New councillors-at-large added to Selwyn district
West Melton has shifted from Rolleston to Malvern in recent years and is now in the Springs Ward. Photo: Geoff Sloan
The Selwyn district’s new ward structure for October’s local body elections has come out of left field. Daniel Alvey reports.
A mathematical dilemma has seen the Local Government Commission implement a unique solution for the council ward structure.
The new structure will see Kā Mānia Rolleston Ward and Kā Puna Springs Ward keep three councillors, while Te Waihora Ellesmere Ward and Tawera Malvern Ward drop to one.
But in a twist, the commission has added two councillors-at-large who, like the mayor, will be elected by the whole district.
Mayor Sam Broughton said he was surprised by the decision to adopt a mixed model.
Since the announcement, Broughton had spoken to Gore mayor Ben Bell and Hutt City mayor Campbell Barry about their experience of mixed models.
“They spoke highly of the different way of thinking a person elected at-large brings to discussions and is slightly different to those who are elected from a ward,” Broughton said.
The commission introduced the at-large roles after concluding the district still needed 10 councillors, but this could not be fairly achieved within a strictly four ward-based structure.
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The changes follow an appeal by the Rolleston Residents Association, which argued the council’s previously chosen four-ward, 11-councillor model was not properly consulted on and divided communities – especially in the west of Rolleston.The changes follow an appeal by the Rolleston Residents Association, which argued the council’s previously chosen four-ward, 11-councillor model was not properly consulted on and divided communities – especially in the west of Rolleston.
Association chair Mark Alexander was surprised by the outcome.
“We are surprised at the inclusion of councillors elected at-large, but pleased Rolleston’s communities of interest have been recognised and acknowledged.”
As part of the restructure, West Melton will now fall under the Springs Ward, joining Lincoln and Prebbleton. In its report, the commission reasoned that West Melton had more alignment with Springs because of its connection to the city.
“We do not consider there are sufficient commonalities of interest to justify grouping West Melton within Malvern,” the commission said.
This has been rejected by the community.
West Melton Residents Association chair Sam Wilshire said the majority of people who submitted to the council disagreed with the shift.
“West Melton put in a number of submissions to the representation review. What’s come out of it is (West Melton) lost the Malvern Community Board that used to represent us and we’re possibly going to be given councillors based on the other side of the state highway,” he said.
While the Malvern Community Board will remain, it will lose West Melton and, therefore, part of the ratepayer base which help fund it.
Chair Bruce Russell welcomed the community board’s survival, but was concerned there would be a loss in representation.
“With the at-large councillors, it’s quite obvious Rolleston could well have five councillors representing them.”
Russell conceded the same could happen in either Malvern or Ellesmere, but said it would be much harder with less population.
Alexander argued Malvern could get three councillors if it took advantage of the at-large seats.
Broughton said all councillors commit to an oath to represent the district, regardless of what ward they are from.
West Melton. Photo: Geoff Sloan
Malvern Ward councillor Lydia Gliddon was disappointed the council’s decision to add a fourth councillor to Rolleston, which had been suggested by the community, was rejected by the commission.Malvern Ward councillor Lydia Gliddon was disappointed the council’s decision to add a fourth councillor to Rolleston, which had been suggested by the community, was rejected by the commission.
Both Broughton and Gliddon were critical of the process which has seen the commission overrule the council in its final decision.
Said Gliddon: “What a complete bloody waste of time. Why doesn’t the Local Government Commission come and do the review (rather than council)?”
Broughton echoed the sentiment, saying councils should not be tasked with determining their own ward boundaries.
How we got here
The Local Government Act states that each councillor must represent the same number of people, plus or minus 10%.
In just three years, the Rolleston Ward has gone from being 0.83% above the average to 23.08%, well above the 10% maximum. On the flip side, Ellesmere Ward has gone from 1.22% above the average to 17.23% below.
This emphasises the problem of how to give Rolleston’s growing population the same average representation as the district’s rural wards of Ellesmere and Malvern.
The council proposed two options – a four-ward, eight councillor model and a three-ward, 10 councillor model.
The community rejected the three ward option, which would have seen Ellesmere and Malvern combined, and for reducing their representation to a single councillor each.
In response, rural communities pushed for a compromise: a fourth councillor for Rolleston, two each for Malvern and Ellesmere, and three for Springs.
This model was appealed by the Rolleston Residents Association, which made its case to the Local Government Commission last month.
The ward names
As part of the new ward structure, bilingual names will be introduced for the first time.
• Malvern becomes Tawera Malvern Ward: Tawera references the Torlesse Range, Kā Tiritiri O Te Moana the Southern Alps and the Oxford area, Tawera anchors the western boundary of Selwyn and recognises the vastness of the district from the mountains to the lake and sea.
• Rolleston becomes Kā Mānia Rolleston Ward: Kā Mānia refers to the plains and the important narratives of navigation, settlement and mahika kai.
• Ellesmere becomes Te Waihora Ellesmere Ward: Te Waihora references Te Waihora Lake Ellesmere and the significant role water plays within the plains and the district. It also marks the eastern district boundary.
• Springs becomes Kā Puna Springs Ward: Kā Puna references the natural springs which feed this landscape and are still found along the northern edge of the district. It also references Kā Puna Karikari o Rākaihautū, the springs created by the ancestor Rākaihautū.
The names were chosen with help from Te Taumutu Rūnanga and highlight significant landmarks and features within the ward areas.