09/03/2006

ODC: boundary changes are inevitable

Several changes may be made to Otorohanga District Council representation before the 2007 elections.
This comes after councillors agreed alterations should be made to community and ward boundaries.
The Local Electoral Act 2001 requires councils to review their representation arrangements every six years.
Chief executive David Hall said because Otorohanga District Council chose not to carry out a review prior to the 2004 elections one must be carried out this year.
Matters to be resolved include the structure of the Kawhia and Otorohanga Community Boards and modification of Otorohanga ward boundaries to ensure fair representation.
Following recommendations from Kawhia Community Board in January, council agreed the board's boundaries should be expanded to include Aotea community.
Splitting the board into two subdivisions, they agreed four members should be elected from Kawhia with one elected from Aotea.
Mr Hall said recent discussions with Aotea residents signalled they supported the change.
Councillors also agreed Otorohanga community boundaries should be expanded to incorporate Westridge subdivision.
This would be "including all of the land from the end of Blucks Rd to the railway line" and "the southernmost point of the Otorohanga community on Old Te Kuiti Rd through to Otewa Rd, opposite Te Kotahitanga Marae".
Otorohanga Community Board recommended the change at a meeting on February 22.
Council intend to inform affected residents of the proposed change and open public consultation.
Properties not currently within the Otorohanga community boundary that will be adopted into the community under the proposed boundary changes face possible rate increases.
Meanwhile the Act requires there be no greater than a 10 per cent variation in the ratio of population to elected members for each ward when compared to the ratio for the district as a whole.
This means that in the Otorohanga district there should be between 1219 and 1490 residents` in each ward.
While four of Otorohanga's six wards are correctly represented Kawhia ward has only 1050 residents meaning it is over-represented.
Tihiroa, with 1520 residents is underrepresented.
Mr Hall said the simplest solution would be to redefine the boundary between the Kawhia and Tihiroa wards.
Despite discussion at last Tuesday's meeting, councillors were unable to agree on these boundary changes.
"At the end of the day we've got to draw a line somewhere," said councillor Graham Wilshier.
It was agreed the subject should be discussed by mayor Dale Williams, deputy mayor Hugh Earwaker, Kawhia ward councillor Deborah Pilkington and Tihiroa ward councillor Doreen de Haan prior to the next council meeting, where an agreement will be made on the preferred bound-ary change.
Results of the review must be publicly notified by September 8 2006, allowing residents to make submissions.