Napier City Council starts representation review

The Napier City Council has started the process of how it will govern the city for the six years from the 2025 local elections. Photo / NZME

The Napier City Council has launched an online survey as part of a representation review determining the shape of the council through the 2025 and 2028 elections.

The review, required every six years, will consider how many elected members should be on the council, whether the city should keep its ward structure and boundaries, including whether it should continue with any general wards, and whether community boards should be introduced.

It will also consider the number of Māori wards and representatives the city will have, stemming from an earlier decision to introduce Māori representation at the next local elections.

The council comprises Mayor Kirsten Wise and 12 members from four wards, with four councillors in the Nelson Park ward, four in Taradale and two each in Ahuriri and Onekawa-Tamatea.

The last review resulted in the rejection of a model of six councillors “at large” and six across the wards that ended at the 2019 election.

Mayor Wise says understanding people’s sense of place within the city will help with good decision-making during the review.

As well as the online survey, which will be open to everyone, the council will use an external research agency to undertake telephone interviews across all demographics.

Mayor Wise says the council wants to hear from as many people as possible about what they think about how they want to be represented.

Information to help the community understand the rationale for various representation arrangements can be found at sayitnapier.nz, along with the survey, which closes on December 15.

The council will then consider all input before deciding on a proposal to go to formal community consultation early in the new year followed by public hearings, before a decision is made later in the year.