Wellington attained city status in 1886. The settlement had become the colonial capital and seat of government by 1865, replacing Auckland. Parliament officially sat in Wellington for the first time on 26 July 1865. During the last half of the nineteenth century, Wellington grew rapidly from 7,460 residents in 1867 to 49,344 by the end of the century.[3]
The council represents a population of 215,300 as of June 2024[4] and consists of a mayor and fifteen councillors elected from six wards (Northern, Onslow-Western, Lambton, Eastern, Southern general wards and Te Whanganui-a-Tara Māori ward).[n 1][5] It administers public works, sanitation, land use and building consents, among other local services. The council has used the marketing slogan "Absolutely Positively Wellington" in an official capacity since the early 1990s.[6]
The mayor and all councillors are members of council. Following a review in 2021 by former Local Government New Zealand chief executive Peter Winder, the council adopted a new committee structure.[7] All committees apart from Te Kaunihera o Pōneke Council and Ngutu Taki CEO Performance Review Committee include two mana whenua representatives, who are paid and have voting rights.[8]
Committees and subcommittees of the Wellington City Council to Feb 2023
Committee
Chair
Deputy Chair
Membership
Te Kaunihera o Pōneke
Mayor Tory Whanau
Deputy Mayor Laurie Foon
Mayor and all councillors
Unaunahi Māhirahira Audit and Risk Subcommittee
Independent appointment
Cr Tony Randle
Mayor Tory Whanau, Cr John Apanowicz, Cr Ray Chung, Cr Iona Pannett, Pouiwi Liz Kelly (Tākai Here representative)
Kōrau Tūāpapa Environment and Infrastructure Committee
Cr Tim Brown
Mayor and all councillors and two Tākai Here representatives
Kōrau Mātinitini Social, Cultural and Economic Committee
Cr Teri O'Neill
Cr Nureddin Abdurahman
Mayor and all councillors and two Tākai Here representatives
Kāwai Whakatipu Grants Subcommittee
Cr Nicola Young
Cr Nīkau Wi Neera
Mayor and deputy mayor, Cr Brown, Cr Matthews, Cr O'Neill
Kōrau Tōtōpū Annual Plan/Long-term Plan, Finance and Performance Committee
Cr Rebecca Matthews
Councillor John Apanowicz
Mayor and all councillors and two Tākai Here representatives
Koata Hātepe Regulatory Processes Committee
Cr Sarah Free
Cr Ben McNulty
Mayor Whanau, Cr Abdurahman, Cr Calvert, Cr Paul, Pouiwi Holden Hohaia and Pouiwi Liz Kelly (Tākai Here representatives)
Ngutu Taki CEO Performance Review Committee
Mayor Tory Whanau
Deputy Mayor Laurie Soon
Cr Matthews, Cr O'Neill, Cr Paul
Wellington's local electoral wards were given Māori names in 2018, after consultation with mana whenua.[9]
Te Whanganui a Tara is a Māori ward created by Wellington City Council in 2021.[10] The 2022 election returned Nīkau Wi-Neera as its first-ever councillor.[11]
Paekawakawa/Southern Ward is the only ward that returns two councillors to the Wellington City Council (all others returning one or three). Since 2022 the councillors are:
Tawa Community Board,[28] having six elected members and two appointed members, representing the northern suburbs of Tawa, Grenada North and Takapū Valley;[29] and
Mākara/Ōhāriu Community Board,[30] having six elected members, representing the rural suburbs of Ohariu, Mākara and Mākara Beach.[29]
MANTLE, AZURE and GULES. Supporters. Dexter. The British Lion. Sinister a Moa but PROPER. Motto "Suprema a Situ" (Supreme by position). Under the motto "1840" (date of the foundation of the City and Colony).[32]
The Wellington City Corporation was granted an official coat of arms by the College of Arms in 1951,[31] the blazon for which is:[33][34]
Coat of arms of Wellington City Council
Crest
On a Mural Crown Argent a Dolphin Naiant Azure, Mantled Gules.
Escutcheon
Quarterly Gules and Azure, a Cross Or between; In the first quarter a Fleece Or; in the second quarter on Water barry wavy proper in base a Lymphad sail furled pennon and flags flying Argent; in the third quarter a Garb Or; in the fourth quarter five Plates in Saltire Argent.
