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Representation Review: what is the right number of Councillors for our district?

Making good decisions on your behalf and leading the district's future direction is an important part of the job for a councillor.

As part of the representation review we are required to complete by the Local Electoral Act 2001, we're asking an important question: what is the 'right' number of councillors required to make good, sound decisions that reflect effective leadership?

We're allowed to have between 5 and ?? councillors (plus the Mayor).

The number of councillors should:

Reflect our district's diversity
Ensure voters can easily engage with councillors
Balance the workload of councillors
Bring a range of skills and knowledge to the table, and
Represent our communities' needs and interests.

Consultation will run from 11 July until 25 August 2024. Submissions are invited and will be considered in final decision-making.

The representation arrangements that are ultimately adopted will apply to the 2025 local elections.

The representation arrangements proposed and out for consultation are for a mixed model membership structure with 1 Mayor and 9 councillor seats. The proposed structure is:

1 Mayor elected 'at large'
Two General Wards
- Ruataniwha General Ward with 3 seats
- Aramoana-Ruahine Ward) with 3 seats
One Māori Ward with 1 seat
2 'at large' seats

No Community Boards are proposed.

This is one more councillor seat than the current representation arrangement.

What do I need to do?

We are asking for your feedback on the representation proposal from 11 July - 25 August 2024.

We need to check with the community that we've got this right. We'll host a series of online webinars and 'cuppa with a Councillor' events at our libraries.

You can read the Initial Representation Review Proposal here.

You can:

ask a question below
make a submission
share your thoughts through our quick poll
write to us at Representation Review, Central Hawke's Bay District Council, PO Box 127, Waipawa 4240
call us on 06 857 8060.

How was this proposal decided?

Based on community, iwi and elected member feedback, a number of representation scenarios were investigated and considered against the requirements of the Local Electoral Act 2001. The proposal that is open for consultation is the one considered to most fairly and effectively to represent Central Hawke's Bay communities.

What has happened so far?

Council resolved in August 2023 to retain the status quo and continue with the 'First Past the Post' system where the candidate with the most votes, wins.

In November 2023, stage two was completed after public consultation, when Council resolved to establish Māori wards for the 2025 and 2028 local body elections. This provides a way for Māori to contribute and have representation at the Council table, by way of ensuring those on the Māori electoral roll can vote specifically for candidates looking for election in the Māori wards.

Stage one and two are now legally binding and cannot be changed.

We completed stage three of our review in April 2024 after consulting with the community to determine:

the total number of Councillors for the district,
how Councillors should be elected - from wards or a mix of wards and 'at large'/across the district
the boundaries of the wards and constituencies and their names
whether there should be community boards in the district.

On Thursday 27 June 2024, Central Hawke's Bay District Council adopted the proposed draft representation review. Now it's time for you to look at the proposed representation and have your say.

What happens next?

Hearings of submissions will be on 5 September 2024. After deliberation, Council will adopt a final Representation Review on 19 September 2024.

There will be opportunity for members of the public to make an objection or appeal that decision before the final proposal is sent to the Local Government Commission.

You can make a formal submission between 11 July -25 August 2024.

Make a formal submission

Quick poll

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Representation Review

Central Hawke's Bay District Council

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Which ward am I in?

If you are not sure which ward you live in, check out the map below and enter your address to find out.

NB: Make sure to select 'Ward and Māori Ward' in the Layer List of the map.

Contact Us

Have questions or want to learn more about a project, contact us below:

Name	Central Hawke's Bay District Council
Phone	06 857 8060
Email	representation@chbdc.govt.nz
Website	www.chbdc.govt.nz/

Join the conversation!

There will be opportunities to join the conversation through webinars and 'Cuppa with a Councillor' events

Cuppa with a Councillor

Watch this space for upcoming events

Webinar

Watch this space for upcoming opportunities to join the conversation online

Timeline

Timeline item 1 - complete

Stage one of review - decision on electoral system

15 August 2023
Council resolved to retain the status quo and continue with the First Past the Post electoral system.
Timeline item 2 - complete

Stage two - Māori wards

15 November 2023
Council resolved to establish a Māori ward for the 2025 and 2028 local body elections.
Timeline item 3 - complete

Pre-engagement community survey

28 March - 28 April
Timeline item 4 - active

Stage three - representation review

March 2024
Currently underway
Timeline item 5 - complete

Adopt proposed draft representation review

27 June
Timeline item 6 - incomplete

Public notification of initial draft Representation Review proposal

11 July - 25 August
Formal consultation and open for submissions
Timeline item 7 - incomplete

Council hearing of submissions - Council meeting

5 September
Timeline item 8 - incomplete

Council adopts final Representation Review

19 September
Timeline item 9 - incomplete

Appeals/ Objections period

3 October - 3 November
Any previous submitters on the initial proposal can lodge an appeal and any person can lodge fresh objections to any amendments between the Council's initial proposal; and final proposal
Timeline item 10 - incomplete

Appeals and objections forwarded to Local Government Commission

Due date: 20 December 2024
Timeline item 11 - incomplete

Appeals and Objections considered and determined

January - April 2025
Appeals and objections considered and a determination set by the Local Governement Commission (no later than 10 April 2025)

Making sense of your representation options

Representation is the arrangement for:

The number of wards, if any, in the district
The names and boundaries of wards
The number of councillors
Whether the election is at large, by wards, or a mix of Wards and ‘at large’
Whether to have community boards.

