Federated Farmers Submission to Dunedin City Council on the Review of Representation Arrangements for the 2016 Local Elections
Federated Farmers considers the current Mosgiel Taieri and Waikouaiti Coast-Chalmers wards (particularly the Waikouaiti, Karitane, Warrington, Waitati and Outram areas) are distinct socio-economic communities which are also geographically distinct.
Within these rural areas, Council’s decisions, particularly decisions relating to resource management and roading, can have significant implications for the wellbeing and long term viability of rural communities. This significance is often underestimated by urban people and is not at all represented by a population based approach to representation.
Therefore, we seek the retention of the current ward based representation system, because it offers the best structural guarantee that rural concerns will be represented within Council chambers.
However, we consider the solution put forward by the Representation Review Panel is a close ‘second best’ option to retention of the current ward based system.
Despite our recommendation, it should be noted that we consider the Representation Review Panel has appropriately identified and considered the relevant concerns and issues relating to fair and effective representation for the rural communities of Dunedin.
Should Council proceed with the Review Panel’s proposed ‘at large’ system we strongly support the proposal for a Rural Board to inform Council’s decision-making on key issues affecting rural communities.
We also ask that, should the Review Panel’s proposed ‘at large’ system proceed, the current policies outlining delegations of authority to community boards, and remuneration for the Rural Board are reviewed to ensure these are fit for purpose.
For more, please see the full submission