With spring comes new growth (depending on rain, which is another story). Wellington is moving into a new phase that is certain to re-energise the town.

To achieve growth, we must create new ‘economic drivers’ for the town. In normal speak, economic drivers are businesses or facilities that bring money into the town.

For example one of the big ticket items that I am keen to get sorted out is the sad state of the Oxley Museum.

The museum’s grand collection is truly magnificent but is terribly let down by the building it is located in. A historic and heritage town like Wellington needs a state of the art museum. 

If Wellington was to have such a facility it would pull more people into the town and become one of those important economic drivers. I’m hoping to start a community dialogue on what to do with our museum in the coming months.

One of the more obvious economic drivers that needs work is our local retail sector. In simple terms we need more of it.

Right now council is working to revitalise the main street that will attract new shops.  Our Ignite program is showing good results and further upgrades to the streetscape will also assist.

The next 12 months will bring new growth in the housing market. Further encouragement of the housing industry will be an incentive for our corrective service workers to want to live in the town they work.

To do this Council will have new focus on land development via way of a new Local Environmental Plan as well as direct engagement with developers.

We are living in exciting times. Wellington has its challenges, but on balance the outlook is shaping up as spectacular.