Council sticks to First Past the Post

26 August 2014

Waipa District Council has confirmed the same First Past the Post (FPP) voting system will be used for the next council election in 2016.

At the council meeting today, elected members were asked to decide whether to stick with FPP, change to the Single Transferable Vote system or hold a community poll to see what system voters wanted. A poll would cost between $80,000 and $90,000. A poll could still occur, but it would require five per cent of registered voters to demand it.

Waipa District Council last confirmed its preference for FPP in 2011 and was not required to reconsider the issue so soon. However, with six new elected members on board following elections last year, staff felt it was important to air the issue again and check councillors remained comfortable with the voting system.

Today's meeting also confirmed that Waipa District Council would not establish a separate Maori ward in the Waipa district.

All local authorities are required by law to review their representation arrangements at least once every six years and can choose to review them every three years if they wish.

Reviews consider the number of councillors, how they should be elected, the boundaries and names of wards and the number of councillors who represent them and whether or not to have separate Maori wards. Reviews also consider whether or not community boards should be established or retained and if so, what the membership of those boards should be.

Waipa's last representation review was undertaken in 2012, prior to the last council election.

ENDS

Media enquiries only: Jeanette Tyrrell (on behalf of Council) 027 5077 599