Local boards good but boundaries should be aligned

Media release
Newmarket Business Association
Tuesday, 7 April 2009

More local boards great news but boundaries should be aligned

An Auckland business lobby group says it's great news that the Government is keen to expand the second tier of governance under the Auckland Council, but says the ward boundaries of the 20-plus local boards should mirror existing parliamentary electorate boundaries.

"What wouldn’t make sense would be to invent 20-plus local wards with little geographical correlation to the 20-plus parliamentary electorates. This would be confusing for Aucklanders’ and would do nothing to cement strong communities of interest. The Local Government Commission needs to have a good look this. It doesn't need to reinvent the wheel," says Cameron Brewer, head of the Newmarket Business Association.

The Government announced today that the final number or local boards, and the boundaries of the Auckland Council, wards and local boards will be determined by the Local Government Commission by April next year.

"There is already a rigorous and independent process which sets the parliamentary boundaries, which move with population changes. If the Super City is all about rationalisation, simplification, and synergy, all while retaining community identity, then it would make sense to align the wards to the electorate boundaries.

"Having local board wards and electorates sharing the same boundaries would help foster community identity and spirit, would be less confusing for the public, and would help strengthen the relationship between central and local government," says Mr Brewer.

ENDS

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