Media Release
25 October 2012

HBRC Representation Review

Hawke’s Bay Regional Councillors have voted to retain the current nine councillors representing four constituencies, as part of a representation review required before next year’s local body elections.

The council received seven submissions on its initial preferred proposal, with two submitters presenting verbal submissions at today’s council meeting.

The Council’s initial preferred option would have seen the Hastings constituency split in two, however after considering the submissions it voted to retain the current four constituencies of Napier, Hastings, Wairoa and Central Hawke’s Bay. The Hastings and Central Hawke’s Bay constituency boundaries will alter slightly to reflect the territorial local authority boundaries. The Council will continue to be made up of nine councillors: one from Wairoa, three from Napier, four from Hastings and one from Central Hawke’s Bay.

HBRC also voted to seek to have Central Hawke’s Bay accepted as a special community of interest and Wairoa retained as a special community of interest.

The final proposed Representation Review arrangements for the 2013 elections will now be publically notified.