Media
Releases
August 2005
31 August
Seven days of inspiration, a lifetime of opportunity
Library Week, running from 5 - 11 September will see
Waitakere’s
libraries celebrate the theme “Seven days of
inspiration, a lifetime of opportunity.”
Coinciding with Adult Learner’s Week, activities include
story-times and special deals on CDs and DVDs.
There will also be a quiz on the new online library
catalogue with prizes of movie tickets and book vouchers.
Displays of inspirational books, balloons and lollies for
the kids ensure there’s something for all the family.
Story-times are most suitable for children aged 5 to 8 but
all ages are welcome. Times are as follows:
31 August
Radio Tarana signs on for Waitakere’s Diwali
Top Indian radio station Radio Tarana has signed on as
the premier sponsor for Waitakere’s Diwali Festival.
Radio Tarana’s Managing Director Robert Khan says,”
Waitakere Diwali Festival 2005 is a great platform for all
cultures to celebrate this special occasion and we are proud
to be associated with it.”
Waitakere’s Diwali Festival at The
Trusts Stadium
on Sunday 16 October (1pm to 10.30pm) will have Radio Tarana
broadcasting live, inviting people to come and take part in
the festivities. Further programme details are to be
released shortly.
As New Zealand’s number one Indian Radio Station, Radio
Tarana’s rise to the top has been swift. First entering
Auckland’s crowded airwaves in 1996; the radio station is
24-7 and also has nationwide internet broadcasting.
According to the AC Nielsen 2005 Radio Survey, Radio Tarana
has 5% of Auckland’s radio market, attracting 39,000
listeners weekly.
The Diwali Festival 2005 is organised by the Waitakere
Ethnic Board (WEB), after signing a Memorandum of
Understanding with the Waitakere City Council in September
2003. Aiming to represent all of the ethnic groups in
Waitakere City, the board helps migrants and refugees to
voice their issues to local and central government.
Waitakere Ethnic Board (WEB) President Abdul Rafik says “I
am pleased to have Radio Tarana’s sponsorship for major
ethnic festivals like Diwali organised by the board which
promotes better understanding of one of the many diverse
cultures of this city. This shows the level of support and
commitment of a responsible organisation in furthering WEB’s
aim of bringing different cultures together.”
30 August
New cycle and walkways coming soon
As part of Project Twin Streams, Waitakere City Council is
building a cycle and walkway network alongside the Oratia,
Lower Waikumete and Lower Opanuku Streams. The first stage
of the network should be completed by autumn next year, with
the rest by the following summer (2006). The first stage
involves the following areas:
- Lower Oratia Stream, from Great North Road to
Parrs Park
- Lower Opanuku Stream, from Great North Road to Border
Road
- Ceramco Park in Glen Eden along the Waikumete Stream
to the Oratia Stream
While the general location of the routes has been decided,
there are still some details the Council needs to get right
to ensure the network meets people’s needs. Key issues
include making sure the link and access points are in the
right places, making the cycle and walkways safe and user
friendly and reflecting local history and culture through
design and art features.
To date, feedback regarding the cycle and walkway networks
has been overwhelmingly positive. If you would like to see
what is planned and have a say about the cycle and walkway
network please feel free to attend the final
drop-in day
this weekend.
25 August
Future hopes for old New Lynn Hotel
The old New Lynn Hotel, formerly owned by the Bartulovich
family, has been vested in the Waitakere City Council
pursuant to an order made in the Environment Court.
Erected with bricks made by its first owner Alfred Ramsden
in 1882, the hotel at 3176 Great North Road is considered
one of the city’s most significant heritage buildings. It is
one of the last hotels unchanged architecturally from
Auckland’s pioneering days, with a Category 1 heritage
status under
Waitakere’s District Plan.
Now that the Council owns the two-storied brick and cement
hotel (it has been long derelict especially after fire
damage in 1999), a programme of restoration will be
organised says New Lynn Ward
Councillor Derek Battersby.
