Residents to fight new ward boundaries

Residents of Waitakere's hills and coast are ready to fight their city council's planned rejig of ward boundaries, saying it will weaken their powerful lobby for environmental causes.

For 15 years, residents of the Waitakere Ward have pushed for Waitakere to become New Zealand's "Eco city" and won a long battle to have the Waitakere Ranges Heritage Protection Bill introduced to Parliament last month.

But celebrations were shortlived.

Yesterday, Waitakere Ranges Protection Society chairman and sculptor John Edgar was set to re-enter the fray after hearing most city councillors wanted to dissolve the ward and spread its residents over three new wards to be called Southern, Central and Northern.

"I think there is a political move afoot to break our power base by divide and rule," said Mr Edgar.

"Waitakere Ward has always been at the heart of championing the Eco City. Councillors from the city area have tried to demolish it a number of times and this is another attempt to weaken our resolve."

Henderson Valley residents chairman Tim O'Shea said the council was going through the "sham" of seeking public views but residents had a better chance of having their arguments accepted in an appeal to the Local Government Commission.

Councillor Warren Flaunty denied the boundary move was an attempt by city councillors to disempower troublesome communities.

"I think it's the opposite ... this gives Waitakere residents 14 councillors and 18 community board members working for them instead of just two councillors."

The council went against Mayor Bob Harvey and Deputy Mayor Carolynne Stone to keep the ward and to meet local body representation requirements by adding the residential suburb of Ranui to boost its population to the levels of the Massey, Henderson and New Lynn Wards.

Mr Harvey said the proposed change was a passionate issue: "People have every reason to get angry and lobby the hell out of us."

Public submissions on the proposal close on April 26 and the Local Government Commission will hear objections in July.