16 November 2015

Arrangements for next council election open to appeal

Rotorua residents have until 14 December to lodge appeals or objections to any of the decisions made at last week’s [12 November] council meeting where final arrangements for the next local government elections were set.

The appeals phase is the final part of a nine month long review of arrangements to come into effect for the 2016 and 2019 local government elections.

Rotorua Lakes Council has agreed to reduce the number of councillors from 12 to 10, and to retain the existing ‘at large’ voting system. An ‘at large’ system allows registered electors to cast votes for all councillor positions across the district, rather than being restricted to voting for councillors in wards.

A second community board is also to be established to provide a voice for the rural community, in addition to retention of the existing Lakes Community board representing the interests of lakeside communities.

The council’s decisions follow a comprehensive public engagement programme undertaken by the Your Choice Working Party, attracting 530 community responses. The working party’s recommendations were subsequently released for a period of formal public consultation, generating a further 52 public submissions.

Anyone who made a submission during the previous formal consultation phase of the Your Choice 2016 Election Review is able to appeal the council’s decisions, and anyone else who objects to the final proposal can record an objection by identifying the matters they disapprove of.

If there are no appeals or objections lodged by 14 December, the council’s election decisions will come into effect from the 2016 election. However, if any appeals are received, they will be forwarded to the Local Government Commission for determination, with the commission’s binding decisions expected by 10 April next year.

Appeals and objections need to be made in writing and posted or delivered to Rotorua Lakes Council, or emailed tosubmissions@rotorualc.nz. They must arrive at the council by 14 December 2015. Details of the ‘Your Choice’ proposals are available on the council website - rotorualakescouncil.nz - or from the council’s customer centre.

As Rotorua Lakes Council has previously determined that the First Past the Post voting system would again be used for the 2016 election, and that Maori wards would not be established, neither of those issues are open to the current appeal process.

-ENDS-

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