New ridings proposed for Bay of Islands area

A compromise solution has been adopted by the Far North District Council to resolve representation issues related to the Bay of Islands subdivision (riding) in the council's Eastern Ward.

Following public submissions, the council has agreed to vary its initial proposal to provide for a total of five subdivisions for the Eastern Community Board (to be renamed Whangaroa\Bay of Islands Community Board).

The original proposal would have seen the board elected over three subdivisions in the 2010 local body elections– Whangaroa (1 seat), Kerikeri (3 seats) and Bay of Islands (3 seats).

Under the compromise adopted today, the Bay of Islands has been further subdivided. The Paihia area will have a new subdivision with one board seat, Russell/Opua becomes a second new subdivision with one board seat and the Kawakawa/Moerewa area also becomes a new subdivision with one seat.

The Russell community had made submissions seeking a better acknowledgement of the individual communities of interest in the Bay of Islands area through either the creation of an additional council ward or increased representation at a community board level.

While the proposal adopted by the council today provides for additional subdivisions to reflect communities of interest, the total number of elected representatives remains unchanged with the Whangaroa subdivision retaining one seat, the Kerikeri subdivision three board seats and the three new subdivisions one seat each- a total of seven board seats.

The preliminary proposals for the Northern (Te Hiku) and Western (Kaikohe\Hokianga) Community Boards remain unchanged with new subdivisions created for Whatuwhiwhi and North Hokianga respectively.

The final proposal will be notified next week and communities will have until 16 October 2009 to appeal or object to Council’s suggestions. In the event of appeals or objections, the Local Government Commission will make a final determination.