Bay of Plenty Regional Council will bear all the election costs in Tauranga. Photo / George Novak
Bay of Plenty Regional Council will bear all the election costs in Tauranga. Photo / George Novak
Tauranga's "lost democracy" will help increase the Bay of Plenty Regional Council's election costs by more than $400,000.
The regional council, Toi Moana, will be the only local authority holding an election in Tauranga come election day on October 8.
The estimated cost to the regional council for the Tauranga and Mauao constituency elections is $435,000 - up from around $20,000 in 2019 and more than half of the total projected cost of $750,000 for all seven wards.
Previously election costs were split three ways - between the regional council, the district health boards and the local authority.
In March, Local Government Minister Nanaia Mahuta announced the four commissioners governing Tauranga City would remain until July 2024, cancelling Tauranga's election.
District health board elections will also no longer take place due to the restructuring of the health system.
The country's 20 DHBs are to be replaced by a new entity, Health NZ, and the Māori Health Authority, likely from July 1.
Councillor Stuart Crosby. Photo / Andrew Warner
The extra cost to Toi Moana was raised by Tauranga ward councillor Stuart Crosby at a meeting on Tuesday.
"In the Tauranga constituency, there is no election for Tauranga City Council," he said. "There is no election now as I understand for the DHB, which is wonderful, but that must have a cost implication."
Governance manager Yvonne Tatton said the "biggest impact" on election cost was the Tauranga portion, but not having DHB elections had a "major impact across the region".
Tatton said $435,000 for the Tauranga and Mauao constituencies is "quite a considerable cost [compared] to previous elections".
"We are bearing all the cost of the election in those constituencies," Tatton said.
Tauranga is one of four general regional council wards and Mauao is one of three Māori wards.
The cost to Toi Moana for the 2019 election was $179,982 - less than a quarter of the predicted cost of the upcoming election.
Tatton said the fee was across four constituencies as costs were shared among the regional council, the relevant council and the DHBs.
"In 2019, elections were not held in three constituencies as the number of candidates was the same as the number of vacancies," she said.
These were Tauranga, Eastern Bay of Plenty and Ōkurei, the Rotorua Māori constituency.
Tauranga councillor Paula Thompson queried the cost in comparison to rates and where it was budgeted.
"We're talking an over 1 per cent general rating requirement for the fact that we've lost democracy in Tauranga, is that correct?" she asked.
Tatton replied: "From a financial point of view, yes".
Deputy chairperson Jane Nees said she wanted people to clearly see the financial implications of the Government's decisions.
"I think the ratepayers need to understand what the cost is that is being borne by the regional council for those decisions," she said.
Council chief executive Fiona McTavish said the council would be seeking guidance from the councillors in terms of the additional costs through an annual plan workshop before deliberations in May.
The regional council's share of the 2019 election cost was around $20,000, according to data provided by Tauranga City Council.
In confirming the extension of Tauranga's commission to July 2024 last month, Mahuta said in a statement the commissioners had accomplished impressive achievements in their tenure, including strengthening relationships with the community, producing a Long-term Plan for 2021-31, and improving culture within the council.
She said having a commission beyond October would ensure the council had the stability needed to maintain its current pace and advance the progress already made.
"My intention is for a smooth transition back to elected representation for Tauranga in July 2024 with elections to bring in new councillors and a new mayor," Mahuta said.
• Local Democracy Reporting is public interest journalism funded by NZ On Air.
