Representation Review

2.2 MBRepresentation Review
Final Proposal
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On 31 October 2012 Southland District Council adopted its final proposal for the local government elections in 2013. This proposal has been developed in consideration of submissions on Southland District Council's initial proposal that was publicly notified on 1 September 2012.

A total of 46 submissions on the initial proposal were considered in an Extraordinary Council Meeting on 15 - 16 October 2012.  In response to the submissions, the Council decided to make the following amendments to its initial proposal:

• Wallacetown will be recognised as a community of interest, represented by a Community Board. Council assessed that on the basis of population, participation, community leadership and history, a Community Board was the most fair and effective representation for the Wallacetown community.
• Council confirmed its decision to amalgamate Wyndham and Edendale to form a Community Board however; adjustments have been made to the Community Board boundary. The adjusted boundary better represents the community of interest by limiting the inclusion of the surrounding rural area. It also maintains compliance with the +/-10% rule, allowing each subdivision to elect three members to the Community Board.
• The name of the Waihopai Catlins ward has been amended to the Waihopai Toetoes Ward. The change has been made to recognise that the Catlins is a geographically distinct area and that part of the Catlins lies in the Clutha District which already contains a Catlins Ward.

All submissions were discussed extensively during the Extraordinary Council Meeting and eight speakers were heard however, no further amendments were made. The Council made the following decisions:

• Submissions calling for the disestablishment of the Manapouri Community Development Area Subcommittee were declined because of the high level of participation in CDA elections and because it would be inequitable to disestablish the CDA without having consulted specifically on this issue. However, Council will examine the effectiveness of the election process in Manapouri and explore whether other options can be introduced to increase representation, particularly of non-resident ratepayers.
• Submissions to reduce the number of Councillors were declined because this would limit the ability of residents and ratepayers to gain access to Councillors and increase Councillor workload to an unreasonable level.
• Some submissions supported a model which included Councillors at large. While Council expressed sympathy for a model with ward-based and at large Councillors, a decision was made to adopt an approach consistent with the majority of submissions which supported a system of ward based Councillors.
• Objections to a system with multiple Councillors per ward were raised because of a potential for overrepresentation in more densely populated areas. Council acknowledged this concern but declined these submissions because it intends to ensure fair and effective representation by dividing large wards and allocating councillors to each area on an informal basis.
• Some submissions believed that Stewart Island was unfairly overrepresented. Because it is defined as an isolated community in the Local Electoral Act 2001, Stewart Island is able deviate from the +/-10% rule for representation. Southland District Council has decided to maintain Stewart Island as a separate ward because of the clear support for this from Island residents, the distinct community of interest and specific local issues.
• Several submissions proposed that Wallace be retained in the ward name of the proposed Waiau Aparima ward because of its historical significance. This was declined as Council believes that Waiau Aparima is equally historically significant and is suitably inclusive of the area in the proposed ward.
• A minority of submissions proposed further amalgamations of Community Boards and CDAs. However, these were outnumbered by submissions which specifically supported the Initial Proposal for maintaining most Community Boards and CDAs as separate entities. Because of the strength of support for the Community Board and CDA arrangements outlined in the initial proposal, no changes have been made.

The following is a summary of Southland District Council's final proposal for representation arrangements for the 2013 elections. The final proposal responds to the preferences of residents and ratepayers, reflects communities of interest in the Southland District and aims to provide fair and effective representation.

COUNCIL REPRESENTATION

It is proposed that the Council comprise 12 members elected from five wards, and the mayor.

WARDS

The five wards reflect the following identified communities of interest: 

Ward	Communities of Interest
Mararoa Waimea	Combined communities of: Te Anau and Surrounds comprising Te Anau, Manapouri, MilfordSound and the Te Anau Basin. Five Rivers Area comprising Mossburn, Lumsden, Five Rivers, Athol and Garston. Waikaia Area comprising Waikaia, Riversdale and Balfour.
Waiau Aparima	Combined communities of: Riverton/Aparima comprising Riverton, Colac Bay, Orepuki and Thornbury. Tuatapere comprising Tuatapere, Waiau Valley, Blackmount and Orawia. Wallace comprising Otautau, Nightcaps, Ohai, Opio, WreysBush, Drummond and Isla Bank.
Winton Wallacetown	Combined communities of: Wallacetown/CentralcomprisingWallacetown, Ryal Bush, Waianiwa, Spar Bush, Otahuti and Tussock Creek. Winton/Central comprising Winton, Centre Bush, Dipton, Browns, Otapiri and Oreti.
Waihopai Toetoes	Combined communities of: Near South Eastern Area comprising Woodlands, Gorge Road, Mokotua, Kapuka, Kapuka South, Grove Bush and Mabel Bush. Upper South Eastern area comprising Wyndham, Edendale, Brydone, Te Tipua, Menzies Ferry, Seaward Downs, Glencoe, Waitane and Pebbly Hills.
Stewart Island Rakiura	An isolated Island community comprising the entire island, including surrounding Islands.

