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It’s been confirmed the Howick Local Board will expand from its current nine elected members to 11 in time for this year’s local elections, despite strong public opposition to the change from Howick ward councillor Maurice Williamson and Pakuranga MP Simeon Brown.
All territorial authorities are required under the Local Electoral Act to review their representation arrangements at least every six years.
With that process having concluded, Auckland Council’s governing body will retain its make-up of 20 elected councillors and a mayor.
The Howick ward will maintain two councillors, but the Howick Local Board is expanding from its current nine elected members to 11.
That change is happening due to the increase in population in Flat Bush.
The board is currently comprised of three members for each of the three subdivisions of Howick, Pakuranga, and Botany.
For the local elections to be held later this year, the Howick and Pakuranga subdivisions won’t change, but Botany will shrink from three members to two and a new Flat Bush subdivision will have three members, taking the board from nine members to 11.
More than 80 per cent of residents in the board’s area who were consulted on the proposed changes support them, while just seven per cent did not.
The board itself also supported the changes, but they’re strongly opposed by Williamson and Brown.
“We’re pleased to see the proposal for fairer and more effective representation for locals has been formally approved,” board chairperson Damian Light told the Times.
“Flat Bush is a growing community with unique needs and deserves its own recognition and representation.
“The proposal was strongly supported by both locals and Aucklanders, as well as the Howick Local Board.
“With over 150,000 residents to serve, it’s important we have enough elected representatives to listen and act on their behalf.
“Even with the additional members, we’ll still have one of the highest ratios of residents per elected representative. We look forward to welcoming new members in October.”
Last year Williamson twice proposed amendments during council governing body meetings to reduce the board’s size from its current nine members to seven.
He said councillors would get “slaughtered” by the public if they brought in more elected representatives.
“We’ve got more elected members in the council than the whole country has, and to be saying we are going to have some more, it will be dynamite at the next election.”
Brown previously publicly criticised the board for proposing to increase its size.
He said it “should be focused on improving outcomes for people in east Auckland, rather than adding more members to its board”.
“East Auckland ratepayers will be left wondering whether the Howick Local Board has its priorities in order when rubbish bins are being removed from local parks while the board adds two new members, which will cost ratepayers over $100,000 per year based on the current remuneration for Howick Local Board members set by the remuneration authority.
“Ratepayers expect local government to get back to basics, not to create themselves more jobs.”
Light’s response to that criticism was the board doesn’t have a choice in complying with the legislation around the population per member in a ward.
“The legislation says every six years we have to consider population growth, and where it has grown and has changed, we need to consider whether or not the current arrangements and number of elected members is legal still.
“And it doesn’t currently, because of the massive growth in Flat Bush.
“So, 11 [members] seems like a lot, but it is within the maximum of 12, which is allowed under the Act.”
- Candidate nominations for this year’s local elections open on July 4 and close at 12pm on August 1. Voting will be open from September 9 to October 11 with the final results announced from October 14-17.
