Draft Boundary Reorganisation Scheme

The Manawatu District Council and Palmerston North City Council have established a Joint Boundary Committee responsible for overseeing the process for a proposed boundary alteration between the two districts.

This Committee met for the first time today and appointed Councillor Matt Bell, Deputy Mayor for the Manawatu District Council, as its Chairperson with Councillor Jim Jefferies, Deputy Mayor for the Palmerston North City Council appointed Deputy Chairperson.

The Committee has three representatives from each Council. These representatives include the two Deputy Mayors, Councillors Barbara Cameron and Tony Jensen from Manawatu District Council and Councillors Annette Nixon and Tangi Utikere from Palmerston North City Council.

“Members of the Committee should feel honoured to be appointed to this Committee as it is in a privileged position of making one of the biggest decisions in both Councils’ political histories” said Committee Chairperson, Matt Bell.

The Committee today approved a Draft Boundary Reorganisation Scheme which will be publicly notified within the next couple of weeks. Submissions open on 7 July closing on 8 September 2011.

The Joint Committee is expected to make its final decision on the boundary alteration by December. Once that decision has been released, anyone who has made a submission to the Joint Committee has the right to make an appeal to the Local Government Commission.