Council seeks community’s views on wards and number of councillors

Published: 6 May 2024

Napier City Council wants to know residents’ views on how the city’s local democracy is organised, including the number of councillors and the structure of the city’s electoral wards.

Council’s Representation Review is also considering whether to introduce ‘at large’ councillors and a community board. Additionally, the review will confirm the number of Māori ward councillors and Māori wards the city will have, after the 2021 Council decision to introduce these for the 2025 local election.

Napier Mayor Kirsten Wise says the Representation Review is important for all residents to get involved in.

“How the community is represented by councillors will impact how well we are able to authentically partner with our community. Local government is all about representing residents, so it’s important that we hear from a broad range of people.”

After surveying the community on its views in late 2023, Council is now proposing five potential options and is surveying residents on their one preferred option. The survey presents options that have either 11 or 13 councillors and one Mayor. These options include varying ward arrangements, with two options proposing two ‘at large’ councillors. Council is also seeking residents’ views on introducing a community board for Maraenui and surrounding areas.

“There are many ways we could arrange our local democracy. The most important thing is that we ensure there is effective and fair representation of our community,” says Mayor Wise.

In addition to the community survey, an external research agency will ask the same set of questions by phone to ensure an appropriate spread of demographics is represented in the responses.

The survey and details on the options are on sayitnapier.nz. Paper copies are also available at Council’s Customer Service Centre and Napier and Taradale libraries. The survey runs from 6 to 24 May.

Council will consider the community’s response to the survey. It will then put forward one option for the city’s representation arrangements for formal community consultation in July, followed by public hearings. Council will make its final decision later in 2024.

At least every six years, representation arrangements for local government must be reviewed. Napier City Council will be required to undertake its next Representation Review no later than 2030.

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