“Over the years there has always been a high level of
interest in the old hotel. People recognise it as a direct
link to the west’s history,” he says.
“The Council will want to find the best way to manage the
building. How this will be done is still to be decided. It
may involve a competitive process to select the best
development proposal available on the open market at the
least possible cost to the Council,” he says.
It is expected that updated structural engineering and
heritage reports will be commissioned shortly.
“The purchase price of the property will be the fair market
value as at May 2004 if it can be agreed between the
parties, but if they are unable to agree the fair market
value at that date as determined by the Land Valuation
Tribunal,” says Councillor Battersby.
The Council is presently awaiting advice from the
Bartulovich family as to how they wish to proceed to fix the
value of the property in accordance with the order made by
the Environment Court.
24 August
Look for new motorway exit numbers
Transit New Zealand is making Auckland motorway off-ramps
and links more user-friendly with the introduction of an
exit numbering system.
Installation of exit numbering signs has already begun, and
Transit expects to complete the project by the end of
August. Motorway exit signs will be mounted on all off-ramps
and links on Auckland motorways.
For more information view the
Transit website.
22 August
Profiling Waitakere’s libraries: what they can do for
you
Not so long ago, libraries were best known for their book
collections but now there are an endless number of choices
at your local library.
Magazines, internet,
CDs,
DVDs,
movies,
Learning
Centres,
multicultural and
Maori services
and research
facilities all mean that your local library has
something to suit everyone.
To cater for changing needs,
Waitakere Libraries
have made their facilities more accessible with books,
movies, music and the Internet available for free or a small
cost with your membership card.
Try a CD you’ve had your eye on with up to seven days of
listening for just a dollar. The larger libraries stock
recent titles as well as old classics and if you’re still
undecided after seven days, each extra day of listening
costs 20 cents.
The soon to be opened New Lynn War Memorial Library will
include a suite of new additions to library services such as
a Learning Centre with a full time co-ordinator to provide
computer courses, a homework zone and free drop-in computer
use.
Following in the steps of
Glen Eden
Library that opened in October last year, New Lynn War
Memorial will also share its facilities with the
Citizens’ Advice Bureau.
The joining of the two operations is a natural bond, with
both providing a free service to the community. The new
facility will also be open seven days.
In addition, if you need to
pay your rates,
register your dog
or have any queries about Council, the new library will also
have an integrated service centre to take care of all your
needs in one place.
The launch of a new shared computer system and online
catalogue between five of Auckland’s regional libraries has
allowed Waitakere Libraries to open up its collection to the
public of greater Auckland. In return, Waitakere residents
can view and inter-loan between libraries in the region, for
a small charge. If you don’t have the internet at home, you
can visit your local library to search the catalogue and set
up a personalised reading diary. You can even request book
purchases to your local library if they don’t have what
you’re looking for.
19 August
Keep active for a healthy life
Now’s the time to get active and live a healthier life
with the new Healthy Hearts Club, launching next Thursday at
the Massey Leisure Centre.
Ideal for people who have heart conditions, diabetes,
injuries and arthritis, it is also recommended for people
who are overweight, over 50, or new to exercise.
Held every Thursday at 10.45 am
in the Massey Leisure Centre,
each class combines gentle exercise to music and
participants are encouraged to work to their own level and
have fun.
Every fourth class features a nutrition presentation, with
advice on reducing the fat and sugar in your diet and how to
get five plus a day. Participants have time to chat, relax
and share their thoughts and experiences over a cup of tea
or coffee.
19 August
New Lynn’s Moon Festival set to expand
Waitakere’s Moon Festival is returning to the
New Lynn
Community Centre on 16 & 17 September and has expanded
in response to the thousands that attended last year’s
festival.
The official opening on Friday night brings colour, light
and sound to the main stage with lion dancing, Cantonese
opera, martial arts and Chinese and Korean music.
After the success of
last year’s second
festival, a covered food and retail marquee has been
added to the site. This is an ideal place to try some Asian
food or shop for gifts for friends or family.
