MEDIA RELEASE 20 November 2008

REPRESENTATION REVIEW

Public consultation on the Council's representation review opens today.

The Council is currently reviewing its representation arrangements - as the Local Electoral Act 2001 requires it to do at least once every six years. The last review was completed in 2003.

Representation arrangements cover all aspects of the conduct of local elections and polls and include whether councillors are elected under the ward system or the at large (city-wide) electoral system; the number of councillors that will be elected, and the number of community boards there will be.

The Council has issued its initial proposal on the representation review and is now inviting people to let it know what they think about the proposal. Details of the Council's proposal are available online at http://www.ccc.govt.nz/HaveYourSay/ and copies can also be obtained from Council service centres.

The Council considers that the governance structure proposed - which essentially is the status quo - best meets the criteria of the Local Electoral Act 2001 for the governance of Christchurch. The only changes proposed are minor and related to the boundaries of four wards, to ensure that all wards are in line with the requirements for population equality under the legislation.

The proposal is open for public consultation until 9 February 2009 - using the response form in the consultation document or any other form of written response; or by asking to speak to a submission. Oral submissions will be heard in the first week of March 2009.

"We welcome public participation in the process from those in the community with an interest in representation arrangements," says the Council's General Manager of Regulation and Democracy Services, Peter Mitchell

Once the first phase of consultation is complete, the Council will either confirm or modify its initial proposal and will then publicly notify that final proposal.

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