How many district councillors does Whanganui need?

The last representation review was held in 2018. Photo / Bevan Conley

How the Whanganui District Council is made up - including the number of councillors - is up for review.

Whanganui currently has 12 councillors, a mayor and a six-person rural community board.

The review, required every six years, looks at the number of councillors to be elected, the basis of election for councillors - such as wards - and whether there are to be community boards in the district, where they might be, and what their membership arrangements are.

The last representation review was in 2018, with little change made to Whanganui’s existing local government structure.

Whanganui Mayor Andrew Tripe said community input was crucial, and a public survey opened this week and will run until March 10.

“Council representation should be fair and effective for all Whanganui residents. Therefore, we are reviewing what is currently in place to see if any improvements can be made,” Tripe said.

“We want to see representation arrangements that are reflective and adaptive to current and future communities.”

Feedback gathered from the survey will be reviewed by a working party featuring councillors and council officers, and, combined with additional information about the city’s communities, will serve as the groundwork for any recommended changes.

Last October, the council voted eight to five in favour of establishing Māori wards, which will be in place in 2025 and 2028.

After gathering feedback from the survey, the working party will present a report to the council that will include various options outlining the potential make-up of the council.

Following this decision, a community consultation will be undertaken in May before a final decision is made in July.

The survey is available on the council’s Have Your Say page.