Residents to help redraw the lines for the district council

Last modified: 05 Jul 2021 4:16pm

Selwyn residents are being asked to help shape the future structure of the district council and how they are represented.

The way the Council is structured is changing, with growth in Selwyn meaning changes are required for the number of councillors and the shape of the district’s wards.

Consultation opens today (Monday 5 July) on four options put forward from the Council’s representation review subcommittee, which include possible changes to the number of wards (electoral areas within Selwyn), ward boundaries, the number of councillors and whether there should be community boards.

All local councils are required to carry out a representation review at least every six years to ensure residents have fair and effective representation at local elections.

Because of the rapid growth in the district, especially in the central and eastern areas, the Council’s current electoral representation (11 councillors and four wards) needs to be reshaped to meet representation requirements.

The Council is seeking feedback on four preliminary options. After the consultation, the subcommittee will recommend its preferred option, which will then go out for further public consultation.

The four representation options proposed for consideration are:

1. Four wards with 10 councillors

2. Three wards with 10 councillors

3. Three wards with 9 councillors

4. Four wards with 7 councillors.

The Council is also seeking feedback on whether or not residents want to have a community board in their ward.

Representation Review Committee chair Councillor Mark Alexander said the consultation is a chance for people to say how they want to be represented on the Council and whether they want a community board in their ward.

“Our district has grown and changed significantly since the previous review in 2015 and it’s the right time to take a fresh look at how our council is elected. When we spoke to Selwyn residents about this they told us it’s important to them to be represented by someone local who knows their community. This is their opportunity to help make sure that happens.”

The Council’s representation review committee has already decided that the mayor will continue to be elected ‘at large’ across the whole district, ‘first past the post’ will be the voting system and that, following consultation with the local rūnanga the Council will not establish a Māori ward at this time.

The consultation is open until Friday 30 July.

People can find out more about the options and provide feedback online.

Submission forms will also be available at all Council’s service centres and libraries. Five drop-in sessions will be held to help people find out more about the proposed options.

The drop-in sessions will be: