14 June 2006

Regional view in Greater Wellington representation review

The proposal to combine four constituencies of Greater Wellington Regional Council into two larger ones will help provide a regional perspective.

Representation Review Subcommittee chair Margaret Shields says the committee considered many options before coming up with the current proposal, now out for public comment.

The proposal would see Upper Hutt and Lower Hutt constituencies combine and Kapiti and Porirua combine (with one extra councillor). There would be a total of 14 councillors (currently 13).

“Larger constituencies align with councillors’ focus on the regional perspective and will help people move away from the idea that local regional councillors are the spokespeople for the territorial authority area with which their constituency is aligned. They will also mean more councillors that electors can vote for.

“Joining Kapiti and Porirua together, and Lower Hutt and Upper Hutt together does not destroy those communities of interest. Each area has a lot in common, especially in a regional council context, such as major roads, public transport, flood protection and natural features such as the coastline,” Cr Shields says.

Under the proposed structure, there would be four constituencies, based on communities of interest: Wairarapa, Kapiti-Mana, Wellington and Hutt Valley. There would be two councillors for the Wairarapa constituency (a departure from the strict population per councillor ratio) because it covers a large land area, has a sparse population with a diversity of views and a high number of meetings because of the river and catchment schemes.

Greater Wellington is now inviting submissions on our proposed representation arrangements. We particularly welcome your feedback on the constituency names, boundaries and the number of members to be elected in each constituency.

More information is available at: www.gw.govt.nz. You can send your written submission to: Proposed representation arrangements, freepost 3156, Greater Wellington Regional Council, PO Box 11646, Wellington, or fax 04 385 6960. Alternatively, you can email your submission to amy.norrish@gw.govt.nz.

Submissions close on 4 August 2006.

ENDS

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