Supporters
On the dexter side a Lion gorged with a Collar and Chain reflexed over the back Or, and on the sinister side a Moa proper.
Motto
Suprema a Situ (Supreme by position)
Symbolism
The shield is divided vertically and horizontally, quarter of which the first and fourth are red and the remaining pair are blue. A golden cross is placed over the entire shield centrally between these quarters. The top left quarter contains a golden fleece (usually depicted as a whole sheep with a band around its middle). The second quarter is depicted as a silver sailing ship (lymphad) with its sails furled as it would be in port but with its flags flying, placed on waves in their natural colour. The third quarter contains a golden wheat sheaf, and the fourth has five silver discs arranged in a saltire.
The mural crown (a crown depicted as if made of stonewalling) is common as a crest in city coats of arms. It is coloured silver, and from its top comes a swimming dolphin. Around the crest is mantling in red. The supporters on either side of the shield are a golden heraldic lion with a chained collar around its neck to the left, and a moa in its natural colouring on the right (the terms "sinister" and "dexter" relate to the shield from the holder's point of view, not the viewer's, thus dexter is the viewer's left and sinister is the viewer's right). The base on which the supporters stand is normally not emblazoned but is left to the artist to decide. The Motto may be translated as "Supreme by position".
Wellington City had a population of 202,737 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 11,781 people (6.2%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 23,271 people (13.0%) since the 2006 census. There were 74,841 households. There were 98,823 males and 103,911 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.95 males per female. The median age was 34.1 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 32,856 people (16.2%) aged under 15 years, 54,999 (27.1%) aged 15 to 29, 93,669 (46.2%) aged 30 to 64, and 21,213 (10.5%) aged 65 or older.
Ethnicities were 74.1% European/Pākehā, 8.6% Māori, 5.1% Pacific peoples, 18.3% Asian, and 4.5% other ethnicities (totals add to more than 100% since people could identify with multiple ethnicities).
The proportion of people born overseas was 33.4%, compared with 27.1% nationally.
Although some people objected to giving their religion, 53.2% had no religion, 31.4% were Christian, 3.7% were Hindu, 1.6% were Muslim, 1.7% were Buddhist and 3.3% had other religions.
Of those at least 15 years old, 74,922 (44.1%) people had a bachelor or higher degree, and 12,690 (7.5%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $41,800, compared with $31,800 nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 96,453 (56.8%) people were employed full-time, 24,738 (14.6%) were part-time, and 7,719 (4.5%) were unemployed.[37]
Wellington city has 57 officially defined suburbs; one can group them by the wards used to elect the city council. Some areas, while officially forming part of a larger suburb (or several suburbs), are considered by some to be separate communities. The officially defined suburbs include:
Official suburbs of Wellington: the darker tone indicate built-up areas, the lighter parkland, green belt or rural areas.
Within Lambton Ward, the council's tourism agency has designated three inner-city "quarters", as marketing subdivisions to promote international and domestic tourism. They are:
The Wellington City Council owns or directly operates several companies.
The council is a part-owner of Wellington Airport, and has two representatives on the airport's board. Mayor Andy Foster has been a member of the board since 2016, but has been criticised for poor attendance at board meetings.[38]
The seven council-controlled organisations (CCOs) are[39]
The city council was legally headed by a town clerk, who was in charge of the council administration and operations, later renamed as chief executive officer in 1991.[51] Holders of the office since 1842 are:[52]
The Wellington City Council owns and until May 2019 operated from a complex on Wakefield Street, with various extensions each representing a distinctive architectural period. The complex incorporates the Wellington Town Hall which opened in 1904, with the most recent extension completed in 1991 alongside the Wellington Central Library.
The Wakefield Street complex has been cleared of back office functions, and since 28 May 2019 will be closed completely for repairs and earthquake strengthening. In the interim, most of the council's central office staff are located in commercial premises at 113 The Terrace, and the council's public service centre is at 12 Manners Street. Due to repairs also being needed to the Wellington Central Library, and Capital E, all of the civic buildings on Civic Square are closed, except for the City Gallery.
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