Central Hawke’s Bay District Council representation up for review

The Ruataniwha ward represents the main towns of Waipukurau and Waipawa, and the Aramoana/Ruahine Ward represents wider rural interests and villages.

Central Hawke’s Bay residents have a chance to tell their mayor and councillors what they think of the district’s representation arrangements.

The primary measure for determining fair representation under the Local Electoral Act 2001 is the population that each councillor represents, while effective representation reflects communities of interest in the district.

Currently, these communities of interest are largely defined as urban and rural, with the Ruataniwha ward representing the main towns of Waipukurau and Waipawa, and the Aramoana/Ruahine Ward representing wider rural interests and villages.

The Central Hawke’s Bay District Council Representation Review will consider how many elected members should be on council, whether the district should keep its current ward structure and boundaries, change or eliminate them and review the possibilities of the introduction of community boards.

The review will also consider the number of Māori wards and representatives within the district after a council decision in 2023 to introduce these for the 2025 local election.

Mayor of Central Hawke’s Bay, Alex Walker says, “The power of our democratic vote, locally, is incredibly important to all of us as it gives us the ability to influence the decisions that shape our place, now and in the future.

”I encourage our residents to take a moment to reflect on the services we provide, the buildings, infrastructure and services we own and deliver and how we can ensure fair and effective representation for all moving forward.”

As well as the survey, which is open to everyone online at www.letstalkchb.co.nz, residents can also share their views through submission forms available at the Waipawa Library, the Knowledge and Learning Hub – Te Huinga Wai, and the council office in Waipawa.

The survey is now open, closing on April 28, followed by a formal consultation, feedback on submissions and an initial draft representation review proposal before a final decision is adopted by the council on September 19.

Residents are encouraged to find out more about current arrangements, future options and share their thoughts by visiting www.letstalkchb.co.nz