Towns and Cities New Zealand
This new national organisation for town and city centre development in New Zealand has held its second annual general meeting.
The organisation met in Opotiki, eastern Bay of Plenty, and also discussed problems involved in the commercial re-use of historic buildings.
Towns & Cities New Zealand is planning a busy next 12 months as the organisation looks to further increase its membership, develop a national awards scheme and identify and deliver key strategies for member organisations.
The organisation is also looking to improve services and benefits to TCNZ members during the next year. It increased its membership by a third during the past 12 months, including several territorial local authorities. A website will be launched for the organisation soon.
A highlight of the past 12 months for TCNZ was the development of an alliance with the NZ Historic Places Trust. TCNZ executive member Karen Remetis says the relationship has helped to achieve stronger recognition of problems involved in the commercial re-use of historic buildings.
(To download 'fact files' about TCNZ, click HERE.
Objectives for TCNZ
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to help member town and city centre organisations to develop sustainable economies and raised property values
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provide members with opportunities to improve governance and therefore, improved sustainable outcomes for their members
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to work collaboratively with local territorial authorities to help with sustainable development of NZ’s town and city centres
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encourage and facilitate educational opportunities for existing town and city centre managers
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to help with development of town and city centre management as a career path for existing managers and for newcomers
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foster ‘best practice’ principles of urban design and architecture in town and city centres.
Background
A prime mover behind the TCNZ concept and a keen supporter of Business Improvement Districts is Karen Remetis of the Town Centre Development Group in Auckland.
“Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) began in the USA when commercial property owners became more interested in being engaged in their downtowns – or town and city centres. The American BID model has successfully established a strong engagement by the private sector in local economic development and the local environment,” she says.
“This is because the organisational structure of their BIDs is strong and while the levy (rate) is collected through the local authority, the relationship between public and private sector is a strong partnership.
“The BID focus on their local economy is a given – it is core business. Business recruitment and retention; gathering data about local economic performance and strong relationships with the private property owners is fundamental to the American model of BIDs. More recently, there has been increased focus on the environment, including how to deal with the homeless.”
Karen Remetis says the educational component of the TCNZ initiative has already moved forward. David Wilson, director of the Institute of Public Policy has announced that the Diploma of Economic Development will include a component in Business Improvement Districts from next year, in recognition of the importance of traditional towns and cities and the role they play in local economies in our urban areas.
Common goal
David Wilson says Business Improvement Districts are an important mechanism for developing local economies and strong local economies are fundamental to a nation’s competitiveness.
“They also demonstrate the common goal of both the public and private sector to improve their local economy as both stand to gain from improvements to its efficiency, strength and resilience.”
The TCNZ executive includes: Connal Townsend, chief executive of the Property Council of New Zealand; David Wilson, director, Institute of Public Policy; Murdoch Dryden, property investor and builder; Michael Tucker, strategic policy analyst, Auckland Regional Council; Graham Smith, CEO of The Katolyst Group; Karen Remetis, Town Centre Development Group; Marcella Howarth, Town Centre Development Group, Christine Foley, Ellerslie Mainstreet.
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