New boundaries backed

The final boundaries for the Auckland Council and local boards are good for the North Shore, mayor Andrew Williams says.

The boundaries provide a good basis for democratic representation, he says. Many of the changes recommended by the council and residents have been accepted by the Local Government Commission.

North Shore is divided into two wards, each with two councillors on the Auckland Council.

The wards are Albany (formerly Hibiscus-Albany-East Coast Bays) and North Shore.

"In essence, the southern part of the city, south of Sunset Rd, becomes the North Shore Ward, with around 143,000 people represented by two Auckland councillors elected at large," he says.

"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." The commission also accepted that Campbells Bay should be moved into the northern Albany ward.

There will also be four local boards representing Shore residents, instead of the three originally proposed.

"The local boards show more change in this final determination from the draft boundaries, with the Glenfield-Birkenhead Local Board being renamed Kaipatiki, the electoral subdivisions 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 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 area west of East Coast Rad 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 urges the Auckland Governance Select Committee, considering the third Auckland Bill, to adopt the same "open-minded and conciliatory approach". "Submissions on the third Auckland Bill have sent a loud and clear message that the local boards must be given real powers in their own right, set out in the law, and that the new council companies that will deal with up to 90 per cent of civic activity must be reined in and brought back under democratic control."

- © Fairfax NZ News