Saturday will see the food and retail marquee open again,
and both halls will feature performances and demonstrations
including tai chi swords, noodle-making, Cantonese opera,
martial arts and the beautiful silk fan and ribbon dancers
who are returning for a second year.
Stalls are still available for those wanting a part of the
action or, to find out how it all happens, become a
volunteer. Sponsorship opportunities are still available. To
find out more about any of these,
contact
us.
The Waitakere Moon Festival is delivered in partnership with
the Waitakere City Council with thanks to the Asia New
Zealand Foundation.
18 August
Planning Changes at Whenuapai
Waitakere City Council has moved to ensure that the
Whenuapai
military airbase can be secured for civilian use in the
future.
In 2002, when the government announced that the RNZAF would
quit Whenuapai for Ohakea, the Council campaigned for the
base to be reused as a commercial airport.
The government subsequently said that the move could take up
to 10 years.
Now, to ensure that it can undertake long-term planning for
the rapidly growing north-west of the City, Waitakere City
Council will start work on a number of district plan changes
for the land that the base currently occupies.
“Those planning changes will recognise the existing use of
the airbase, and also the Council’s objective that it be
reused for commercial aviation,” says the Council’s
City Development
Committee chairperson
Penny Hulse.
“Any alternative uses, other than those related to an
airport will have to stack up against the City’s long-term
objectives.”
An independent economic analysis, conducted last year, shows
that the loss to Waitakere City from the air force leaving
is estimated at $230million a year (that figure includes
1647 jobs and more than 800 families).
“This is no different to earmarking farmland for future use
as a park. We are putting a solid stake in the ground about
what the land use should be, bearing in mind the social and
economic objectives that we have for the City,” Cr Hulse
says.
Mrs Hulse also notes recent conjecture about the need for
multi-million dollar investments in roads and motorways to
serve Mängere airport.
“We are pretty cynical about AIAL (Auckland International
Airport Ltd). How can they have the cheek to suggest that
taxpayers fund roads to their business while at the same
time oppose a privately funded operation at Whenuapai.”
“There is already a fully functioning airport at Whenuapai.
More than half a million people live within a 16km radius of
Whenuapai. It’s ridiculous to build more roads an across
Auckland when there is already an airport on their
doorstep.”
17 August
Councils to sell contracting firm
Waitakere and
North Shore City Councils intend to sell their
jointly-owned maintenance contracting company,
Techscape,
as part of a tender process for water services maintenance
contracts.
Techscape has been a contractor to both cities since its
formation in 2000, maintaining water services, parks,
reserves, beaches and sports fields.
It is one of the larger water and wastewater maintenance
operators in New Zealand, employing 286 staff at depots in
Albany and Henderson.
Both councils intend to award the successful tenderer long
term contracts for the councils’ respective water services
maintenance. The successful tenderer will be expected to buy
the company.
The public tender process will enable both Councils to vet
potential purchasers.
“This approach maximises value through open competition and
provides both cities with the best opportunity to choose a
buyer,” says North Shore City’s chief executive, John
Brockies,
His Waitakere City counterpart, Harry O’Rourke, says
together with the sale, the award of long term contracts
will provide a strong foundation for the future of the
company.
Deloitte will be handling the sale process and Opus
Consulting is advising both councils on the tender process.
17 August
China market opportunities
Waitakere’s
Sister City relationship in China is set to bear
economic fruit.
Mayor Bob Harvey is due to return from a visit to Ningbo
(approximately four hours south of Shanghai) tomorrow.
During a four-day visit, at which he received honorary
citizenship, Mayor Harvey and Waitakere’s Chief Executive
Harry O’Rourke focused on a number of economic development
opportunities.
One high level meeting saw them negotiate a free display
stand at an expo/trade fair to be held in Ningbo next year.
The expo will focus on consumer goods and joint venture
opportunities. The Council, along with its economic
development agency Enterprise Waitakere will now work with
business and organisations such as New Zealand Trade &
Enterprise to ensure a presence.
