Cities of the Future

Cities – The Global Challenges

The Future Agenda programme has published a thoughtful paper on cities of the future.

"The big issues facing cities are clear: Think globalisation, immigration, jobs, social exclusion and sustainability: Given that global urbanisation is taking place at an unprecedented speed with a scale, diversity, complexity and level of connectivity that challenges all existing perceptions, questions regarding the size, speed of growth, shape and land use of cities have become increasingly complex and politicised. Although cities themselves have a remarkable ability to innovate, there are broad disconnects between urban change and urban policy. The priority, therefore, must be to identify ways in which policy makers can create a regulatory environment that provides a framework for sustainable forms of urban development.
Urban growth is being fuelled by new levels of mobility and migration of diverse populations within and across nations especially in China, Brazil and India. These rural-to-urban migrants are pulled by the tantalizing prospects of jobs and opportunity, driven by the harsh realities of rural life. Cities like Mumbai experience 42 people moving into the city per hour. Where do you house them and what infrastructure do you provide for them? Transport, electricity, sewers and water systems – these are technical issues that need to be addressed in a way that is environmentally smart.
Migration and in-migration has also created an urban underclass which is often allocated to specific areas of the city. Paris is a perfect example. The physical infrastructure, with the beauty and qualities that we all admire, has frozen. This means that all its growth (with increasing immigration from 1945 and onward) has created ghettoization.  This kind of imbalance in social mobility must be addressed.
The changing nature of work will also impact on the physical form of cities. The global economy was born out of the power of trans-national corporations and global communications technologies.  How does it affect the way we live?  If we focus on the fact that power and communications capacities need to be produced, implemented and managed, it becomes clear that cities still have an important role to play but their layout and functionality may be different.
Even the most advanced firms need cleaners, lorry drivers, and secretaries. How must cities adapt to fit the needs of all? Also how do we adapt to the possibility that we are seeing an internationalised labour market for low wage manual and service workers? How do we adapt housing design and create neighbourhoods that will benefit local communities and encourage urban integration?
Technological innovation has shrunk the world reducing the cost of transmitting to virtually nothing.  Internet users in developing countries could constitute more than half the world total within 5 years if trends persist.  The reality of urban connectivity taken to its logical conclusion will create a network of interlinked cities connected, and soon to be even more connected, by modern rails and technology. Consider also the effects of mobility and transport systems on social cohesion and economic viability.
Lastly, any future urban model must of course be sustainable.  If we are to make up for past failures, cities will have to produce more energy than they need, become net carbon absorbers, collect and process waste within city limits and collect and clean recycled water. All this should happen in parallel to the creation of wealth and the promotion of social wellbeing and individual health."

Posted using ShareThis

Getting to the core of local government reform

I have just read the Business NZ submission on the Local Government Act 2002 Amendment Bill.  It contains an array of innovative thinking some of which I agree with others which I think will advance no further than the Select Committee filing cabinet.  The submission does make some important points in regard to the prevalent pattern among local councils to increase rates by significantly more than the inflation rate.  While there may be some times when such increases are justified - they should not be the norm. The consistency of such increases in recent years points to a problem with operational expenditure control by councils. 

The submission suggests that local authorities' core business should be funding and - in justifiable circumstances -  the provision of local public goods that cannot better be provided by firms, households and non-profit organisations, plus the administration of appropriate regulations. While I would be reluctant to treat such a proposal as requiring overly religious adherence it may be a useful place to start in commencing a thorough review of local government expenditures. The case for funding activities beyond the core than then be made on its merits under the watchful eye of ratepayers and their watchdogs - an informed media and blogosphere.

The submission also calls into question the potential for duplication and ill-informed decisions when local government attempts to enact redistributive policies on top of similar policies enacted by central government.  Clearly with all the data held by IRD and WINZ central government has access to more comprehensive data on incomes and wealth distribution throughout NZ.  While all levels of government should deal with citizens justly perhaps there is a case for ensuring that well-intentioned policies at local government level are actually achieving the outcomes they were intended to deliver.

Time for Wellington To Grow

Recent statistics on staff numbers show that there has been significant growth in public service jobs. This makes Wellington vulnerable to any major staff reductions in the public sector should there be any significant change to government spending in the near term. Wellington needs to develop additonal sources of growth and employment in the private sector. As many investors are finding at to their cost - it pays to diversify.

Economies of scale are well and good but we need to balance the idea of concentrating development in the CBD. From a strategic perspective having all our facilities concentrated around the CBD leaves us vulnerable in the event of an earthquake.

In an age when carbon-based transport is likely to become more expensive we need to consider alternatives. Light rail, broadband, teleworking are all concepts worth exploring. If the city is going to prosper and grow then we need to be open to the outside world and market ourselves globally. We need to attract the people and the capital to invest in modern infrastructure and we need to sell high value products and services in the global marketplace. Perhaps its time to dust off the proposal for a hi-tech business park in the northern suburbs?

Wellington's Regular Rates Rise

WELLINGTONIANS face another rates rises this year. The average rates increase is likely to be around five percent - almost twice the inflation rate. The Council's Draft Annual Report also recommends increases to fees and charges for sports fields, burials and cremations, and swimming pools.

At a time when central government is urging people to get fit the Council is proposing a 10% increase in fitness centre fees and 5% in learn to swim programmes. Pool entry fees are expected to increase in 2009. At the other end of the spectrum burial and cremation fees will go up by an average of 8.5%.

Surely its time for much greater rigour to be brought to bear on Council spending. Perhaps the Council could focus more on those items that promote the city's economic development - such as improved infrastructure in the north of the City - and less on some of the never-ending series of Council-sponsored events or the rate-payer funded sculptures dotted around the central city?

The Draft Annual Plan will be debated and finalised for consultation at a council meeting on March 27. Wellingtonians will then get their say between April 16 and May 19. For more information visit www.wellington.govt.nz