Kaipara District Council has begun a review of local electoral boundaries to ensure our rapid growth is reflected in our elected representation and to accommodate a new Māori ward.

Councils are required to review electoral boundaries every six years, however, growth in our district has required that we revisit our representation arrangements now.

The decision by Elected Members in November 2020 to introduce a Māori ward also triggers a representation review.

Each Elected Member should represent about the same number of people, within +/- 10 percent. Using our updated population data, the current Kaiwaka/Mangawhai and Dargaville Wards are well outside the limits and the remaining West Coast/Central and Otamatea Wards are very close to the limit. This will be redressed through the review.

The review will confirm new electorate boundaries, their names and the number of representatives for each electorate and if community boards, should be within the Governance arrangements. It will be based on the latest population statistics, which were not available at the time of the last review (2018).

The Council will seek feedback from communities in April to guide Elected Members in their planning. Formal consultation is planned for the end of August and people will have opportunity to speak to their submission at hearings in October.

Council’s final proposal will be notified by the end of October 2021, followed by an appeal period, and finalised in early 2022.

New wards will apply for the next elections to be held in October 2022.

© Scoop Media