Local Government Commission approves Rangitikei District Council's proposal for new ward structure

Rangitikei District will comprise three wards and 11 elected councillors from this year's local body elections.

Rangitikei District is changing to a three ward structure, instead of the previous five, but the number of councillors will remain the same.

The Local Government Commission (LGC) has approved Rangitikei District Council's proposal for changes to wards and boundaries ahead of the local body elections in October this year.

Taihape, with a slightly expanded boundary, becomes the Northern Ward. Hunterville and Marton form the Central Ward and Bulls and Turakina are in the Southern Ward.

The district will still have 11 elected councillors, with five for the Central Ward and three each for the Northern and Southern wards.

The Ratana and Taihape Community Boards are unchanged. Each has four elected members. In addition, Ratana will have one member appointed from the Southern Ward and Taihape will have two members from the Northern Ward.

A council spokesperson said there were four appeals to the LGC against the proposed changes.

"The appeals centred around ensuring that smaller communities were adequately and fairly represented in the new ward structure.

"However, it was determined by LGC that the new ward structure would be unlikely to disadvantage smaller rural communities, particularly given that the community board at Ratana and the community committees at Turakina and Hunterville would continue."

The Local Electoral Act 2001 requires local authorities to review representation arrangements at least every six years. The reviews include the number of councillors to be elected, the basis of election for councillors and, if it includes wards, the boundaries and names of those wards.

Reviews also include whether there are to be community boards and, if so, membership arrangements for those boards.

Maps of the current and amended wards are available at www.rangitikei.govt.nz