The Southland District has possibly the most extensive network of representation of any territorial authority in New Zealand. The District comprises of twelve wards, each of which return one member of Council.

In addition to this, the Southland District Council actively promotes local input through its twelve Community Boards, sixteen Community Development Area Committees and eight Water Supply Committees.

Five Community Boards, namely:  Stewart Island, Te Anau, Tuatapere, Wallace and Winton, have responsibility for the entire ward.  The remaining seven, Balfour, Edendale, Lumsden, Riversdale, Riverton, Wallacetown and Wyndham, have responsibility for the township only.

Where practical Council's services and responsibilities are decentralised, so the Community Board system provides the 'parent' Council with a very effective means of ensuring local input into decision making.

Council delegates to each Community Board local policy determination in respect of reserves, amenity areas, water supply, sewerage and drainage, footpaths, street lighting, camping grounds, traffic management, waste management and many other local activities.  Community Boards are also responsible for the consideration and reporting on matters affecting their area, overviewing and setting priorities for local works, the preparation of local budgets, and recommending to Council local rating levels.

Of all the functions of Community Boards the preparation of local budgets and recommendations on local rates is probably the most important.  Local people determine the priorities for their community and set the level of local rates.  Community Boards are accountable to their communities and open their meetings to the public.  They are required to monitor their performance against set and clear objectives for each of their activities and policies.

Community Boards were set up in 1989.  Since this time the Southland District Council has further extended representation by the establishment of fifteen Community Development Area Committees in Athol, Colac Bay, Browns, Dipton, Garston, Gorge Road, Limehills/Centre Bush, Mossburn, Nightcaps, Ohai, Orepuki, Thornbury, Tokanui, Waikaia, Woodlands and Manapouri.

These committees are formed when a request is received from a community and local support can be demonstrated. Their purpose is to further encourage local input in addressing the needs of local communities and assessing priorities.

The Community Development Areas include local townships and some include the surrounding areas.  Operating at a lower level, than that of Community Boards, some Community Development Areas are responsible for all activities within the community, and others may only be responsible for recreational facilities.  As such, committees operate with powers mainly limited to recommendations to Community Boards and/or Council, depending on their locality.  Funds for Community Development Areas activities are raised by local rates.

The Community Board and Community Development Area system of representation works, and works well.  It allows and encourages local input into prioritising issues and works in the areas that will receive a direct benefit.

Achieving democracy is a priority of the Southland District Council. The input from each Community Board, Community Development Area Committee and Water Supply Committee, into  the decision making process, ensures that Council is not seen as some remote political body. It further ensures that the needs of each community are addressed and met.

Click here for information about the review of representation arrangements for Council and Community Boards carried out in 2006.