The Local - Mt VictoriaJane O’Loughlin gets reaction to the news that funding for the Mt Vic Hub had been cancelled.
A flurry of furious emails, phone calls and social media posts followed the shock news that the Mt Vic Hub’s funding was to be cut at the Wellington City Council’s grants subcommittee on 20 May – meaning that it would be unfunded after 30 June.
Hub staff and its board revealed that the news arrived in the form of what board member Trish Given described as a “bizarre and deeply unprofessional evening phone call” by councillor Nicola Young to the Trust’s chairperson, made less than 48 hours before the grants meeting took place, where Young told them she would oppose the Hub receiving further funding as it was not delivering value for money.
Young, who chairs the subcommittee in charge of awarding grant money to a range of community groups each year, had organised support from fellow councillors for an amendment that would remove funding altogether from the Hub. This was despite council officers recommending awarding the same funding as last year, and raising no issues with the Hub’s performance.
Young told The Local that it was made clear to organisations that there were no guarantees for funding going forward and the subcommittee decided not to grant the recommended $79,627 to The New Crossways Community Trust (that runs the Mt Vic Hub) in order to prioritise other applications.
“Last year, after more than 20 years of historic funding arrangements for community groups, Council moved to 12-month transitional grants that run until the end of June. Council’s grants pool is for the whole city, and the new criteria will allow applications from a wider group of community organisations.
“Existing recipients of grants had a year’s notice that existing funding would cease in 2026 when every organisation would start from scratch. It was made clear there were no guarantees for organisations that had previously received ratepayer support, so it is not correct to say that grants have been cut.
“Councillors are conscious of delivering maximum effect for ratepayer money given Council’s (and Wellingtonians’) fiscal constraints. This year’s grants funding pool was oversubscribed by $3million, so the Grants Subcommittee (which I chair) considered officer recommendations, then sought to recognise the demand for a city-wide range of services and programmes.
“This decision (which is final) was supported by all three of the Pukehīnau/Lambton councillors. It is easy for Councillors to spend ratepayer money, but a lot harder to make – often tough – decisions when funding is constrained and rates keep increasing.
“Officers will work with the New Crossways Community Trust to provide advice and support any transition required with the changes in Council funding.”
Trish Given, who was clearly furious as she fronted the council subcommittee with Hub coordinator Joel Cosgrove, said the Hub had delivered more than 6,600 hours of engagement and activity to the wider Mt Vic Community during the 2025-26 financial year.
“That work is real, those outcomes are documented, those relationships matter.”
She took issue with the fact the Hub had been given no warning of the change and no chance to respond to criticism or address any perceived performance issues.
“We believe this process has been arbitrary, unfair, and deeply damaging.”
Hub chair, Johnny Crawford, told The Local the board had no idea there were any concerns, and he had never previously spoken to Nicola Young.
The Hub is now organising a public meeting to rally community support for the service.
The Mt Vic Hub public meeting on 3 June at 5.30pm will talk about Mt Vic funding and support as well as future goals and aims for the suburb. This meeting will be held in the Clyde Quay School Hall.
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