The Whakatane District Council has made its final decison on the number of Councillors and Community Board Members for the 2010 and 2013 local body elections. The objection and appeal process is now open until 5 pm on Friday, 30 Octobr 2009:
The Whakatane District Council, at its meeting on 25 September 2009, resolved the following:
THAT the Final Proposal for the Representation Arrangements for the 2010 and 2013 Local Elections be:
(a) the Mayor to be elected from the district at large
(b) the number of Councillors be 10, to be elected from a 4 ward system
(c) the number of Councillors and name of each ward be:
- Whakatane-Ohope Ward – 5 members
- Rangitaiki Ward – 3 members
- Galatea-Murupara Ward – 1 member
- Taneatua-Waimana Ward – 1 member
(d) With a request that the meshblocks on the boundary of the Whakatane-Ohope ward be extended to include Omega Place by reducing meshblock 1297100 and including new meshblocks 1297101 and 1297102 and the industrial area to just beyond Mill Road by reducing meshblock 1297901 and increasing meshblock 1297902 and including the altered meshblock 1297902 in the Whakatane-Ohope ward.
(e) the number and name of Community Boards be 5, namely the
- Rangitaiki Community Board
- Murupara Community Board
- Taneatua Community Board
- Ohope Beach Community Board
- Whakatane Community Board
(f) the number of elected Members on each Board be 6 plus 1 appointed Councillor from the ward in which the Board is situated
(g) the boundaries of the Murupara and Taneatua Community Board areas remain the same as they are at present
(h) the boundary of the Ohope Beach Community Board be extended to include Mesh Blocks 1294200 and 1296500
(i) the boundary of the Whakatane Community Board exclude mesh blocks 1294200 and 1296500; and be extended to include Omega Place by reducing meshblock 1297100 and including new meshblocks 1297101 and 1297102 and the industrial area to just beyond Mill Road by reducing meshblock 1297901 and increasing meshblock 1297902 and including the altered meshblock 1297902 in the Whakatane Community Board.
(j) All Community Boards except Murupara are to be elected from the Community Board area at large
(k) The Murupara Community Board Members are to be elected from subdivisions as follows:
- Galatea-Waiohau Subdivision – 2 Members
- Murupara Subdivision – 3 Members
- Te Urewera Subdivision – 1 Member
Reasons for the Decision:
1. The alteration to include two further meshblocks (1297101 and 1297102) to incorporate Omega Place in the Whakatane-Ohope ward will be actioned by Statistics New Zealand.
2. The suggested increase of meshblock 1297902 to include the industrial area to just beyond Mill Road satisfies the Whakatane Community Board’s initial request to include this area in the ward and does not split communities of interest as outlined in the Iwi Liaison Committee submission.
Further information
Copies if the Council’s resolution and maps setting out the areas of the proposed wards, communities and subdivisions may be viewed at the Council offices, Civic Centre, Commerce, Whakatane, Murupara Service Centre, Pine St, Murupara or public libraries in Edgecumbe, Ohope, Murupara and Whakatane.
Objections and Appeal Process
Persons with an interest in the proposed representation arrangements are advised that any objection or appeal to the Council’s proposal must be in writing and received by the Council no later than 5:00pm Friday, 30 October 2009 and must be addressed to:
The Chief Executive
Whakatane District Council
Private Bag 1002
Whakatane 3158