One week to have say on council elections

[L-R] Your Choice 2016 Election Review working party chairwoman Merepeka Raukawa-Tait with project support team members Isabel Brell and Rick Dunn.

Time is running out for Rotorua residents to give their views on arrangements for electing councillors and community boards in the future.

Over recent weeks, members of Rotorua Lakes Council's Your Choice working party have been moving around the district finding out what arrangements people think should apply for next year's local government elections.

They have been speaking to community groups and talking to residents at public events, such as the Night Market and Kuirau Park's Saturday Market.

The Your Choice 2016 Election Review programme is asking a number of questions; like how many councillors there should be in the future (currently 12, plus mayor); whether councillors should be elected by wards or 'at-large' as at present (or a combination of both); and whether there should be community boards and if so, how many (currently one).

Working party chairwoman, councillor Merepeka Raukawa-Tait, said the quickest and easiest way to give the working party feedback was by taking a few minutes to fill in a Your Choice survey form.

"The Your Choice survey is part of our information gathering process, along with a range of other mechanisms we've been using to engage with locals and find out what they think.

"Shortly our working party will be sitting down together to review all the feedback we've received from residents across district, and then we'll be formulating recommendations to be presented to Rotorua Lakes Council.

"Ultimately the council will decide what arrangements apply for council elections in 2016 and a formal community consultation process will be undertaken once a preferred position has been agreed on.

"In the meantime, the last day for completing a survey form is Wednesday (15 July), so we're urging residents to take this chance to have their say. Remember it's 'Your Choice,'" said Mrs Raukawa-Tait.

Your Choice working party members are Mrs Raukawa-Tait and fellow councillors Charles Sturt and Tania Tapsell, along with community representatives Aroha Bray, Brian Eagle and Jill Nicholas.

Survey forms and Your Choice information are available on the Rotorua Lakes Council website - rotorualakescouncil.nz - or can be picked up from the Rotorua Library or council Customer Centre.

The last day for submitting completed surveys is Wednesday 15 July.