Franklin District Council submits on boundary and ward issues for Auckland Council

Franklin District Council has today made a submission to the Local Government Commission on local government boundary and representation issues for Franklin.

 

Franklin District as we know it today will cease to exist on 30 October 2010. The area it covers will be divided between the new Auckland Council, Waikato District and possibly the Hauraki District.

 

The Local Government Commission is currently working on finalising boundary and representation issues.

 

Franklin District Council’s submission proposes that the Franklin Ward be the area bounded by our current northern boundary, and the new southern boundary for Council. One Local Board called the Franklin Board is being proposed, which will cover the same area as the Franklin ward. The Franklin Board would have seven members, based on three electoral subdivisions, which are similar to Franklin’s current wards for reasons of continuity.

The submission also discussed boundary issues. Franklin District Mayor Mark Ball says, “Franklin District has been affected more than any of the other Auckland Councils. The southern boundary is now set at the existing regional council boundary between Auckland and Waikato, excluding the Mangatawhiri River and Mangatangi Stream catchments and the eastern coastal area to Kaiaua. Franklin District Council is working to make the southern boundary as practical as possible, while maintaining communities of interest.”

The current boundary splits communities of interest, such as the southern part of Waiuku township from the rest of the town, and Buckland from Pukekohe. Franklin District Council canvassed these affected communities and took their views into consideration when preparing their submission.

 

For practical governance reasons and to maintain communities, Council has recommended that all of Waiuku and Buckland be in the Auckland Council area, along with a small area north of Mill Road, which is currently part of Waikato.

Copies of the submission are available at Franklin District Council, 82 Manukau Rd, Pukekohe, or online at www.franklin.govt.nz.

The Local Government Commission will release their formal proposal on 20 November 2009, which will be open for public consultation. Franklin District Council will prepare a final submission by early December 2009. The Local Government Commission’s final determination will be issued by 1 March 2010.

Ends

Background information
The Local Government (Auckland Council) Act 2009 was passed in September 2009 and the structure of the new Auckland Council has been defined. The Council will be a two tier structure, with Council wards and Local Boards. The number of councillors has been set at 20, each representing a ward, plus a mayor elected at large. The number of Local Boards is to be between 20 and 30 (subject to final confirmation by the Local Government Commission), with between four and nine members on each board. Local Board areas may be subdivided for electoral purposes.