Public consultation to cut number of councillors

The Rotorua Lakes Council will seek public feedback on reducing the number of councilors and establishing a rural community board. PHOTO/ STEPHEN PARKER

At a special council meeting this morning Rotorua Lakes Council resolved to undertake formal public consultation on possible changes to representation arrangements, to come into effect from next year's local government elections.

Representation reviews are a requirement of local government legislation and must be undertaken every six years.

Two key changes were recommended to the council by the Your Choice Working Party, which has been gathering feedback from residents over recent months.

The working party recommended that the number of councillors be reduced from 12 to 10. The mayor and councillors would continue to be elected 'at large' by registered voters across the district.

The other change being recommended is the establishment of a second community board, in addition to the existing Lakes Community Board. The objective of the new Rural Community Board would be to provide a voice specifically for the district's rural community.

Mayor Chadwick expressed her appreciation to the Your Choice Working Party for their hard work in the community before making their recommendations.

"They have fed back to us the pulse of the community. It's a good example of a new way of partnerships with our community."

The working party comprised three councillors (Merepeka Raukawa-Tait, Tania Tapsell, Charles Sturt), and three community representatives (Aroha Bray, Brian Eagle, Jill Nicholas) and was chaired by Councillor Raukawa-Tait.

Rotorua Lakes Council's formal community consultation programme would take place between September 1 and October 2 this year. After considering public feedback the council would make its final decision in November.

That decision would be followed by a public appeal period, with the outcome of appeals being determined independently by the Local Government Commission by April next year.