Representation arrangements to stay the same for Waipā

Waipā District Council is to retain its current representation arrangements.

But there will be a minor boundary adjustment to move those living in the Frontier Estate subdivision out of the Pirongia Kakepuku Ward into the Te Awamutu Kihikihi Ward, and the ability for either urban, rural or Māori ward councillors to take a seat at the community board table.

The decisions were made following the hearing and consideration of 109 submissions to an inital representation review proposal in September. They were confirmed at the council meeting this week.

The review proposal mooted reducing the number of councillors from 11 to eight and combining the Maungatautari and Pirongia Kakepuku rural wards into one. However, 86 submitters did not support the proposal, citing concerns about a reduction in rural representation, reduced access to elected members, impact on elected member workloads and effective representation.

The Council is required by law to ensure that the ratio of people represented per councillor in each ward is no more than 10 per cent greater or smaller than the ratio of population per councillor across the whole district. Growth in the Pirongia Kakepuku Ward since the last representation review, meant that threshold would not be met without the boundary change.

Mayor Susan O’Regan said she had promoted the Initial Proposal in a bid to better understand how people wanted to be represented around the council table.

Local Government was a highly dynamic environment that was in a state of flux, and it was timely the council had an opportunity to consider whether it wanted to be more self-determining, and ensure ‘long-term, future focussed decision-making’, she said.

“My vision was to ensure the people who sat around this table were the best people in the district who had the ability to make decisions that affect people’s lives in the most positive way, with the best governance practices possible.”

However, the community had spoken, and the reduction was not supported. O’Regan accepted it ‘wasn’t a silver bullet’ but a degree of change was needed to ensure the elected members were best serving their communities.

“I too had reservations about reducing the rural voice at this table, and there are other ways we can ensure we are a better functioning Governance-orientated body,” she said.

The final proposal was publicly notified yesterday.

Anyone who made a submission on the Council’s Initial Proposal may lodge an appeal against the Council’s final proposal.

Anyone who does not agree with the final proposal may lodge an objection.

Appeals and objections must be made in writing and must be received by Council no later than December 3, 2024.

For more information: www.haveyoursay.waipadc.govt.nz/representation-rev...