COAT-ARM Hastings District Council

 

Civic Administration Building

Lyndon Road East, Hastings 4156

Phone:  (06) 871 5000

Fax:  (06) 871 5100

www.hastingsdc.govt.nz

 

 

 

 

 

OPEN

 

M I N U T E S

 

 

 

 

Council

 

 REPRESENTATION REVIEW SUBMISSIONS

 

Meeting Date:

Tuesday, 26 June 2018

 


CG-14-1-00835                                                                         1

Minutes of a Meeting of the Council held on

26 June 2018 at 9.00am

 

Table of Contents

 

Item                                                                         Page No.

 

1.       Prayer 1

2.       Apologies  1

3.       Seal Register 1

4.       Conflicts of Interest 1

5.       Confirmation of Minutes  1

6.       Review of Representation Arrangements for the Hastings District - Further Report Following Receipt of Submissions - Hearing of Submissions  2

7.       Additional Business Items  7

8.       Extraordinary Business Items  7

 

 


CG-14-1-00835                                                                         1

 

HASTINGS DISTRICT COUNCIL

 

MINUTES OF A MEETING OF THE COUNCIL HELD IN THE Council Chamber, Ground Floor, Civic Administration Building, Lyndon Road East, Hastings ON  Tuesday, 26 June 2018 AT 9.00am

 

 

Present:                       Mayor Hazlehurst (Chair)

Councillors Dixon, Harvey, Heaps, Kerr, Lawson, Lyons, Nixon, O’Keefe, Poulain, Redstone, Schollum, Travers and Watkins.

 

IN ATTENDANCE:           Acting Chief Executive (Mr N Taylor)

Democratic Support Manager (Mrs J Evans)

Committee Secretary (Mrs C Hunt)

 

AS REQUIRED:               Chris Johnston (11)

 

 

1.       Prayer

 

Councillor O’Keefe gave the opening prayer.

 

2.       Apologies   

 

Councillor Kerr/ Lawson

That an apology for absence from Councillor Barber and an apology for lateness from Councillor Redstone be accepted.

CARRIED 

 

3.       Seal Register

 

The seal register was not tabled at this meeting

 

4.       Conflicts of Interest

There were no declarations of conflicts of interest.

 

5.       Confirmation of Minutes

 

Councillor Dixon/Councillor Kerr

That the minutes of the Council Meeting held Monday 11 June 2018 be confirmed as a true and correct record and be adopted.

CARRIED 

 

 


 

 

Suspension of Standing Orders

Mayor Hazlehurst/Councillor Kerr

That in accordance with paragraph 13.3 of  Standing Orders Her Worship the Mayor exercised her discretion to waive the need for Councillors to stand to speak during a Council meeting.

CARRIED

 

6.

Review of Representation Arrangements for the Hastings District - Further Report Following Receipt of Submissions - Hearing of Submissions

(Document 18/345)

 

The Democratic Support Manager, Mrs Evans advised that the Public Notice was published in Hawke’s Bay Today on 6 April 2018 and again on 11 May 2018 advising that submissions were closing on 18 May 2018.

In addition the proposed changes were publicised on the Council website (My Choice My Voice), through targeted adverts on facebook and a radio campaign. A flyer was delivered to all households in the five affected meshblocks and information packs were available at the Council’s reception area and local libraries.

A total of 14 submissions were received, with one submitter wishing to speak to his submission.

 

Verbal Submission

 

Submission No. 11 - Chris Johnson 11 spoke to his submission and highlighted the following points:

·       Would like Havelock North to be a separate ward due to its population and unique community of interest

·       New ward boundaries will expand to over 13,000 people

·       More councillors per any other ward

·       Loss of personal contact with councillors being combined Hastings/Havelock North Ward

·       Too large an area for 8 Councillors to be in two areas at one time

·       Agreed 90% of the representation review proposal

·       Population and identity and could improve on efficiency with own councillors

·       People in Havelock North have strong identity who they are.

·       Historically democratic participation declines when there is a larger grouping and people do not have their representative.

 

 

This concluded the verbal presentation of submissions.

 

The Democratic Support Manager, Mrs Evans displayed a powerpoint presentation (CG-05-16-18-50) providing a brief overview of submissions received and advised that Council needed to ensure that effective representation of communities of interest was provided and fair representation for each ward or subdivision was achieved.

 

No submissions were received arguing for a completely “at large” representation system, or to change the overall numbers of elected representatives. As part of the consultation on the boundary changes all the households within the meshblocks which were changing from the rural to urban wards had been advised of the changes via a leaflet drop and no objections had been received. These issues are now out of the scope of the Review.

