Final proposal for representation arrangements for the 2019 election

As required by the Local Electoral Act 2001, the Wellington City Council has considered submissions it received on its initial proposal regarding representation arrangements to apply for the local elections to be held on 12 October 2019. 

In summary, the 52 submissions received indicated:

• a majority (33 or 63.5%) oppose the initial proposal; 
• strong support to retain the suburb of Southgate in the Southern Ward (as people in Southgate affiliate with Island Bay to the west, and not to suburbs to the east);
• it appropriate for all of the suburb of Brooklyn to be in one ward (Southern);
• a majority support for te reo ward names (56%) – some saying this is overdue and good choice of names. Some submitters however asked if te reo names were really necessary and others thought them divisive.

Having considered all of the submissions received, and taking into account the results of earlier informal consultation undertaken prior to resolving its initial proposal, the Council resolved on 30 May 2018, to adopt the following amended proposal as its final proposal: 

i. Wellington City Council comprises 14 councillors elected under the ward system, plus the mayor elected at large;

ii.      Wellington City Council be divided into five wards, these being:

Motukairangi/Eastern Ward (3 councillors) being the existing Eastern Ward comprising the area delineated on SO Plan 37887 (ie Breaker Bay, Hataitai, Houghton Bay, Karaka Bays, Kilbirnie, Lyall Bay, Maupuia, Melrose, Miramar, Moa Point, Rongotai, Roseneath, Seatoun and Strathmore Park)

Paekawakawa/Southern Ward (2 councillors) being the existing Southern Ward comprising the area delineated on SO Plan 37888, with the inclusion of the balance of the suburb of Brooklyn (ie Berhampore, Brooklyn, Island Bay, Kingston, Mornington, Newtown, Owhiro Bay, Southgate and Vogeltown)

Pukehīnau/Lambton Ward (3 councillors), being the existing Lambton Ward comprising the area delineated on SO Plan 37886, with the exclusion of part of the suburb of Brooklyn (ie Aro Valley, Highbury, Kelburn, Mt Cook, Mt Victoria, Oriental Bay, Pipitea, Te Aro, Thorndon and Wellington Central)

Takapū/Northern Ward (3 councillors) being the existing Northern Ward comprising the area delineated on SO Plan 37883, with the inclusion the balance of the suburb of Ohariu (i.e. Churton Park, Glenside, Grenada North, Grenada Village, Horokiwi, Johnsonville, Newlands, Ohariu, Paparangi, Takapu Valley, Tawa and Woodridge)

Wharangi/Onslow-Western Ward (3 councillors) being the existing Onslow-Western Ward comprising the area delineated on SO Plan 335633, with the exclusion of part of the suburb of Brooklyn and a small part of the suburb of Ohariu (ie Broadmeadows, Crofton Downs, Kaiwharawhara, Karori, Khandallah, Makara, Makara Beach, Ngaio, Ngauranga, Northland, Wadestown and Wilton);

iii. two community boards electing 12 members, these being:

Makara-Ohariu Community Board (6 members elected from the community at large) being the existing community board area comprising the area delineated on LG-047-2013-Com-1 deposited with the Local Government Commission, with the exclusion of parts of the suburbs of Brooklyn and Owhiro Bay;

Tawa Community Board (6 members elected from the community at large plus two councillors representing the Takapū/Northern Ward as appointed by Council) being the existing community board area comprising the area delineated on LG-047-2015-Com-1 deposited with the Local Government Commission;

The reason the total number of councillors is proposed to remain at 14 (plus the mayor) is to provide effective representation to Wellington residents and ratepayers.

The reasons for the ward boundary and community board boundary adjustments is to

• unite the suburb of Brooklyn into one ward; 
• exclude those parts of the suburbs of Brooklyn and Owhiro Bay from the existing Makara-Ohariu Community Board area; and
• recognise that Lambton Ward is growing significantly faster than the Southern Ward.

The above final proposal is to be publicly notified on 13 June 2018 providing the opportunity for appeals and objections to be lodged in the period 13 June to 13 July 2018.
Council agreed to consider reviewing representation arrangements again prior to the 2022 election.

