Public notice: Thames-Coromandel District Council - Representation Review 2025

Decision on the representation arrangements for the election of the Thames-Coromandel District Council to be held on 11 October 2025
15 Jan 2025

Under section 19V(6) of the Local Electoral Act 2001, the Commission upholds the decision of the Thames-Coromandel District Council not to comply with section 19V(2) in respect of:

a. the Coromandel-Colville General Ward, as non-compliance is required for effective representation of the isolated settlements located within the Ward, including Coromandel, Colville and other small settlements located around the northernmost tip of the Coromandel Peninsula; and

b. the South East General Ward, as compliance would limit effective representation of communities of interest by uniting within the Mercury Bay General Ward the Pumpkin Hill and Sailors Grave communities with the Hot Water Beach and Whitianga communities with which they have few functional commonalities of interest.

Accordingly, for at least the triennial general election of the Thames-Coromandel District Council to be held on 11 October 2025, the following representation arrangements will apply:

a. Thames-Coromandel District, as delineated on Plan LG-011-2025-W-1 will be divided into wards and will be represented by a Council comprising the mayor and 10 councillors elected as follows:

Ward

Councillors

Plan delineating area

Te Tara o Te Ika Māori Ward

1

LG-011-2025-W-2

Coromandel-Colville General Ward

1

SO 57968

Mercury Bay General Ward

3

SO 424737

Thames General Ward

3

LG-011-2025-W-3

South East General Ward

2

LG-011-2025-W-4

b. There will be five communities with community boards as follows:

Community/ Community Board

 

Area

Members

Appointed members

Coromandel-Colville Community

Comprising the area of the Coromandel-Colville General Ward

4

1, representing either the Coromandel-Colville General Ward or the Te Tara o Te Ika Māori Ward

Mercury Bay Community

Comprising the area of the Mercury Bay General Ward

4

3, representing either the Mercury Bay General Ward or the Te Tara o Te Ika Māori Ward

Tairua-Pāuanui Community

As delineated on plan LG-011-2025-Com-1

4

2, representing either the South East General Ward or the Te Tara o Te Ika Māori Ward

Whangamatā Community

As delineated on plan SO 427009

4

2, representing either the South East General Ward or the Te Tara o Te Ika Māori Ward

Thames Community

Comprising the area of the Thames General Ward

4

3, representing either the Thames General Ward or the Te Tara o Te Ika Māori Ward

 

The ratio of population to elected members for each ward will be as follows:

Wards

Population*

Number of members

Population per member

Deviation from district average population per member

% deviation from district average population per member

Coromandel-Colville General Ward

2,840

1

2,840

-530

-15.73%

Mercury Bay General Ward

10,050

3

3,350

-20

-0.59%

Thames General Ward

9,980

3

3,326

-43

-1.29%

South East General Ward

7,460

2

3,730

360

+10.68%

Total general wards

30,330

9

3,370

 

 

Te Tara o Te Ika Māori Ward

3,310

1

3,310

N/A

N/A

Total

33,340

10

 

 

 

*Based on Stats NZ Tatauranga Aotearoa 2023 population estimates 

The community boards will not be subdivided for electoral purposes. The population they each represent will be as follows:

Community/community board

Population*

Number of members^

Population per

member

Coromandel-Colville Community

3,590

4

898

Mercury Bay Community

10,650

4

2,663

Thames Community

11,300

4

2,825

Tairua-Pāuanui Community

3,090

4

773

Whangamatā Community

5,010

4

1,253

*Based on Stats NZ Tatauranga Aotearoa 2023 population estimates

As required by section 19T(b) of the Local Electoral Act 2001, the boundaries of the above wards coincide with the boundaries of current statistical meshblock areas determined by Statistics New Zealand and used for Parliamentary electoral purposes.

 

The determination is available on the Commission’s website: Recent Determinations - Local Government Commission (lgc.govt.nz)

Penny Langley
Chief Executive Officer