 

Mrs Evans advised if there were appeals by submitters (or objections to an amended proposal), the Local Government Commission would determine the Council’s representation arrangements for 2019.

 

 

The Committee then considered each of the written submissions.

 

Submission No. 1 - Peter Church considered it was a retrograde step to amalgamate Hastings and Havelock North Wards.

Councillor Redstone joined the meeting at 9.20am

 

Submission No. 2 – Rion Roben submitted that he was against extending the individual parts of Hastings/Havelock North  and would prefer separating the two areas as wards or connecting the two zones

 

Submission No. 3 - Ken Kibblewhite advocated combining Flaxmere with Hastings/Havelock North. Maintaining separate representation has not improved Flaxmere’s deprivation score and its electors need to have a say in the election of all urban councillors

 

Submission No. 4 – Michael Smiley supported the proposed changes.

 

Submission No. 5 – Ingrid Meulenbrugge supported the proposed changes.

 

Submission No. 6 – Jim Galloway supported the retention of the Rural Community Board.

Councillor Travers declared conflict of interest in Submission No. 7

 

Submission No. 7 – Keith Simes submitted that he would like the Hastings/Havelock North Ward split as the interests of the two communities were different.

Councillor Travers rejoined the meeting

 

Submission No. 8 – Thomas Towler supported the proposed changes.

 

Submission No. 9 – Jon Eames submitted that he would like 4km along the Waimarama Road to be included in Havelock North.

It was noted that if this area was included in the ward, the mesh block would compromise the urban/rural boundary to the detriment of Kahuranaki ward.

 

Submission No. 10 – Mark Sutton supported the proposed changes.

 

Submission No. 12 – Phillip MacDonald opposed Maori wards.

This issued was outside the scope of the review and had been considered in 2017 and the Council had decided not to create Maori wards.

 

Submission No. 13 – Brian Martin supported the proposed changes.

 

Submission No. 14 – Barry Pulford – supported the current way Flaxmere Councillors were elected.

 

Mrs Evans advised that although many electors place importance on local representation, under the Local Electoral Act 2001 there is no requirement for candidates to even live in the district.

 

The following comments were highlighted by Council:

Flaxmere

·         The special character of Flaxmere was considered to be significantly different to keep separate representation.

 

·         If Flaxmere was included with the other urban areas it would have 10 Councillors and would become one large urban ward. This may require the creation of an urban community board to represent the special character of these communities. The pre-consultation and submissions revealed no appetite for more community boards, although the Rural Community Board was well supported.

 

Hastings/Havelock North   

·         The urban areas of Hastings and Havelock North are still growing and populations may have shifted to enable Havelock North to have separate representation in the future. This should be reinvestigated as part of the next representation review in 3 or 6 years.

 

·         Putting continuous boundary between Havelock North/Hastings was possible within the +/- 10% rule  but compromised the urban/rural boundaries and had a negative impact on Heretaunga Ward.

 

·         It was recognised that Havelock North and Hastings each had a special character, but the communities of interest were not so significantly different to compromise the fair representation  (+/- 10% rule). It was noted that if Hastings and Havelock were split into 2 wards under the proposed boundaries, there would be 5440 electors to each councillor elected in Hastings, and 6660 electors to each Councillor in Havelock North. At the last representation review in 2012, the Local Government Commission cited the following reasons for the creation of one ward with two boundaries around Hastings and Havelock North.

 

-        Havelock North ward boundaries could not be expanded/reduced because it would be contrary  to rural/urban communities of interest.

-        Creating one continuous boundary – negative impact on Heretaunga Ward and blur rural urban distinction of communities of interest in the area as Hastings and Havelock North were only minutes apart on a high quality road, such an approach was appropriate given the commonality of their urban communities of interest.

-        Census information showed a high number of Hastings residents worked in Havelock North and vice versa.

-        The distinct character of Havelock North would be better recognised by preserving its boundaries in this way.

 

Council considered that this situation had not significantly changed in the past 6 years. Furthermore,  recent local body and by elections had demonstrated a good level of democratic engagement in the Hastings Havelock North ward. In addition, the ward members had worked effectively together to support the community both during and in the aftermath of the Havelock North water contamination event.

 

 

 

Councillor Nixon/Councillor Kerr

A)             That the report of the Democratic Support Manager titled “Review of Representation Arrangements for the Hastings District - Further Report Following Receipt of Submissions - Hearing of Submissions” dated 26 June 2018 be received.

