Seven appeals and 15 objections to representation review final proposal

Only 22 community groups and individuals have appealed or objected to the Council's final proposal for representation arrangements for next year's local elections.

By closing time today, the Council had received only seven appeals and 15 objections to its final proposal for ward and community board boundaries and elected member numbers for next year's local body elections.

Anyone who submitted to the initial proposal publicly notified in August may appeal against its final proposal. However by law, if the Council's final proposal differs from its initial proposal, anyone can object.

Although the Council has received the appeals and objections, it does not have the right to release them. The law requires the Council to forward them to the Local Government Commission, which has the final say on the city's representation arrangements.

The Local Government Commission has booked a tentative date for hearings in Christchurch on Friday 11 March 2016 and will contact appellants and objectors in advance about appearing at the hearings.

The Commission is due to release its final determination by Monday 11 April 2016. Next year's local body elections are scheduled for Saturday 8 October 2016.

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