The Raglan ward of the Waikato District Council is to get bigger in 2013 for the next local body elections, while the current Whaingaroa ward is to disappear in the proposed review of representation just announced. The Raglan ward boundary will move out from Te Uku to include Waitetuna and its surrounding area. The new area representing a poopulation of 4680 people extends from Aotea in the South to the south side of Raglan Harbour. It includes the communities of Okete, Te Uku, Te Hutewai, Te Mata, Ruapuke, Te Papatapu, Makomako, Aramiro, Whaanga Coast and Ranui as well as Raglan.
On the North side of Raglan Harbour, Te Akau, Port Waikato and Waerenga have been added on to Onewheoro to form one of the longest wards, about 70km from North to South. This means that the old Whaingaroa ward is gone, swallowed up by Raglan, Newcastle and Onewheoro.
While the draft WDC Long Term Plan was based on stale information from the last census, WDC has used updated 2011 information from Statistics NZ in planning these new boundaries.
The Raglan Community Board area is also set to expand to include Ruapuke, Te Uku and Te Mata. The total area covered will be Raglan, Whale Bay, Three Streams, Te Hutewai and parts of Te Mata, Te Uku and Ruapuke.
The proposal is now open for submissions. Any person or organisation may lodge a written submission to the above proposal. Submissions should be addressed to: Corporate Planner, Waikato District Council, 15 Galileo Street, Ngaruawahia, Private Bag 544, fax 07 8248091, or email corporateplanner@waidc.govt.nz Submissions should clearly state your name, address, telephone number and email address (if you have one) and should reach the Council no later than 4pm on Monday 2 July 2012.
WDC Media Release follows:
2013 Local Elections – Review of representation arrangements
On 22 May 2012 Waikato District Council reviewed its representation arrangements, and resolved that the following proposal apply for the Council and its Community Boards for the elections to be held on 12 October 2013:
Council Representation
It is proposed that the Council comprise 13 members elected from 10 wards, and the Mayor.
The 10 wards reflect the following identified communities of interest:
| Ward: | Communities of Interest: |
| Awaroa ki Tuakau | Tuakau, Pokeno, Mercer, Harrisville, Aka Aka, Whiriwhiri and Otaua |
| Onewhero–Te Akau | Glen Murray, Lake Whangape, Matira, Waimai, Te Akau, Ruakiwi, Dunmore, Waingaro, Naike, Waikaretu, Pukekawa, Wairamarama, Onewhero and Port Waikato |
| Whangamarino | Mangatangi, Miranda, Maramarua, Kopuku, Meremere, Mangatawhiri, Island Block, Whangamarino, Te Kauwhata and Rangiriri |
| Huntly | Huntly, Pukekapia, Rotongaro, Ohinewai, Ruawaro, Rotowaro, Glen Afton and Pukemiro |
| Hukanui–Waerenga | Waerenga, Taniwha, Matahuru, Waiterimu, Te Hoe, Orini, Netherby, Gordonton, Whitikahu, Tauhei and Horsham Downs |
| Ngaruawahia | Ngaruawahia, Horotiu, Hopuhopu and Taupiri |
| Raglan | Okete, Te Uku, Te Hutewai, Te Mata, Ruapuke, Te Papatapu, Makomako, Aramiro and Ranui |
| Newcastle | Te Kowhai, Rotokauri, Karakariki, Whatawhata and Whatawhata Research Station |
| Eureka | Eureka, Puketaha, Newstead, Matangi, Tauwhare and Scotsman Valley |
| Tamahere | Tamahere |
The population that each member will represent is as follows:
| Ward | Population(June 2011 Stats NZ est.) | Members | Population per member |
| Awaroa ki Tuakau | 10,750 | 2 | 5,375 |
| Onewhero–Te Akau | 5,180 | 1 | 5,180 |
| Whangamarino | 5,300 | 1 | 5,300 |
| Huntly | 9,310 | 2 | 4,655 |
| Hukanui–Waerenga | 5,250 | 1 | 5,250 |
| Ngaruawahia | 9,090 | 2 | 4,545 |
| Raglan | 4,680 | 1 | 4,680 |
| Newcastle | 5,170 | 1 | 5,170 |
| Eureka | 4,860 | 1 | 4,860 |
| Tamahere | 4,670 | 1 | 4,670 |
In accordance with section 19V(2) of the Local Electoral Act 2001 the population that each member represents must be within the range of 4,943 +/- 10% (4,450 to 5,440), unless particular community of interest considerations justify otherwise.
Community Board representation
It is proposed that five community boards be elected. The five community boards will be:
| Community Board | Area of community |
| Onewhero–Tuakau | Waikaretu, Woodleigh, Naike, Glen Murray, Pukekawa, Wairamarama Tuakau, Te Kohanga and Port Waikato |
| Huntly | Huntly, Puketirini and Kimihia |
| Taupiri | Taupiri Village |
| Ngaruawahia | Hopuhopu, Horotiu and Ngaruawahia |
| Raglan | Raglan, Whale Bay, Three Streams, Te Hutewai and parts of Te Mata, Te Uku and Ruapuke |
The Onewhero–Tuakau, Huntly, Raglan, Taupiri and Ngaruawahia Boards will each elect six members. They will not be subdivided for electoral purposes. There will be a mixture of one and two appointed members as follows:
| Community Board: | Elected Member: |
| Onewhero–Tuakau | One member appointed from the Awaroa ki Tuakau ward and one member appointed from the Onewhero–Te Akau ward |
| Huntly | Two members appointed from the Huntly ward |
| Raglan | One member appointed from the Raglan ward |
| Taupiri | Two members from the Ngaruawahia ward |
| Ngaruawahia | Two members from the Ngaruawahia ward |
Further information
Further details on the proposed representation arrangements and maps of the proposed boundaries are available for inspection at the Council offices and libraries in Ngaruawahia, Huntly, Raglan, Te Kauwhata and Tuakau. This information can also be accessed on line from our website at www. waikatodc.govt.nz
Submissions
Any interested person or organisation may lodge a written submission to the above proposal. Submissions should be addressed to: Corporate Planner, Waikato District Council, 15 Galileo Street, Ngaruawahia, Private Bag 544, fax 07 8248091, or email corporateplanner@waidc.govt.nz
Submissions should clearly state your name, address, telephone number and email address (if you have one) and should reach the Council no later than 4pm on Monday 2 July 2012.
G J Ion
Chief Executive
The average WDC councillor is 62 years old, 93.3% pakeha, 73.3% male and was elected with the support of 10.7% of the electorate. To get the other 90% represented we need a change . This consultation also covers “council has determined that the electoral system will remain First Past the Post”. We need proportional representation. For an example of how this consultation could be done better take a look at http://getinvolved.hcc.govt.nz/hamiltonrepresentation.
I’d be interested to hear others views on this. Certainly the present system delivers mainly a certain restricted selection of councillors.