“Anybody who has tried to crack the huge Chinese market
knows how important it is to have the right connections
there,” says
Enterprise Waitakere Chief Executive John Wadsworth.
“Through our sister city relationship we have those
connections and can open local businesses up to huge
opportunities.”
Officials in Ningbo, which has a population of 5.4 million,
also invited Waitakere fashions designers to an
international fashion show in October 2006. “This is another
exciting opportunity that we will be exploring with some of
our manufacturers and designers,” says Mr Wadsworth.
Companies can spend hundreds of thousands of dollars trying
to get a foot in the door in China so this was an incredibly
successful sister city visit.”
16 August
 |
|
Councillor Janet Clews (left)
with Councillor Linda Cooper and Prime Minister
Helen Clark at the NOW Home opening. |
NOW home opened by Prime Minister
The $180,000
"NOW Home"
at Olympic Park in New Lynn was officially opened on Friday
12 August, by the Prime Minister, the Right Honourable Helen
Clark, before a gathering of environmentalists, builders,
architects, and representatives from local and central
government, tertiary institutes and business.
The NOW Home will be open to the public in a once only
opportunity before it is tenanted, over the weekend of 20
and 21 of August. From 10am until 4pm each day there will be
displays and experts on site The adjacent
Sustainable Living Centre will also be open.
The difference between the NOW Home and other eco-housing
projects, is that it aims to balance affordability and
social and environmental aims. The end result is a pilot for
delivering attractive ways to make New Zealand homes more
sustainable.
The home will be tenanted and the occupants monitored for
health and general well being, and the materials used will
be subjected to tests for durability. Energy and water
consumption will be regularly checked.
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12 August
Showcase your talent at Waitakere’s Diwali
Waitakere’s Diwali
Festival attracted 10,000 people last year, so take up
this great opportunity to showcase your talent at this
year’s festival. Opportunities to take part are still open
but not for long so register your performance!
The festival will be held at
The Trusts
Stadium in Central Park Drive, Henderson.
Demonstrations and stalls will be featured alongside
traditional and modern performances with a programme that’s
still under wraps!
Stalls are still available at $200 and are a great way to
market to your local community.
11 August
Waitakere City sees decision to speed up motorway
as contributor to growth solutions in the city
Waitakere City Council is delighted with Transit’s
decision to start work this financial year, on the
next
stage of motorway between Waitakere and North Shore.
Transit New Zealand announced today that construction of the
section known as the Hobsonville Deviation, from the Upper
Harbour Bridge to Westgate, has been advanced by two years.
“That is wonderful news because solving the present and
future growth issues in the north-west sector of Waitakere
is vitally important to both the city and the region,” says
Councillor
Penny Hulse, chair of Waitakere City Council’s
City
Development Committee.
“The Council’s plan is for a new town centre at Westgate
providing up to 10,000 new jobs to absorb the commuter
traffic that will otherwise grow as the population grows.
However, a town centre needs good motorway access for
commercial traffic,” Councillor Hulse says.
“So we’re working with Transit and others, to plan the best
way to achieve both objectives and news that the motorway is
going ahead quicker than we originally expected, is very
positive,” she says.
Councillor Hulse says that Waitakere needs many more jobs
and is planning to provide the majority of them at Westgate,
New Lynn and Henderson.
“At present about 60% the city’s workforce commutes to other
parts of the region every day – and that contributes to the
existing gridlock,” says Councillor Hulse.
“We also know the population is going to double. So, we must
provide many more jobs in the city, or all those extra
people will also being going down the motorways– which is
just a recipe for even worse gridlock,” she says.
Councillor Hulse says Waitakere City Council and Transit are
working together on solutions that will reduce commuter
traffic while providing better, faster, road access in the
north-west, for commercial goods and services traffic.
“A solution at Westgate will help deliver growth related
solutions throughout the entire region,” she says.