A representation review is a legally required process undertaken every six years by councils to reassess their representation arrangements. We are required by the Local Electoral Act 2001 to complete this review.

The Council last reviewed its representation arrangements in 2018 prior to the 2019 elections. As it has been six years since our last review, Council is required to review its representation. This must be done before the 2025 local body election.

The goal of a representation review is to ensure that the council's representation arrangements are both fair and effective. "Fair" means each Councillor represents about the same number of voters. "Effective" means each constituency reflects a community with common interests. The representation review also aims to align representation with changes in population and these communities.

Having considered the range of options available, Council is proposing three wards, instead of two, including a Māori Ward. These are:

Ruataniwha General Ward (existing)
Aramoana – Ruahine General Ward (existing)
Rautahi Māori Ward (new)

The Local Electoral Act 2001 says that the review process must happen within a certain timeframe and a certain way. It is six years since our last review and Council is required to review its representation before the 2025 Local Body Election.

Residents are invited to submit their views on the proposed representation option from 11 July - 25 August 2024.

You can find out more about the proposed option, ask a question, have your say on our quick poll, or make a formal submission.

You can also write to us at Representation Review, Central Hawke's Bay District Council, PO Box 127, Waipawa 4240.

If you are not sure about anything or would like more information, please contact us on 06 857 8060.

Click here to provide your feedback or take our quick poll to share your views. You can also make a formal submission here.

Council currently has a Mayor and eight Councillors.

The Mayor is elected at large (everyone across the whole district votes for the mayor), while Councillors are elected by electors of their ward.

In 2023, Council resolved to introduce Māori Wards in the 2025 Local Body Elections. This decision is legally binding and means that Council will need to have a least one Ward being a Māori Ward in our final representation arrangements.

The current wards are:

Ruataniwha Ward - 4 Councillors

Aramoana/ Ruahine Ward - 4 Councillors

Council currently has no community boards. The cost of running a community board is predominantly funded by ratepayers in the area the board represents.

Find out more about community boards from our neighbours at Hastings District Council who have a rural community board.

The final proposal, after the community views have been considered, is subject to rights of appeal or objective by the Local Government Commission. If the Commission is satisfied with the proposed representation option that Council has chosen, then it will be adopted.

You can share your views through our quick poll.

In reviewing their representation arrangements, councils must take account:

Communities of interest – the Council had to identify areas where groups of people have a sense of belonging and relate to for social activity, services and economic support. Physical and geographical features, and transport and communication links also helped identify communities of interest.
Effective representation of communities of interest –the number of elected members and how they are elected were considered so that a Council can adequately represent their ward and ensure matters important to residents are heard.
Fair representation – the approximate per person representation per elected member was considered, so that each elected member can represent about the same number of people. For example, the population of the district’s general wards (13,510) divided by 8 councillors is a representation of 1,689 people per Councillor. There is a +/- 10% rule, which means the population per member in each ward must be between 1,520 and 1,858.
Community Boards - The Council had to consider whether there should be community boards.

We want to know what communities of interest you think exist in Central Hawke's Bay. Factors that may define a community of interest include:

Geographical features
Economic activities
Shared facilities and services
Distinctive history
Transport routes
Community activities and focal points
The rohe or takiwā of local iwi

Any of all of these may produce a sense of community identity.

The Mayor is elected at large (across the whole district) and Councillors are currently elected by ward.

Council can choose to have Councillors elected by either:

a ward system, or
a combination of at large wards*

*as Council has decided to have a Māori ward or wards, it cannot elect all Councillors at large it must have at least one General electoral ward.

In a ward system, voters may only vote for candidates standing for the ward they live in/ qualify to vote in. This system ensures each of the different communities of interest in Central Hawke's Bay has guaranteed representation on Council.

A mixed system, where some Councillors are elected from wards and some at large, can be seen to provide a balance between representation of district-wide interests and ward concerns.

If wards are retained, the number and boundaries of wards will need to be determined. In 2019 the current wards were deemed to best reflect communities of interest, but communities of interest may change over time.

The ± 10% “rule” is an important guide in assessing fair representation. This rule means the ratio of councillors to the electoral population in each ward should produce a variance of no more than ± 10%.

