Mayoral Inner City Taskforce tackles inner city challenges

Published on 12 June 2026

Established earlier this year, the Mayoral Inner City Taskforce brings together agencies, business leaders and community partners to work together on a coordinated response to the challenges facing Whangārei's city centre. 

The taskforce agreed at their inaugural meeting that a safe and welcoming central city, a thriving hospitality and business sector, well maintained infrastructure and public spaces, improved accessibility and parking, and clear pathways to support services were the desired outcomes.

Their planning is now moving into the action phase with a series of initiatives underway across safety, wellbeing, infrastructure and business confidence.

One of the most significant pieces of work in progress is a coordinated, multi-agency response to rough sleeping in the CBD. Although services exist, until now they have not been connected in a way that helps people access them all in one place. 

Through the taskforce, agencies are changing that. By July 2026, Mahitahi Hauora plans to open a walk-in wellbeing space in the CBD, a place where people in distress can be supported and connected with the right services. 

Also in the works is an integrated communications platform concept, led by Mahitahi Hauora. The Homeless Outreach Team (HOT) response is a shared digital platform that hopes to allow agencies to see who needs help in real time and assist with the coordination of their responses so that no one falls through the gaps, making service delivery more efficient. 

Other plans in development:

• Establishing a local Alcohol Accord, a voluntary partnership between the hospitality industry, Council, New Zealand Police and health agencies, which is focused on reducing alcohol-related harm, improving communication between venues and agencies, and supporting a safer, more vibrant nighttime economy. Alongside this, the hospitality workstream is focused on bringing more events and activations into the CBD to support local businesses and draw people back into town. This work sits at the heart of the taskforce's desired outcome of a thriving hospitality and business sector.
• Improving community safety with better information sharing between CitySafe, Council and Police. This supports the taskforce's goal of improving community safety through a more coordinated approach. Police have also confirmed additional officers will be recruited later this year to increase beat patrols in the city centre, with recruitment already underway for a police sergeant role to lead the team.
• The Waterfront to City connection project has been taken to those business owners affected by the physical works along John Street and sections of Robert Street, Walton Street and Cameron Street for early engagement, and the project team is now working through that feedback to refine the design before wider public consultation.
• New parking technology supporting access and availability is to go out for tender in the second half of 2026.

Mayor Ken Couper says the taskforce is beginning to see its approach take shape.

“This is a coordinated effort. Agencies are working beyond their usual boundaries, organisations are stepping up, and the community is telling us they want to see progress. 

“We are moving, but these are complex challenges that require people to work together in ways they haven't before. That takes time, but the direction is clear and the work is underway.

“This isn't one organisation trying to fix everything, it's a genuine community response. We will continue to keep the community informed as this work progresses.”

Further updates on the Mayoral Inner City Taskforce will be shared through our website and other channels.