from Thursday's chaotic Long Term Plan meeting is mounting, with Mayor Andy Foster and some councillors in a full-blown stoush over a proposal to privatise part of the central library building.

Deputy Mayor Sarah Free, who ran on the Green ticket and is the cycling portfolio leader, voted against a proposal to triple the cycleway budget at the meeting.

She later told the Herald she was very concerned that adding such a large amount to the cycleway budget would create both financial and deliverability risks.

Free said she also wanted to keep some debt headroom for future spending.

She opted to support a lesser increase for the cycleways budget of $45 million, which would ensure a proposed 225 per cent debt-to-income ratio wasn't blown.

The vote was raised last night in a regular newsletter distributed to Green Party members in the Wellington Region.

"We are aware of concern from various members and branches about the position some of our Green councillors took when voting. Since this occurred there has been continued dialogue with the councillors, branches, party officials and others," the newsletter said.

It's understood the local party will be issuing a "please explain" before holding a hui within the next couple of weeks.

The newsletter said the situation is receiving "the attention it deserves" and the party would continue to work with elected representatives to ensure transformational change.

Free told the Herald she was committed to trying to deliver "good green change" and she looked forward to having the opportunity to explain her position to members.

She said ratepayers shouldn't have to shoulder the cost burdens on Wellington City on their own.

"I'm calling on the Government to step up with more funding for Wellington City in active and public transport, social housing, our library and our waste challenges so we can really achieve all of our ambitions for a liveable green city."

Greens co-leader leader James Shaw and party transport spokeswoman Julie Anne Genter. Photo / Dean Purcell

The Green Party's transport, local government and finance spokeswoman Julie Anne Genter told the Herald now was not the time to be constraining investment in infrastructure.

She said all the focus appeared to be on the fiscal risk, but not the climate risk.

"Green Party policy is really clear that we don't support fiscal austerity right now. There's no point having the auditor super happy with our books if we have a climate crisis and crumbling infrastructure.

"Previous decades of local government had limited spending and that's why we have the problems now with the pipes in Wellington."

Genter acknowledged party policy wasn't always at a detailed enough level to apply to very specific local government situations and could be open for interpretation.

But she said the overarching economic policy is clear- the party opposes fiscal strategy which includes arbitrary point targets for government debt and government expenditure.

"There is still an opportunity for our Green councillors to vote differently after public consultation," she said.

Attached to the newsletter was a statement from Wellington City Council's three Green Party ticket-elected members.

The statement said Green City Councillors have "reconfirmed" their commitment to a socially just, environmentally sustainable and economically secure future for Wellington.

"Local and regional plans can drive the change needed to ensure our cities and towns are places where people and nature thrive," Free said in the statement.

"We recognise that local government finances are under strain across New Zealand as we face a number of significant infrastructure challenges. At the same time, we must move towards a zero-carbon future."