FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The status quo is maintained for Porirua by the Electoral Commission.

Council is now able to go ahead and plan for the election in October. Those with an interest in standing for the council - both existing councillors and new people - will be able to plan their campaigns with greater certainty.

"I am looking forward to good debate on the issues that face the City, in particular we have to focus on the level of rates, the new mechanisms by which we are making decisions, and our investment in infrastructure.

Whilst the decision goes against the Council's recommendation, it creates minimal disruption for the Council and has the good effect of maintaining the range of political debate. Our council has a very wide range of viewpoints represented and that will continue to be the case.

The most important part of the final decision is that the notion of having three people elected from the City as a whole has been totally rejected. This idea had some strong support early in the development of ideas, but is now dead forever. An electorate-at-large would not have been in the interests of fair democratic debate. It would have weakened the perspectives of communities which has always been a strength in our city.

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