9 August
Project Twin Streams starts negotiations to buy more
properties
Waitakere City Council has begun consultation to purchase
37 properties along stream banks in Glen Eden. Discussions
will be held with a further 19 property owners for stream
restoration and a
possible walk and cycleway.
Under Project
Twin Streams (PTS) the Council is negotiating to
purchase selected properties built in the lower parts of
flood plains as part of a city-wide stormwater management
programme.
The cost of the purchases will be met from funding provided
by Auckland Regional Holdings and Financial Contributions,
for PTS.
PTS is seeking voluntary sales and purchases and will offer
a fair value for the properties. Fair value will be
established by PTS and the property owners each separately
engaging a valuer. The two valuations will be compared and a
middle ground reached.
The Project will pay the costs of the property owners’
valuations, legal and other legitimate costs.
The properties have the effect of artificially narrowing
stream channels which raises the depth and speed of
floodwaters further downstream, after heavy rain. By
removing the houses, PTS can allow the streams to spread out
over the banks (riparian margins) during heavy rain. This
will help absorb some of the flow and reduce the flood
levels throughout the lower reaches of streams.
“With enough areas returned to the task that nature intended
them for, we will manage stormwater effects better and
reduce the flood risk. At the same time we are restoring the
health of the streams and their banks and making pleasant
places for people,” says
Councillor
Penny Hulse, Chair of the Council’s
City Development
Committee.
Letters were delivered to the property owners this week.
They will then be visited for full discussions, by small
teams specially trained in assisting property owners to work
their way through the proposed purchase process. This will
be followed up with a letter confirming the discussions.
An information pack will be left with each property owner
(and tenant where applicable). These cover information on:
Project Twin Streams; stormwater issues and why the property
is required; people’s legal rights and contact details for a
specific person at the Council.
Further site visits and phone contact will be made until the
owners are ready to begin negotiations.
A drop in day will be held in the Glen Eden Library public
meeting room on Saturday 20 August 10 am – 3 pm for all
affected property owners and others in the local area.
Local CAB managers
have offered to be available for support and advice
(including budgetary advice) for property owners.
PTS is part of a city-wide programme under which community
groups are encouraged to work with the Council to own,
restore and replant stream banks. Part of the project is
also to build a network of combined cycle and walkways in
the riparian margins.
These will connect with cycle and walkways in other parts of
the city so that eventually large parts of the city will be
laced together with these paths, which in turn connect to
cycle and walk ways in Auckland City.
8 August
 |
|
(From left) Waitakere Community
Board Chairperson Christine Shepherd with her
grandson Kaden Ellery (4 1/2), Councillor Stone with
her granddaughter Imogen Stone (5). |
Oratia school lights up to reduce speeding cars
The funny side of a serious topic brought gales of
excited laughter to Oratia District School during the launch
of a 40km school zone and flashing 40km/h signs.
At the launch on 8 August, pupils presented the go slow
zone’s message to a packed audience of their peers, saying
that the zone “stops people from getting hurt”.
The children’s descriptions of the signs as “giant
spatulas”, “Christmas pizzas”, “upside-down vacuum cleaners”
and “spider palaces”, evoked delighted screams from the
young audience.
The school is in a 50km/h zone but, before and after school,
large solar signs will flash to alert motorists to slow down
to 40km/h on West Coast Road. Speed tubes have clocked cars
doing speeds in excess of 100km/h outside the school on a
regular basis.
Oratia is the second school in the North Island to install
the lights and school zone.
Waitakere
Deputy Mayor Councillor Carolynne Stone says the speed
zone and signs did “not happen by accident”, but were
carefully planned by the Council in conjunction with Oratia
School.
She said New Zealand has to come to grips with the impact of
speed on its roads.
“You could say that in many ways our nation is in denial
around speed. It’s a worry, how many of our boys have to be
picked out of drains. Innocent children going to and from
school are at risk,” she says
“Waitakere City took the ground-breaking step of erecting
the first 40km solar signs in the North Island at Waitakere
Primary School six months ago. We are leading the way,
particularly at Local Government conferences, to have 40km
zones around all schools for half an hour before and after
school – however this is being blocked by rural councils.
