North Shore residents' survey shows strong support for community representation

A recent online survey of over 1,000 North Shore residents has shown that many are concerned about local representation and community identity in the light of the local government reforms in Auckland.

And the survey results left no doubt that the reforms have ignited strong public interest in Auckland’s local government, with 85% of respondents saying they intended to vote in next year’s elections. This compares with the 35% who voted in 2007.

The Colmar Brunton survey was commissioned by the North Shore City Council to help it prepare a submission to the Local Government Commission, which is currently preparing draft electoral boundaries for the new Auckland Council.

The survey was emailed to selected respondents from Colmar Brunton’s extensive email database who were selected evenly from the six existing community board areas on the North Shore.

Council Strategy and Finance Chair Grant Gillon says that 84% of respondents felt that it was important that a representative on the main Auckland Council was elected from their local community.

There were many comments similar to the following: “It is important that we have someone within our current boundary, living within our community, to represent the requirements. Someone who knows the area.”

When questioned about their views on existing community board boundaries, 84% of North Shore residents said that the current boundaries were a good fit with the community they felt they belonged to. However, there was more ambivalence around the possibility that the number of community boards - to be renamed local boards in the new political structure - would be reduced.

There was a 46% / 51% split as to whether people felt this was a good thing or not. Of the 51% (571 people) who were concerned, their main issues were possible loss in representation (68%) and possible loss of sense of identity (58%).

The Local Government Commission is required to consider communities of interest as it determines the electoral boundaries for the new Auckland Council.

Councillor Gillon says that character (for example beaches and heritage) and facilities such as schools, shops and parks help define communities of interest.

“The distinctive character of the current community board areas came through loud and clear. Devonport and Birkenhead/Northcote residents were highly likely to cite historical significance as a defining feature of their community,” he says. “Devonport, East Coast Bays and Takapuna residents were likely to mention beaches as a defining feature. “

Those aged under 35 were also likely to say that schools, shops, community centres and jobs helped them feel that they belonged to a particular community. Councillor Gillon says that the survey results were immensely helpful as the councillors sought to reflect community views in it submission to the Local Government Commission.

The Local Government Commission is expected to release draft boundaries for public consultation on or before 20 November.