The appeals and objections period for the Representation Review has closed.

It is now over to the Local Government Commission to decide how our region will be represented at next year’s local elections.

There were eight appeals and 123 objections received that have been forwarded by Council to the Commission.

The Commission will consider these and are likely to hold Hearings in Gisborne early next year.

From there the Commission makes the final determination on Council’s representation arrangements for the 2022 and 2025 local government elections.

Chief Executive Nedine Thatcher Swann says that decision is expected back by April 2022.

“This is now in the hands of the Local Government Commission and we look forward to hearing from them and what they decide.”

Friday 10 December was the last day any appeal or objection could be lodged around Council’s final proposal for Tairāwhiti to be divided into three wards for the elections next year and in 2025.

The wards include a Tairāwhiti Māori Ward (represented by five councillors) covering the whole district; the Turanganui City General Ward (represented by six councillors) covering Gisborne City, and the Tairāwhiti Rural General Ward (represented by two councillors) covering the balance of the district outside the city.

Our website has all the information and dates for the review process.

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