“Our children and mokopuna (grandchildren) at Oratia will be
that much safer with the installation of the 40km school
zone,” she says.
40km School Zones can only be put in certain environments
where there is a speed problem, and must meet a set of
criteria from Land Transport NZ.
Waitakere City is currently assisting a community at Waiuku
to get a 40km zone outside a school where there is a 100km
zone.
8 August
Diamonds are for essays
Franich Jewellers in Henderson have donated a gold and
diamond pendant as a top prize for the
J.T. Diamond
essay competition.
Co-owner Jenny Franich hopes the prize will encourage people
to enter the event, which honours local historian
Jack Diamond.
With two weeks to go before entries close on August 18, the
competition encourages people to explore an aspect of West
Auckland’s history by recording their own memories or by
undertaking research using primary sources such as letters,
diaries, or interviews.
5 August
Waitakere City Council not aware of any obligation to return Te Atatu land
Waitakere City Council is aware that
former landowners of council land in Te Atatu, are to take
legal action to have the land returned to them.
“We have only just seen detail of the claim and we have not
yet had time to finalise our reaction to it,” says
Councillor Janet Clews, chair of the Council’s Finance and
Operational Performance Committee
“But at this time we have seen nothing that persuades us
that the land should have been returned to the original land
owners. They clearly think differently but as I said, we
haven’t yet had time to carefully study their claim and take
advice.
“From what we’ve seen so far, however, the matter will
probably have to be resolved by the court,” says Councillor
Clews.
“The land was vested in the Council at the time of
amalgamation and we were not aware of any issues associated
with it. That remained the case until 1995 when we heard
from a claimant’s legal adviser. We discussed the matter and
then heard nothing more from him. “
Councillor Clews says that if land purchased under the
Public Works Act is no longer required for the original
purpose, it can be used for other public works. If it is not
required for public works at all, it must be offered back to
the original owners
“Waitakere City Council, has used it for public works,” says
Councillor Clews.
5 August
Mayor Harvey honours David Lange in Hiroshima
Peace Conference speech
calling on world’s mayors to work for peace
Waitakere City Mayor Bob Harvey
has today challenged the world’s civic leaders to make peace
one of their objectives, saying that action taken at local
level can have national and international effect
Mayor Harvey was making a keynote speech to the sixth annual
international Mayors For Peace Conference being held in
Hiroshima, to mark the 60th anniversary of the dropping of
the nuclear bomb on Japan during World War 2.
He dedicated the speech to former Prime Minister David Lange
who had had “the vision and the courage to declare his
country nuclear free in an age of international aggression
and turmoil”.
Mr Harvey referred to
Agenda 21 that came out of the
Earth
Summit in Rio de Janiero in 1992, which had challenged
communities to think globally and act locally
He said that peace could be effectively promoted at a local
level. Cities could promote peace and social justice in
their own territories and in their dealings with their
neighbours, and to their Governments.
“As civic leaders in dark times, we must take ownership of
issues such as peace,” he told the 400 delegates who include
Christchurch Mayor Garry Moore and Wellington Deputy Mayor
Alick Shaw.
Mayor Harvey presented to the Mayor of Hiroshima, letters in
support of peace and global nuclear disarmament from every
NZ city (excluding Wellington and Christchurch which were
represented).
He said that Waitakere was proud to have declared itself
nuclear free. It was one of the world’s first communities to
do so, and had done it even before the Government of New
Zealand had made its stand against nuclear weapons.
He said that communities could remove some of the causes of
violence by working to improve the lot of their citizens.
“Crime and other social ills evaporate when communities
enjoy wealth and social justice,” he said.
Mr Harvey, himself has a long personal commitment to working
for peace – including leading a delegation to Tahiti in 1995
to protest nuclear testing - and received the United Nations
Mayors For Peace Award in 1996.
