Final proposal for Wairarapa District Council
The Local Government Commission has issued a final proposal to change the structure of councils in the Wairarapa. It proposes a new council, called the Wairarapa District Council. It would replace the existing three district councils: South Wairarapa District Council, Carterton District Council and Masterton District Council.
Electors of the affected districts can now call for a poll on the proposal. This is done by presenting the Commission with a valid petition signed by 10 per cent or more of the electors from one of South Wairarapa, Carterton or Masterton districts by 11 October 2017. The petition must be in the prescribed form and each person who signs a petition must state, against his or her signature, their name and address in sufficient detail to enable the person to be identified as an elector.
The main features of the proposal are:
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- establishment of a new Wairarapa District Council, combining the existing South Wairarapa,
Carterton and Masterton districts and dissolving the existing three district councils - maintaining Greater Wellington Regional Council as the regional council for the Wairarapa
- the Wairarapa District Council would have a mayor elected at large, and 12 councillors elected by voters from each of seven wards
- five community boards, for Featherston, Greytown, Martinborough, Carterton and Masterton wards with 21 elected members in total.
- establishment of a new Wairarapa District Council, combining the existing South Wairarapa,
Copies of the final proposal and petition information are available from council offices and libraries in the Wairarapa and can be downloaded from, or read at, www.lgc.govt.nz. You can also request copies by emailing info@lgc.govt.nz or by phoning the Local Government Commission on 04 460 2228.