Under section 19H and 19J of the Local Electoral Act 2001, the Waikato District Council is required to carry out a review of its representation arrangements for the triennial local authority election to be held in 2019.
Statement of Proposal
At the Council meeting on 11 June 2018, Council resolved to adopt as its initial proposal for the review of representation arrangements that:
- Waikato District Council comprises 13 councillors elected under the ward system, plus the mayor elected at large;
- Waikato District Council be divided into 10 wards, these being:
- Awaroa ki Tuakau Ward (2 councillors) being the existing ward comprising the area delineated on LGC-013-2013-W-2 deposited with the Local Government Commission with the exclusion of the north‑eastern area east of Paparimu Road and the south-eastern area around Mercer;
- Eureka Ward (1 councillor) being the existing ward comprising the area delineated on LGC-013-2013-W-10 deposited with the Local Government Commission;
- Hukanui-Waerenga Ward (1 councillor) being the existing ward comprising the area delineated on LGC-013-2013-W-6 deposited with the Local Government Commission with the inclusion of an area to the north-east of Kopuka Road to State Highway 2 and an area along Jefferis Road;
- Huntly Ward (2 councillors) being the existing ward comprising the area delineated on LGC-013-2013-W-5 deposited with the Local Government Commission with the inclusion of Rangiriri;
- Newcastle Ward (1 councillor) being the existing ward comprising the area delineated on LGC-013-2013-W-9 deposited with the Local Government Commission;
- Ngaruawahia Ward (2 councillors) being the existing ward comprising the area delineated on LGC-013-2013-W-7 deposited with the Local Government Commission;
- Onewhero-Te Akau Ward (1 councillor) being the existing ward comprising the area delineated on LGC-013-2013-W-4 deposited with the Local Government Commission;
- Raglan Ward (1 councillor) being the existing ward comprising the area delineated on LGC-013-2013-W-8 deposited with the Local Government Commission;
- Tamahere Ward (1 councillor) being the existing ward comprising the area delineated on LGC-013-2013-W-11 deposited with the Local Government Commission;
- Whangamarino Ward (1 councillor) being the existing ward comprising the area delineated on LGC-013-2013-W-3 deposited with the Local Government Commission with the inclusion of an area east of Paparimu Road and the south-eastern area around Mercer (from the current Awaroa ki Tuakau Ward), and the exclusion of an area to the north east of Kopuka Road to State Highway 2 plus an area along Jefferis Road and Rangiriri.
- There being 5 community boards electing 30 members, these being:
- Huntly Community Board (6 members elected from the community at large, plus two councillors representing the Huntly Ward as appointed by Council) being the existing community board area comprising the area delineated on LGC-013-2013-Com-2 deposited with the Local Government Commission;
- Ngaruawahia Community Board (6 members elected from the community at large, plus two councillors representing the Ngaruawahia Ward as appointed by Council) being the existing community board area comprising the area delineated on LGC‑013‑2013-Com-4 deposited with the Local Government Commission;
- Raglan Community Board (6 members elected from the community at large, plus one councillor representing the Raglan Ward as appointed by Council) being the existing community board area comprising the area delineated on LGC-013-2013-Com-5 deposited with the Local Government Commission;
- Taupiri Community Board (6 members elected from the community at large plus two councillors representing the Ngaruawahia Ward as appointed by Council) being the existing community board area comprising the area delineated on LGC-013-2013-Com-3 deposited with the Local Government Commission;
- Tuakau Community Board (6 members elected from the community at large, plus two councillors representing the Awaroa ki Tuakau Ward as appointed by Council) being the area comprising the land around the township of Tuakau, north of the Waikato River to the territorial authority boundary. The eastern boundary is along Ridge Road. The western boundary is along Wright Road, Parker Lane and Friedlander Road.
- The reason the total number of councillors is proposed to remain at 13 (plus the mayor) is to provide effective representation to Waikato District residents and ratepayers (ensuring accessibility to a large and diverse area made up of populated towns and villages and sparsely populated rural areas);
- The reasons for the minor ward boundary alterations in the north of the district are to better reflect fairer representation and to ensure the wider Mercer community is located in one ward;
- The above initial representation arrangements review be submitted for formal public consultation, including inviting submissions.
The 10 wards, the number of councillors per ward, the ward populations (estimated as at 30 June 2017) and the population per councillor are as follows:
| Ward | Population | Councillors | Average | % Variation |
| Awaroa ki Tuakau | 12,410 | 2 | 6,205 | +9.4% |
| Eureka | 5,579 | 1 | 5,579 | -1.6% |
| Hukanui-Waerenga | 5,990 | 1 | 5,990 | +5.6% |
| Huntly | 10,510 | 2 | 5,255 | -7.3% |
| Newcastle | 5,690 | 1 | 5,720 | +0.4% |
| Ngaruawahia | 10,350 | 2 | 5,175 | -8.7% |
| Onewhero-Te Akau | 5,460 | 1 | 5,460 | -3.7% |
| Raglan | 5,790 | 1 | 5,790 | +2.1% |
| Tamahere | 5,699 | 1 | 5,699 | +0.5% |
| Whangamarino | 6,232 | 1 | 6,232 | +9.9% |
In accordance with section 19V(2) of the Local Electoral Act 2001, the population that each councillor represents must be within the population range of 5,670 plus or minus 10% (5,103 – 6,237).
Further Information
Copies of the Statement of Proposal for the 2018 Representation Review Initial Proposal are available from all Waikato District Council offices and libraries.
Submissions
Submissions for the representation arrangements review open 9am on 20 June 2018. Any interested person or organisation may lodge a written submission to the above representation arrangements review. Submissions should be addresses to: Corporate Planner, Waikato District Council, Private Bag 544, Ngaruawahia 3742 or 15 Galileo Street, Ngaruawahia 3720. Submissions should state your name, address, telephone number and email address (if you have one) and should reach the Council no later than 5.00pm on 1 August 2018. You can also deliver your submission in person to any Waikato District Council office or library, email your submission to consult@waidc.govt.nz, or visit the “Say It” page on the Council website (www.waikatodistrict.govt.nz/sayit) where you can find the full Statement of Proposal, maps of the proposed wards and community board areas as well as our online submission form.
Council will read and consider all submissions. Please clearly state if you wish to speak in support of your submission. Please note that submissions will be made available to the public and hearings and meetings on the review will be open to the public.
Gavin Ion
Chief Executive