Consultation opens on 8 August on proposed changes to Auckland Council’s ward and local board subdivision boundaries.
The proposed changes, required by a statutory representation review under the Local Electoral Act, will affect how some people would vote at next year’s local body elections.
The six-yearly review – Auckland’s first review following amalgamation – is designed to ensure the public interest is fairly represented on the council as ward populations grow or change over time.
Legislation requires the ratio of population to a member in a ward to vary by no more than 10 per cent from the average across the whole of Auckland.
Because of population growth, some wards do not comply with this requirement. The same rule applies to subdivisions in local board areas.
The legislation also requires that when wards or local board subdivisions are created, they provide effective representation of communities of interest.
The proposed changes would mean that some people would be included in a different ward to what they currently live in. Their local board area would stay the same, but internal subdivision boundaries of the local board may change.
The review affects only council wards and not local board boundaries other than their internal subdivision boundaries, for those who have them.
The number of councillors will stay the same – 20 plus the mayor.
The council may also review whether local board members are elected by subdivisions or across the whole of a local board area.
Areas of Auckland most affected by proposed changes are the Waitematā and Gulf Ward and its surrounding wards, Manukau Ward and Rodney subdivisions.
You can have your say on the proposals until 11 September. The council’s final proposal will be decided on 18 October and publicly notified for objections to the Local Government Commission.
Visit aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/haveyoursay for detailed information, feedback form, and dates of any public events.
