Background
> 3 Sep 2018: Council resolved to retain the existing structure and undertake
another review ahead of the 2022 local elections.
> 3 Sep 2020: Council agreed to establish an Advisory Group to assist in the
development of options.
Council also voted to retain the FPP voting model and agreed not to
establish a Māori Ward at present.
> In reviewing their representation arrangements, local authorities must
provide for ‘effective representation of communities of interest’ (ss19T and
19U) and ‘fair representation of electors’ (s19V). Key factors to consider:
> Communities of interest
> Effective representation of communities of interest
> Fair representation of electors.
Advisory Group Membership
> Bruce Robertson (Chair)
> Clive Geddes (Former Mayor)
> Dean Whaanga (Te Ao Marama)
> Professor Janine Hayward (University of Otago)
> John Glover (Queenstown-Wakatipu Ward resident)
> Viv Milsom (Wānaka Ward resident)
> Ian Hall (Wānaka Ward resident)
QLDC Staff support:
> Jane Robertson (Electoral Officer)
> Brendan Peet / Alice Balme (General Counsell)
> Naell Crosby-Roe (Governance & Stakeholder Services Manager)
Process
> Advisory Group has met on four occasions
> Discussions have included a Q&A with two members of the current
Wānaka Community Board
> Data has been sourced from Statistics New Zealand Tatauranga
Aotearoa
> Statistical Area 1 dataset for 2018 census updated March 2020
> Meshblock voter populations and boundaries
Current State
Ward
Population
Members
Population:
Difference
% difference
member ratio
from quota
from quota
Queenstown-Wakatipu
22,998
6
3,833
-82
-2.09
Wānaka Ward
13,044
3
4,348
433
11.06
Arrowtown Ward
3,108
1
3,108
-807
-20.61
Total
39,150
10
3,915
> Arrowtown is non-compliant and cannot meaningfully be expanded
> Wānaka is under-represented at Council
> Wānaka has a community board which creates an additional level of
bureaucracy and is inequitable in that no other community has a board
(adversely creating over-representation)
Recommendation
> Three wards:
> Wānaka-Hāwea Ward (existing)
> Whakatipu Ward (new, west of Shotover
River)
> Kawarau Ward (new, east of Shotover River)
> The proposed Kawarau Ward represents
a community of interest by being largely
new or developing communities
> Increase overall Councillor number to 12
(four per ward)
> No community boards (i.e. no new
boards and dissolve the existing Wānaka
Community Board)
Compliance of recommendation
Ward
Population
Members
Population:
Difference
% difference
member ratio
from quota
from quota
Whakatipu Ward
12,774
4
3,194
-67
-2%
Kawarau Ward
13,308
4
3,327
66
2%
Wānaka-Hāwea Ward
13,050
4
3,263
2
0%
Total
39,132
12
3,261
Further Recommendations
> Revisit the decisions regarding establishing a Māori Ward and the FPP
vs STV voting system within three years.
>
