Representation review 2024 - Final proposal

On Thursday 31 October 2024, Council resolved their final proposal for the Council structure for the 2025 local elections.

• View the Final proposal – Representation arrangements for local body elections 2025

In line with the Local Electoral Act (2001) the population each general ward councillor represents must be within a +/-10% range of 7,651 (so between 6,886 and 8,416). Legislation calls this fair and effective representation of communities of interest and is dependent on the number of general ward councillors and the overall population size of the district. All wards are within this range.

Background

The final proposal decison follows preliminary engagement and formal consultation on an initial proposal the community was invited to submit feedback on between 8 August and 12 September 2024.

The initial proposal (proposed Council structure) included:

• one mayor
• four general wards represented by seven elected councillors
• two districtwide councillors
• one Māori ward councillor
• five community boards with four elected members each and a specified number of ward councillors appointed to the boards.

In total this equated to 10 councillors, one mayor and 20 community board members, with one districtwide seat replaced at the Council table by the new Māori ward seat.

Boundary changes were also proposed for:

• the Ōtaki and Waikanae ward and community board boundaries at Te Horo moving further south past Te Hapua Road
• the Paekākāriki-Raumati and Paraparaumu ward boundaries at Emerald Glen and Valley Road moving further east to incorporate these communities into the Paekākāriki-Raumati Ward.
• Paekākāriki and Paraparaumu community board boundaries to match the above proposed boundary changes for Emerald Glen and Valley Road.

Council received 442 written and nine oral submissions on its initial proposal. The submissions were analysed and summarised in a report considered by Council on 31 October 2024.

Final Proposal

Having considered all submissions, on 31 October 2024, Council resolved that the proposal be adopted, subject to the following three amendments:

• The proposed name of the Māori ward be amended to Kapiti Coast Māori Ward - removing the macron on Kapiti.
• The proposed boundary between the Waikanae and Ōtaki Wards and Community Boards remains in its current place (down Te Horo Beach Road and School Road) and not moved south past Te Hapua Road.
• The membership of the Paraparaumu Community Board includes one ward councillor appointed back from either the Paraparaumu General Ward or the Kapiti Coast Māori Ward rather than the current two councillors appointed back.

Council considers the amendments appropriate for the following reasons:

• Mana whenua support the name of the Māori ward if the proposed macron on Kapiti is removed. Council considers it appropriate for mana whenua to gift a name to the ward.
• Analysis of submissions received from residents in Te Horo directly affected by the proposed boundary changes highlighted the majority preferred to retain the status quo rather than move the boundary south to Te Hapua Road.
• Councillors discussed the discrepancy between councillor appointments on community boards and considered that making the appointments more equitable and consistent by only appointing once councillor to each community board is appropriate. This removes the discrepancy between community boards and sees only one councillor of either the Paraparaumu General Ward or Kapiti Coast Māori Ward appointed to the Paraparaumu Community Board instead of two.

Council rejected submissions that disagreed with the Council structure of two at-large (districtwide), seven general ward, and one Māori ward councillor because the majority disagreed with the proposed structure because of the Māori ward establishment.

Council affirmed its decision to establish a Māori ward on 6 August 2024 and at this time can no longer disestablish the ward. The Māori ward will be in place for the 2025 local body elections and Council will hold a poll to determine the future of the ward at the elections in line with the provisions of the amended Local Electoral Act 2001.

Further Information

Copies of the full proposal, including Council’s resolution, consultation document and maps setting out the areas of the wards may be viewed and obtained on our Council meetings webpage or by asking a member of our library or service centre teams:

• Civic Administration Building, 175 Rimu Road, Paraparaumu
• Paraparaumu Library, Iver Trask Place, Paraparaumu
• Waikanae Library and Waikanae Service Centre, Mahara Place, Waikanae
• Ōtaki Library and Service Centre, Main Street, Ōtaki
• Paekākāriki Library, 14 Wellington Road, Paekākāriki (Mondays and Wednesdays 1:30pm to 4:30pm, and Saturdays 10:00am to 2:00pm)

Any queries regarding the Council’s proposal should be directed to governance@kapiticoast.govt.nz.