Council
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Council info
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Selwyn District Council serves a fast-growing population of approximately 38,600 (estimate, June 2009) distributed over many farms and small towns.
The Council consists of 11 elected representatives – a mayor and 10 councillors - who are voted in by residents and ratepayers every three years. The elected representatives are drawn from four wards: Malvern (main town Darfield); Selwyn Central (main town, Rolleston); Springs (main town, Lincoln); and Ellesmere (main town, Leeston).
The District Council is actually the second tier of local government. Above it are:
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the Canterbury Regional Council (known as Environment Canterbury) which encompasses 10 South Island local authorities from Kaikoura to Waitaki and whose elected members set the policies for managing the air, water and land environment throughout the Canterbury Region; and
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the Canterbury Area Health Board, whose elected members set the policies for managing Canterbury's public hospitals and related services.
Below the District Council is a third tier of local government - the community board. Two of Selwyn's four wards have community boards - Malvern and Selwyn Central. These boards are delegated by the Council to oversee certain local services and facilities, in collaboration with their local Community committees (see below). The Ellesmere and Springs wards have no community boards. Council oversees their local services directly, in collaboration with local Community committees.
Below the community boards is the fourth tier of local government in Selwyn - the Local Community Committee. Local Community Committees include township or residents committees, hall management committees and reserve management committees. These committees advise Council on service and facility needs in their town or community.