2 August
Mayor encourages swimming with “scholarships”
Mayor Bob Harvey
is encouraging everyone to learn how to swim at the
West Wave Swim School in Henderson.
The 75 swimming “scholarships” will be given to those who
cannot usually afford them, in September and October this
year.
“This sponsorship initiative is a wonderful way to encourage
children and adults who wouldn't otherwise be able to learn
the life skill of swimming - something incredibly important
in this city and indeed country where we have such wonderful
beaches and pools such as the
West Wave Aquatic
Centre, says Mayor Bob Harvey.
Waitakere City Council and West Wave are working together to
invest in the safety of the people of Waitakere. The
sponsorship recipients will learn the fun and the dangers of
water and that is invaluable," he says.
You can pick up an application form from the West Wave Swim
School in Alderman Drive. The lessons are suitable for
everyone three years and up.
1 August
Council changes banks
Waitakere City Council is changing banks from Bank of New
Zealand to ANZ after ANZ won a recent tender for the
Council’s retail banking services.
The hand over will take effect from Monday 1 August.
Bank of New Zealand branches will continue to accept rates
payments until the end of business on Friday 29 July and ANZ
will then take over on Monday 1 August.
Ratepayers using either automatic payments or direct debits
do not need to do anything differently as the change-over
will be handled automatically.
ANZ has branches at Henderson, Lincoln North, New Lynn and
Westgate.
The Council wishes to thank Bank of New Zealand for their
past support.
1 August
Checking out the style: 2007 Waitakere election watch
Over the next year, Waitakere City Council will be
examining what style of election it will use for the next
Council elections in 2007.
The options include keeping the existing first past the post
voting system (FPP) or changing to the single transferable
vote (STV); keeping the existing ward system but changing
the boundaries; adding new wards; doing away with wards;
adding Maori wards; keeping or not keeping
community boards
and; whether or not
councillors
should be elected by ward or city-wide – or whether there
should be a mixture of both.
Electoral officer Darryl Griffin says that the law requires
the Council to make its decisions in time for the next
elections – and some change seems inevitable.
“At the very least, the Council will have to re-adjust its
ward boundaries because the current ratio of voters to
councillors does not meet the new legal requirements.
So, the least the Council may need to do is move the
boundaries until the ratios are right. But there are a lot
of options to work through and at the other end of the
scale, they have the choice to start with a clean sheet of
paper and review communities of interest which is the key
attribute to be valued for effective ward representation.”
Mr Griffin says that councillors will be working their way
through the options at workshops and there will be
opportunities for public discussion and input.
,“We haven’t got to that point yet because the Council is
still gathering its information. Never the less the public
will be entitled to petition for a review if they don’t like
the decisions the Council has made.”
One choice the Council has to make is whether to stay with
the first past the post voting system or change to single
transferable vote which is now used for electing health
boards and some councils.
Under first past the post voting system people vote for the
candidate they like best and the ones that get the most
votes, win.
Under single transferable vote, voters are asked to rank the
candidates in order with their most preferred candidate
ranked topped of the list and their least favourite at the
bottom. At the end of the first vote count the candidates
with the fewest votes are elimitated and the votes for them
are redistributed to the remaining candidates. This goes on
until all of the successful candidates achieve the “quota”.
The other new option that has to be considered is whether or
not there is a case for separate Maori wards for people on
the Maori electoral role.
“We have been doing some preliminary work with the Maori
community to see if there is support for this option. If
there is the Council will have to decide how to move
forward,” says Mr Griffin.
In terms of reorganising the existing electoral system the
Council has to look at whether the city should continue to
have a ward system. If it chooses not to, Councillors will
be elected city-wide in the same way the Mayor is now.
“However the Council does have the option of keeping the
wards and having some councillors elected by ward and some
elected city-wide,” says Mr Griffin.
The very low turnouts at the local elections is a matter of
concern to many and instilling interest and encouraging
people to take part in the democratic process is a key
driver in evaluating any changes.
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