The final boundaries for the Auckland Council and local boards are positive for the North Shore community and provide a good basis for democratic representation, says North Shore Mayor Andrew Williams.
Many of the changes that were recommended by the North Shore City Council and the North Shore community have been accepted by the Commission, he says.
A summary of the decisions is below:
Auckland Council wards
- The southern part of the city, south of Sunset Road, becomes the North Shore Ward, with around 143,000 people represented by two Auckland councillors elected at large.
- The northern part of the city becomes the Albany Ward, with around 139,000 people represented by two Auckland councillors, and now includes Whenuapai, Hobsonville and Herald Island in the west.
As proposed in the council submission, Campbells Bay has been moved by the Commission from the southern North Shore Ward into the northern Albany Ward.
Local Boards
- The Glenfield-Birkenhead Local Board has been renamed Kaipatiki, the electoral subdivisions have been removed, and the number of members has risen from six to eight, all elected at large.
- The Takapuna-Devonport Local Board is now the Devonport-Takapuna Local Board and again the electoral subdivisions have been removed. The number of members has risen from five to six elected at large.
- The Hibiscus-Albany–East Coast Bays Local Board has been split in two. There will now be a Hibiscus and Bays Local Board which covers from Campbells Bay in the south, and follows East Coast Road north to Long Bay and takes in the Hibiscus Coast area from the motorway east to Waiwera. The board is subdivided into two areas, Hibiscus and East Coast Bays, each with four members.
- The remaining area west of East Coast Road and including Whenuapai, Hobsonville, and Herald Island will be known as the Upper Harbour Local Board. The number of members will be six at large over this board area.
Mayor Williams says that this has been a robust consultation process with over 700 public submissions, and the final outcome indicates that the commissioners have taken the time to consider and respond to the community’s wishes.
He says that he wholeheartedly commends Commission Chairperson Sue Piper and her team for their considered approach.
Mayor Williams urged the Auckland Governance Select Committee, considering the third Auckland Bill, to adopt the same open minded and conciliatory approach in response to submissions from the community as that adopted by the Local Government Commission.
