Representation Review 2024

Council recently voted to reduce the number of Councillors per Ward by one for the 2025 Local Government elections while standing by the decision to add a Māori Ward with two Councillors, bringing the total number of Councillors to 12 plus the Mayor for 2025. What do you think?

Whakapapa | Background

Representation Review - what is it?

The Local Electoral Act 2001 s19H requires local authorities to undertake a review of their representation arrangements at least once every six years. The Council carried out its last review in 2018 (for the 2019 and 2022 triennial elections) and is therefore required to undertake another review this year, for the 2025 and 2028 triennial elections. The Review is an opportunity to look at the number of elected members; ward boundaries and names and/or to consider community boards.

In October 2023 Council unanimously agreed to introduce one Māori Ward to represent the whole district, with two Councillors and this decision stands for the 2025 elections. Council also recently voted to reduce by one the number of Councillors per Ward for the 2025 Local Government elections, bringing the total number of Councillors to 12 plus the Mayor for 2025.

Central Government has indicated that it will bring a Bill to Parliament later this year for the introduction of a binding referendum on Māori Wards, to be held at the time of the Local Government elections in October 2025. Should the Bill proceed, any outcome of the Referendum on Māori Wards will apply to the 2028 triennial election. This may or may not trigger another Representation Review in three years' time, instead of in six years' time.

The population estimates (as at June 2023) for the Māori population, have been taken out of the proposed Ward figures and included in the Māori Ward, as show in the table below. People who are registered on the Māori Electoral Roll will only be able to vote for candidates standing for the Māori Ward.

Feedback is open until 4pm Friday 7 June

What we're proposing

1. Hauraki District Council to comprise the mayor elected at large and 12 councillors elected under the ward system, specifically 10 general ward councillors and two Māori ward councillors.

2. Hauraki District Council be divided into four wards, these being:

• Plains General Ward (three councillors) being the existing ward, less three meshblocks adjoining the Paeroa Ward (see map);
• Paeroa General Ward (three councillors) being the existing ward plus three meshblocks from the adjoining Plains Ward (see map);
• Waihī General Ward (four councillors), being the existing ward (see map).

3. Hauraki Māori Ward (two councillors), comprising the whole area of the district.

4. No community boards be established.

The reason is: The reason the total number of councillors is proposed to reduce to 12 (from 13) [plus the mayor] is to provide more effective representation to Hauraki District residents and ratepayers (whilst still ensuring accessibility to a large area made up of populated towns and villages and sparsely populated rural areas).

Population to Councillor ratio

To achieve the head of population to Councillor ratio for the option proposed by Council (including the Māori Ward), there would need to be a slight boundary adjustment between the Plains and Paeroa Wards to meet the +-10% threshold. The population for the Plains currently sits at 1% over the threshold for the proposed option.

Hauraki District currently has, based on population, four Councillors each for Paeroa and Plains Ward, and five for Waihī Ward, for a total of 13 Councillors plus the Mayor.

This new option proposes three Councillors each for Paeroa and Plains; four Councillors for Waihī and 2 Māori Ward Councillors for a total of 12 Councillors plus the Mayor.

Here's what the population figures look like with the proposed boundary adjustment. The area shaded in yellow on the map represents the part of the Plains Ward that would move to the Paeroa Ward - Meshblocks 1065300, 1064900 and 1065000.

A boundary change to a Ward does not change your property address or property valuation. It is a statistical representation of population for local government elections only.

In a nutshell, here's what we want to know from you:

Do you agree or disagree with Council's initial representation review proposal to:

• Drop the number of Ward Councillors for each Ward by one for the 2025 triennial Local Government election.
• Adjust the Plains/Paeroa Ward boundary slightly to meet the population to Councillor ratio for each Ward for the 2025 triennial Local Government election.

There are a number of ways to provide feedback

1. Complete the online submission by going to the Survey tab below (you'll need to create an account on this site first).

2. Download the printable PDF Submission form listed on this site under the Documents section.

3. Send us an email at letstalk@hauraki-dc.govt.nz.

4. Fill in a form at one of our service centres or libraries.

5. Post a form to PO Box 17, Paeroa 3600.

6. Phone us on 0800 734 834 (in district) or 07 862 8609.

Feedback closes on this initial Representation Review proposal at 4pm on Friday 7 June.