Taupō district representation: No community boards from next election

The Local Government Commission has made its determination on the representation arrangements proposed after Taupō District Council's most recent representation review. Photo / NZME

The representation arrangements for the Taupō district's next two elections have been determined and will no longer include community boards.

The Local Government Commission has made its determination on the representation arrangements proposed after Taupō District Council's most recent representation review.

The arrangements for the 2022 and 2025 elections will be:
• Taupō Ward (seven councillors). This is the status quo.
• Mangakino/Pouakani Ward (one councillor). This is the status quo.
• Taupō East Rural Ward (one councillor). This is the status quo.
• Tūrangi/Tongariro Ward (one councillor). This is a reduction from two councillors.
• One districtwide Māori Ward – Te Papamārearea (two councillors).
• Mayor elected at large.

Following its decision earlier in 2021 to establish a Māori ward, the council was required to take a fresh look at how many elected members there would be and what communities they would represent across the district. These representation reviews aim to ensure fair and effective representation for people and their communities and to strengthen local democracy.

The commission has determined there will be no arrangements for community boards in the Taupō district for the 2022 and 2025 elections.

The commission noted the Taupō District Council is developing a Mana Whakahono ā Rohe partnership agreement with Ngāti Tūrangitukua, a hapū of Ngāti Tuwharetoa who hold mana whenua of Tūrangi township and its surrounds.

Under this proposed partnership agreement, a co-governance committee with equal representation from the council and Ngāti Tūrangitukua is to be established. This committee will effectively fulfil the role the Tūrangi Tongariro Community Board plays within the Tūrangitukua rohe which includes Tūrangi township and its immediate surrounds.

To ensure the wider Tongariro area is also fairly represented, a representative group is proposed to be established by the council and delegated the powers and functions currently held by the Tūrangi Tongariro Community Board for that area. This is similar to existing arrangements within the district that ensure effective representation for the Kinloch, Mangakino-Pouakani and Taupō East Rural areas.

Taupō District Mayor David Trewavas told the Taupō & Tūrangi Herald, to understand the pros and cons of the changes, one first needs to understand the history of Tūrangi.

"The town was developed by the Government on confiscated land previously owned by Ngati Turangitukua as part of the Tongariro Power Development," he says.

"The Waitangi Tribunal found that there were many wrongs done by the Crown in this process, including the confiscation of land, destruction of sacred sites and alienation of the owners with their homelands. As part of that Treaty of Waitangi settlement, most of the reserves in Turangi were returned to Ngati Turangitukua, but have stayed under the management of Council."

This new committee is a joint one and will comprise an equal number of councillors and Ngati Turangitukua members This co-governance allows Ngati Turangitukua to have an active role in future decision making of that town, alongside elected council representation.

"This will enable Ngati Turangitukua to reconnect with their land, have a voice on how the town develops and ultimately will result in better outcomes for Tūrangi. The community has a lot of exciting projects in the pipeline, and this co-governance committee will enable these joint visions to be achieved," Trewavas says.

He also paid tribute to the community board and the work it had done in the community.

"The community board now, and in the past, have all done amazing jobs for Tūrangi.

"They have provided local voice and localism. Council has worked very well with the community board and achieved a lot of positives for the town over the years. However, what was missing from the community board model was the concept of co-governance, which is important for Tūrangi given its recent history."