The following table sets out the number of councillors per ward, the ward resident populations (estimated at 30 June 2017) and the population ratio per councillor: 

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 15,193  plus or minus 10% (13,674 – 16,712).

As two of the proposed wards are non-compliant with the fair representation requirements (+/- 10% rule), the final proposal must be treated as an appeal under section 19V(5) of the Local Electoral Act 2001 and referred to the Local Government Commission following the appeal/objection period for determination.

Reasons for the support or rejection of submissions

Number of wards and councillors

The Council considered a number of other representation options, including the number of councillors, before determining its initial proposal.

The informal preliminary consultation showed that 64% of those respondents who chose the ward system did not want any change to the current wards and almost 50% thought that the “right number of councillors” was in the range of 12-14. 

The Council is of the view that the current five ward structure, subject to the proposed ward boundary changes, satisfactorily reflects the city’s communities of interest. It also believes that a membership of 14 councillors (plus the mayor) is sufficient to ensure effective representation is provided to constituents.

Proposed ward boundary adjustments

Brooklyn

No negative submissions were received on the Council’s proposal to amalgamate all of the suburb of Brooklyn into one ward (currently spread over three wards) and all but one  submitter favoured Brooklyn being included in the Paewakawaka/Southern Ward as proposed by the Council.

The Council therefore confirmed its initial decision to unite the suburb of Brooklyn into one ward and that that ward be Paekawakawa/Southern Ward.

Southgate

The Council’s initial proposal to include the suburb of Southgate in the Eastern Ward (from the Southern Ward) was to comply more closely with the fair representation requirement (ie +/- 10% rule).

Of the 52 submissions received 30 (or 58%) came from residents of the Southern Ward and of those, 25 were from residents of the suburb of Southgate (i.e 48% of the total number of submissions received). Of the 25 submissions, 24 were strongly opposed to the Council’s initial proposal and only one in support. It was clear that the residents of the suburb of Southgate see their community of interest to be closely aligned with Island Bay in particular and had no association with the suburbs in the Eastern Ward. 

The Council acknowledges that in determining ward boundaries, retaining communities of interest is very important as is the requirement to ensure, as best as possible, the fairness criteria is meet. Three submitters, in support of the Council’s initial proposal, stressed the importance of Council achieving the fairness criteria.

The Council acknowledges that the proposed shift of the suburb of Southgate would divide a well-established community of interest and accordingly resolved to amend its initial proposal to retain the suburb of Southgate in the Southern Ward. 

The Council’s final proposal is non-compliant with the fairness criteria and must be referred to the Local Government Commission for determination. 

Proposal to incorporate te reo Māori ward names

A majority of submitters (56%) support the Council’s proposal to use te reo Māori ward names, (19% were opposed and 25% had no opinion). 

Two submitters questioned whether te reo names were really necessary and others thought them divisive or a waste of money. Several submitters raised concerns about the use of the name Motukairangi (Eastern Ward) on the basis that its translation did not reflect the geographical area of the Eastern Ward and that its use could be confusing. 

]The proposed te reo names have been recommended by local iwi and reflect the depth of Wellington’s history and its mana whenua narrative and supports the Council’s commitment to making Wellington a te reo city. 

Proposed community board boundary adjustments

The final proposal is to move the current boundary to match the proposed new boundary of the Paewakawaka/Southern and Wharangi/Onslow-Western Wards. The proposed boundary change has the support of the Makara/Ohariu Community Board.

Notice of appeal and objection process

Any person who made a submission on the Council’s initial proposal may lodge an appeal against the Council’s final proposal. The appeal must relate to the matters raised in that person’s submission.

Any person who is opposed to the Council’s final proposal may lodge an objection. Any objection must identify the matters to which the objection relates.

Appeals and objections must be made in writing and are:

• to be forwarded to the:
  Chief Executive, Wellington City Council
  P O Box 2199
  Wellington
• delivered to the:
  Reception Desk
  Ground Floor
  Council Offices
  101 Wakefield Street
  Wellington.

Any appeals or objections should include your name, address, telephone number and email address (if you have one) and must be received by the Council no later than 5pm on Friday 13 July 2018.

Appeal / Objection Form - Representation Review 2018 (for the 2019 local elections)(69KB PDF) | Editable version  (546KB PDF)