The population that each member will represent is as follows:

Ward	Members	Population (2006 Census)	Population per member
Mararoa Waimea	3	6,891	2,297
Waiau Aparima	3	7,826	2,608
Winton Wallacetown	3	8,124	2,708
Waihopai Toetoes	2	5,217	2,608
Stewart Island Rakiura	1	396	396

 

In accordance with Section 19(V)(2) of the Local Electoral Act 2001 the population that each member represents must be within the range of 2,371 +/- 10% (2,133 to 2,608), unless particular community of interest considerations justify otherwise. The Act allows representation arrangements for isolated communities (including island communities) to fall outside this range.  This allows Stewart Island Rakiura to be a separate ward. 

Only one other ward falls outside the stipulated range.  This is the Winton Wallacetown Ward.  The population of this ward varies from the range prescribed in the Local Electoral Act 2001 by 99 people.  Because of the sparse population and large geographical distances involved, moving the boundary to comply exactly with the legislation would create an unacceptable distortion to the communities of interest.

COMMUNITY BOARD REPRESENTATION

It is proposed that Community Boards are elected for Stewart Island, Te Anau, Tuatapere, Riverton, Otautau, Winton, Edendale/Wyndham and Wallacetown. Community Boards will each comprise six elected members elected by the community as a whole, except in the case of the amalgamated board for Edendale/Wyndham where election shall occur according to subdivision with each subdivision electing three members. Community Boards will have at least one, but up to three members appointed by the Southland District Council.

The final proposal also contains the following changes to Community Boards:

• The Wallace Community Board will be renamed the Otautau Community Board, and its boundaries altered.
• The Winton Community Board remains but its boundaries will be altered.
• The Community Boards of Lumsden, Riversdale and Balfour be abolished and reconstituted as Community Development Area Subcommittees with the same boundaries.

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AREA SUBCOMMITTEES

Although there is no obligation under the Local Electoral Act 2002, Southland District Council has included Community Development Area Subcommittees in the Representation Review. The Council proposes to have 19 Community Development Area Subcommittees. These subcommittees would be located in the following townships: Athol, Balfour, Browns, Centre Bush/Limehills, Colac Bay, Dipton, Garston, Gorge Road, Lumsden, Manapouri, Mossburn, Nightcaps, Ohai, Orepuki, Riversdale, Thornbury, Tokanui, Waikaia and Woodlands.

FURTHER INFORMATION

Copies of Southland District Council's Final Proposal and maps setting out the areas of the proposed wards and communities may be viewed and obtained from Southland District Council offices at:

• 15 Forth Street, Invercargill.
• 9 Ayr Street, Halfmoon Bay, Stewart Island.
• 117 Palmerston Street, Riverton.
• 1 Wemyss Street, Winton.
• 176 Main Street, Otautau.
• 116 Town Centre, Te Anau.
• 18 Diana Street, Lumsden.
• 24 Balaclava Street, Wyndham.

Any queries regarding the Council's proposal can be directed to Susan Cuthbert, Policy and Planning Manager via email, at susan.cuthbert@southlanddc.govt.nz, or telephone, on 0800 732 732. 

APPEALS OR OBJECTIONS

Any party that made a submission to the initial proposal and is not happy with the decision made by Council was invited to make a written appeal. Submissions closed on Wednesday, 12 December 2012. 

Appeals or objections to the final proposal have been forwarded to the Local Government Commission for consideration. The Local Government Commission cannot accept appeals or objections regarding Community Development Area Subcommittees as these are outside of the scope of the Local Electoral Act 2001. The Commission would then consider the Final Proposal along with any submissions or objections and information regarding population and communities of interest.  The Commission would be obliged to reach a decision that would form the representation arrangements for the 2013 elections by 11 April 2013. 

If the Local Government Commission becomes involved, representation arrangements are able to be completely reviewed. There is a risk the Commission could reach a decision in isolation from Southland District communities. 
This decision may be significantly different to the proposed option and may not reflect the preferences of residents and ratepayers. 

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