 

B)             That the submissions in support of the Representation Review Proposals from Michael Smiley (4); Ingrid Meulenbrugge (5); Jim Galloway (6) Thomas Towler (8); Mark Sutton (10); Brian Martin (13) and Barry Pulford (14) be accepted.

    

C)             That the submissions opposing the Representation Review Proposals for Hastings/Havelock North ward from Peter Church (1); Rion Roben (2); Keith Simes (7); and Chris Johnson (11) be declined for the following reasons:

 

a.    Splitting Hastings/Havelock North Ward into 2 separate wards would breach the fair representation (+/- 10% rule) and according to the Local Electoral Act 2001 Section 19V (2) and (3)(iii)  the communities of interest were not considered to be so significantly different that effective representation would be limited by uniting the two communities of interest of Hastings and Havelock North.

 

D)             That the submission opposing the Representation Review Proposal for a separate Flaxmere ward from Ken Kibblewhite (3) was declined for the following reason;

 

a.    The special character of Flaxmere ward is considered to be well supported by the existing ward arrangements and effective representation arrangements would be limited by joining the community of interest of Flaxmere with Hastings and Havelock North.

 

E)             That the  submission requesting that  his property in a rural area be included in Hastings/Havelock North  Representation Review from Jon Eames (9) be declined for the following reason;

 

a.    The inclusion of these rural meshblocks within the Hastings/Havelock North ward boundary would have a negative impact on Kahuranaki Ward and blur rural/urban distinction of communities of interest in the area

 

F)              That the submission from Phillip MacDonald (12) be declined in so far as his submission against Māori Wards was outside the scope of the proposed notified.

E)     That no changes be made to the initial proposal agreed by Council on 22 March 2018, and the Hastings District Council establish the following representation arrangements for the triennial election of the Hastings District Council to be held on Saturday 12 October 2019:

              1)   That Hastings District as delineated on the plans (CG-05-16-18-24 and (CG-05-16-18-23) attached to the report in (A) above be divided into five wards.

2)   That those five wards shall be:

a) Flaxmere

b) Hastings/Havelock North

c) Heretaunga

d) Mohaka

e) Kahuranaki

 

3)   That the Council comprise the Mayor and fourteen Councillors elected as follows:

a)   Eight councillors elected by the electors of the Hastings/Havelock North Ward.

b)   Two councillors elected by the electors of the Flaxmere Ward.

d)   Two councillors elected by the electors of the Heretaunga Ward.

e)   One councillor elected by the electors of the Kahuranaki Ward.

f)    One councillor elected by the electors of Mohaka Ward.

 

4)     That there be a Hastings District Rural Community as delineated on the plans (CG-05-16-18-22) attached to the report in (A) above comprising the area of the Rural Ward.

5)     That the Hastings District Rural Community Board be subdivided into four for electoral purposes as indicated on the plan (CG-05-16-18-22) to the report at A) above.

6)     That those four subdivisions be:

a)     The Tutira Subdivision

b)     The Kaweka Subdivision

c)     The Maraekakaho Subdivision

d)     The Poukawa Subdivision

 

7)   That, as required by section 19T(i)(b) and 19W(c) of the Local Electoral Act 2001, the boundaries of the above wards, communities and subdivisions coincide with the boundaries of current statistical meshblock areas determined by Statistics New Zealand.

8)   That, as the ward boundaries coincide with community boundaries, the requirements of section 19T(i)(c) of the Local Electoral Act 2001 are accordingly met.

9)   That, as required by sections 19T(i)(a) and 19W(b) of the Local Electoral Act 2001, the five wards and one community being created and the number of members of each ward and community and subdivision will provide effective representation of communities of interest within Hastings District because:

a)   The five wards represent the current significant and distinct communities of interest that the Council has identified within Hastings District, namely –

 

Hastings/Havelock North

Flaxmere
Heretaunga Plains

Kahuranaki

Mohaka

 

b) The Rural Community Board and its four subdivisions (Tutira Kaweka, Maraekakaho and Poukawa Subdivisions) provides fair and effective representation of the communities of interest of the vast and sparsely populated land area of Hastings District.

 

c)  The retention of the number of councillors at fourteen will provide continuity and enable Council to continue to work effectively.

CARRIED 

 

 7.      Additional Business Items

          There were no additional business items.

 

8.       Extraordinary Business Items

          There were no extraordinary business items.

   

________________________

 

The meeting closed 9.50am

 

Confirmed:

 

 

 

Chairman:

Date: