On 9 May 2024 the Bay of Plenty Regional Council reviewed its representation arrangements, and resolved that the following proposal apply for the Council for the elections to be held on 11 October 2025 and for the election to be held in 2028:
Council Representation
It is proposed that the Council comprise 14 members, with three Māori constituency members elected from three Māori Constituencies and 11 General members elected from four General Constituencies, this being no change to the current representation arrangement. The seven constituencies reflect the following identified communities of interest:
|
Māori Constituencies |
Communities of interest |
|
Mauao |
Comprising of the area covered by Tauranga City Council and Western Bay of Plenty District Council - this being the existing constituency. |
|
Kōhi |
Comprising of the area covered by Whakatāne District Council, Kawerau District Council and Opotiki District Council - this being the existing constituency. |
|
Ōkurei |
Comprising of part of Rotorua District Council and part of Taupo District Council - this being the existing constituency. |
|
General Constituencies |
Communities of interest |
|
Western Bay of Plenty |
Comprising of the area covered by Western Bay of Plenty District Council - this being the existing constituency. |
|
Rotorua |
Comprising of part of Rotorua District Council and part of Taupo District Council - this being the existing constituency. |
|
Tauranga |
Comprising of the area covered by Tauranga City Council - this being the existing constituency. |
|
Eastern Bay of Plenty |
Comprising of the area covered by Whakatāne District Council, Kawerau District Council and Opotiki District Council - this being the existing constituency. |
The population that each member will represent is as follows:
|
Māori Constituencies |
Population* |
Members |
Population per member |
|
Mauao |
23,500 |
1 |
23,500 |
|
Kōhi |
21,700 |
1 |
21,700 |
|
Ōkurei |
21,900 |
1 |
21,900 |
|
Total |
67,100 |
3 |
22,367 |
* StatsNZ population estimates as at 30 June 2023
|
General Constituencies |
Population* |
Members |
Population per member |
|
Western Bay of Plenty |
53,640 |
2 |
26,820 |
|
Rotorua |
52,410 |
2 |
26,205 |
|
Tauranga |
145,830 |
5 |
29,166 |
|
Eastern Bay of Plenty |
35,480 |
2 |
17,740 |
|
Total |
287,360 |
11 |
26,124 |
* StatsNZ population estimates as at 30 June 2023
Māori Constituencies: In accordance with section 7 of the Bay of Plenty Regional Council (Māori Constituency Empowering) Act 2001 the ratio of members to population in each Māori Constituency must be similar and in accordance with section 19V(2) of the Local Electoral Act 2001 the population that each member represents must be within the range of 22,367 +/- 10% (20,130 to 24,604), unless particular community of interest considerations justify otherwise. All three Māori Constituencies comply with both these requirements.
General Constituencies: In accordance with section 19V(2) of the Local Electoral Act 2001 the population that each member represents in the General Constituencies must be within the range of 26,124 +/- 10% (23,512 to 28,736), unless particular community of interest considerations justify otherwise.
The representation of the Eastern Bay of Plenty and the Tauranga Constituencies falls outside the stipulated range. The Council considers that the Eastern Bay of Plenty Constituency warrants two members and the Tauranga Constituency warrants five members for the following reasons:
- The Local Government Commission has previously noted that the Bay of Plenty Region’s territorial boundaries were a good reflection of current sub-regions and natural communities of interest;
- Little change has occurred to alter these distinct and natural communities of interest;
- The Eastern Bay of Plenty Constituency was formed by amalgamating Kawerau, Whakatāne and Opotiki Districts into one constituency. The Local Government Commission has previously noted that this was sensible given the similarities of terrain, settlement patterns and their focus on Whakatane as the main service town. The Commission identified strong commonalities between these areas noting as examples, the collaborative nature of the three sub-regional district councils and the shared business and professional links. These commonalities are as strong today as previously and demand separate effective representation;
- The constituency boundaries coincide with the boundaries of the territorial authorities or their wards; and
- Current boundaries cannot be realigned in a way that will not alienate communities of interest or create unnatural geographical boundaries.
Further Information
Copies of the Council’s resolution and maps setting out the areas of the proposed constituencies may be viewed and obtained from either:
Council Offices: 5 Quay Street, Whakatane; 1 Elizabeth Street, Tauranga; 1118 Fenton Street, Rotorua; or,
Council Websites:
https://www.boprc.govt.nz/your-council/meetings-and-agendas/agendas-and-minutes/ and https://www.participate.boprc.govt.nz/representation-2024
Any queries regarding the Council’s decision should be directed to:
The Representation Review Team, 0800 884 880 or representation.review@boprc.govt.nz
Relevant information is also available on the Council’s website: https://www.boprc.govt.nz/
Submissions are invited
Persons with an interest in the proposed representation arrangements are invited to make written submissions on the Council’s representation proposal.
Submissions are to be forwarded to:
Online Submissions: https://www.participate.boprc.govt.nz/representation-2024
Physical Address: Representation Review Team, 5 Quay Street, Whakatāne, 3120
Email: representation.review@boprc.govt.nz
Submissions must be received by Council before 10 July 2024.
Fiona McTavish
Chief Executive