Changes to Council Representation
It is proposed that the Council comprises of the Mayor and seven members elected from three wards.
What Would Change?
1. The number of wards in the district would increase from two to three with the creation of a new, Tekapo Ward.
2. The number of councillors in the district would increase from six to seven, plus the Mayor.
Reasons for Change
1. Updated population statistics have been released by Statistics New Zealand. This shows that the population of the Pukaki Ward has grown much faster than the Opuha Ward. The current arrangement of two equal wards now falls outside the statutory requirement for a fair population-to-member ratio, so the current arrangements cannot legally continue.
2. Pre-engagement with the community showed that some Tekapo voters strongly supported the creation of a Tekapo ward.
How Would it Look?
The wards will reflect the following identified communities of interest:
Ward | |
Pukaki Ward |
Twizel township and the rural area to the west and south of Lake Pukaki, but not including Mount Cook Village. |
Tekapo Ward |
Tekapo township and the rural area from the shore on the eastern side of Lake Pukaki to the top of the mountain range that separates the Mackenzie basin from the South Canterbury low land. |
Opuha Ward |
Fairlie, Burkes Pass, Kimbell and Albury townships and the rural area from Burkes Pass in the west to the boundary with Timaru District Council in the east. |
The population that each member will represent is as follows:
|
Population (2018 census) |
Members |
Population-Member Ratio |
|
Pukaki Ward |
2,423 |
3 |
807 |
Opuha Ward |
2,310 |
3 |
770 |
Tekapo Ward |
687 |
1 |
687 |
Total |
5,420 |
7 |
774 |
In accordance with section 19V(2), Local Electoral Act 2001, the population that each member represents must be within the range of 774 +/- 10% (697 to 851), unless particular community of interest considerations justify otherwise. This proposal does not fit within the stipulated range.
Only the representation of the Tekapo Ward falls outside the stipulated range. The Council considers that the Tekapo Ward warrants a ratio outside the range for the effective representation of communities of interest within isolated communities situated within the district.
Consultation has concluded