Any departure from the ± 10% “rule” must be specifically approved by the Local Government Commission.

In November 2023, Council resolved to introduce Māori wards for the 2025 and 2028 elections.

The number of Māori ward Councillors on Council is determined by a formula in the Local Electoral Act 2002 and cannot be changed by Council.

Council must determine the number of Māori wards those Councillors are elected from. The number of general roll Councillors elected determines the number of Māori ward Councillors to be elected, for example:

The review has to determine the number of Councillors required for good governance and effective representation of the district.

Under law, Council can have between six and 29 Councillors plus the Mayor.

The community may have views on whether a smaller or larger number might produce better governance and representation.

Regardless of the number of Councillors, the total amount paid to elected members overall does not change.

Under the current arrangements, the Remuneration Authority sets the total remuneration pool that is paid to the Mayor and Councillors. This would likely be divided among the Councillors elected.

A community board is a separately elected body that works on local issues. Its powers and duties are mainly those that Council chooses to delegate to it.

The cost of running a community board is predominantly funded by the ratepayers in the area the board represents.

If it is decided that Central Hawkes' Bay should have community boards, we need to determine the number of board, their boundaries and the number of members. Community boards can have between four and 12 members. At least four must be elected members. The number of members appointed by Council must be less than half the total number of members.

Find out more about community boards from our neighbours at Hastings District Council who have a rural community board.

After the consultation closes, hearings of submissions will be on 5 September 2024. After deliberation, Council will adopt a final Representation Review on 19 September 2024.

The new representation structure would take effect from the 2025 Local body Elections.

As a result of the Council’s decision to establish a Māori Ward for the 2025 and 2028 local body elections, the current representation arrangements must change because we will need to have at least one General Ward.

The Council also listened to feedback from the community about Community Boards. The community does not see them as a priority.

A General Ward means voting across the whole district, not just in your Ward.

The number of members to be elected from Māori wards is determined by a formula set out in legislation. If the total number of councillors to be elected from wards (both general and Māori) is from five to nine, then one Māori member can be elected.

New legislation is currently being enacted by Central Government, which proposes to restore binding public polls as the basis for any decision to establish Māori wards.

For Central Hawke’s Bay, the Bill would require the Council to either rescind its decision to establish a Māori ward, or to hold a poll as part of the 2025 local elections. If the Council were to hold a binding poll alongside the 2025 local elections, any future change relating to a Māori Ward would take effect from the 2028 local elections.

No. The boundaries of the Aramoana-Ruahine and the Ruataniwha General Wards remain unchanged. The Ruataniwha ward is mostly the urban areas of Waipukurau and Waipawa, while the Aramoana-Ruahine ward is largely the rural and coastal areas of the district.

The new Rautahi Maori Ward will cover the entire district.

There will also be two Councillors elected ‘at large’ by the whole District.

If you are on the General Electoral Role, then you will be able to vote for three Councillors within the Ward you live. You can also vote for two Councillors at large, as well as voting for a Mayor. This is a total of five votes.

The proposal is for one Māori Ward with one Councillor. People on the Māori Electoral Roll can also vote for up to two further Councillors ‘at large’, as well as voting for a Mayor. This is a total of four votes.

You can vote in the Māori Ward if you are registered on the Māori Electoral Roll.

No. The establishment of a Māori Ward is an important step in ensuring Māori participation in decision making. However, Council acknowledges that this does not take the place of partnership with Mana whenua. Council’s focus will remain on other opportunities to ensure the voice of Mana whenua is reflected in Council’s decision making. For example, through appointments where possible and in this triennium the establishment of the Tamatea Partnerships Committee.

The name Rautahi has been gifted by Mana whenua as the name for the new Māori Ward.

Rautahi recognises that while there is one person (tahi) proposed to be elected as a Councillor to the new Māori Ward, there are many people (rau) behind that person in support.

Yes. The proposed representation would increase the total number of Councillors from eight (8) to nine (9)

Three (3) Councillors in the Ruataniwha General Ward (reduced from four)
Three (3) Councillors in the Aramoana – Ruahine General Ward (reduced from four)
One (1) Councillor in the Rautahi Māori Ward (new)
Two (2) Councillors elected ‘at large’ by the whole District (new).

There is no change to the Mayoral election, with one (1) Mayor Elected at large (no change).

It is not proposed to establish any Community Boards (no change).

No. The total ‘pool’ or amount of remuneration paid to Councillors overall does not increase.

The Remuneration Authority determines and sets the total pool of remuneration for each Council. This is calculated based on population and the size of the district, among other factors. It is not based on the number of councillors.

Within this Remuneration Pool, the Authority informs each council how much it should pay the Mayor and a minimum salary for Councillors. The Council then decides how the remainder is split among themselves depending on responsibilities.

2023-24 Representation Review