Representation proposal

All councils have to review their electoral structure every six years, to ensure “fair and effective representation”. This is required by the Local Electoral Act 2001. A review looks at how well people and communities are represented. It has to consider the number of elected representatives and the way they are elected. The last representation review was in 2018.

Southland District Council will consider your feedback and make decisions on how individuals and communities in Southland district will be best represented. If there are any objections or appeals to Council’s decision, these will be referred to the Local Government Commission who will make the final ruling on the district’s representation structure.

We are proposing some boundary changes which would result in five communities or parts of a community moving to a different community board area and/or ward. The affected communities would be Dunearn, Drummond, Taramoa, Otamita Valley and Nokomai Station.

We are also correcting the spelling of some ward and community board names to include macrons.

We believe these changes better reflect local communities of interest and will make it easier for the affected communities to have access to their local councillor or community board members.

A meshblock is the smallest geographic unit used by Stats NZ and is also used to define electoral areas such as community boards and wards.

If the Local Government Commission’s ruling is that the representation structure includes the boundary changes proposed then the properties that shift between ward and community board areas may have a change in rates.

At the next local elections, in 2025.

Fair representation is about each councillor representing an approximately equal number of people, so that each vote has about the same value.

Having the right number of councillors or community board members in relation to the size and geography of the area and diversity of the people. Ensuring that you are able to easily access your local councillors and/or community board members and that they are able to represent you and interests in your area.

This is when candidates are elected from the whole area (either the whole Southland district or a whole community board area) and not just within a ward or subdivision. The Southland district mayor is currently elected at large – by voters across the whole Southland district.

A ward is a way of splitting up a council area into smaller areas for election purposes. It is like an electorate in a national election. Wards are determined by population numbers and communities of interest.

A community board is made up of people elected to look after local interests in a specific community or group of communities in a specific geographical area. They act as link between the community and Council. They’re usually established to enable communities to have their say in local issues.

A group of people, or communities, that have a shared interest in their area, or a sense of belonging to it. This can include social connection, financial interests, or common access to schools and services.