Mayor's Minute - January
Visible action will highlight progress on major projects this year
Happy New Year - I expect 2026 to be a year of action for Masterton District Council.
I could say that every year is one of action for the Council, but I also know that there has been an awful lot of discussion and planning around some issues in Masterton, with not much to see on the ground.
This year, that is going to change.
We are seeing the old town hall being demolished, following a series of public consultations going back nearly 10 years, and a final decision by the Council last year.
That site will not be sitting idle for another 10 years. Expect to see real progress on a new civic facility on the site. That was the plan that was agreed - that will be the reality.
From March you will also see major work on Queen Street, as we deliver on commitments made in the 2024-34 Long Term Plan. We will be replacing ageing water mains with modern infrastructure designed to serve our community well into the future.
New footpaths will replace existing surfaces that become slippery during winter months, ensuring safer pedestrian access year-round.
Some disruption during this important work is unavoidable. However, the project will be completed in stages, and the Council is working with retailers on Queen Street on ways to help minimise the impact on business.
As a Council, we listened to feedback from the community and pushed the start of work from January to March to avoid any disruption during the summer holiday and the Golden Shears World Shearing and Woolhandling Championship.
The new temporary library on Chapel Street is operating well, and we are currently negotiating a contract with the preferred supplier for work on the extension and refurbishment of the Queen Street site.
This is a transformational project that will create a modern library space with a community classroom, quiet work areas, and increased room for the great programmes the library team delivers.
You will see action at the site soon, once the contract is finalised.
And just down the road at the Queen Street customer service office, there will be more action as we transform what is now a Council-owned building, retaining and improving our Queen Street presence while incorporating a dedicated Council chamber for meetings which will double as the Emergency Operations Centre when required.
While these projects will be hard to miss, make no mistake, the Council will be continuing the emphasis on core activities that are vital, but are often less visible - 2026 is about moving Masterton forward and delivering great outcomes for our community.
If you check out the latest Council annual report, you’ll see that we renewed 4.6km of water mains, 1.9km of sewer lines, and replaced 322m of stormwater pipes in 2024/25. We also maintained our 812km roading network. That scale of work will continue.
This year we will be consulting on our Annual Plan for 2026/27 – the third year of the current Long-Term Plan.
That will provide an opportunity for our community to comment on what lies ahead, before we begin the next Long-Term Plan process later in the year.
I am a very firm believer that the result of planning cannot simply be a plan. Like everyone in our community, I want to see action, and I want to see results.
That will be the Council’s continued focus this year.
This column was originally printed in the Wairarapa Times Age.
