Proposal to disestablish community boards

Video of Council Meeting https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lTzMBT9xQ2s

All the written submissions here (pdf)

Press release from Hutt City Council

Hutt City Council decides on a new representation model

Hutt City Council has approved changes to its structure to improve the way Lower Hutt residents are represented.

All councils must conduct a Representation Review every six years as dictated by the Local Electoral Act. Hutt City Council last did one in 2018.

To this end, Council appointed an independent panel in July 2023 to conduct a review into the structure of its elected representation, and to provide recommendations.

Following public consultation, Council today agreed the following representation arrangements for the 2025 Local Body Elections:

• Reduce the number of at-large councillors from six to five.
• Elect seven Councillors from five general wards – compared to the existing six Councillors from five wards.
• Disestablish the Petone, Wainuiomata and Eastbourne Community Boards.
• Reaffirmed its decision to create the Mana Kairangi ki Tai Māori Ward.

The overall number of councillors will increase by one to 13.

Any person who made a submission on the Council’s initial Representation proposal may lodge an appeal against the Council’s decision. An appeal must relate to the matters raised in that person’s submission. * This may be incorrect – 

Any person who objects to the final proposal may lodge an objection to the Council’s final proposal. Any objection must identify the matters to which the objection relates.

Appeals and objections must be made in writing and received by Council no later than 12 October 2024 at haveyoursay@huttcity.govt.nz.

The Mayor Campbell Barry, and Clrs Glenda Barratt, Josh Briggs, Brady Dyer, Andy Mitchell, Karen Morgan, Naomi Shaw, Tony Stallinger and Gabriel Tupou voted for the boards to be disestablished. The four who voted to retain them were Tui Lewis, Chris Parkin, Keri Brown and Simon Edwards.

Representation Review 2024: Final Representation Proposal (Meeting Agenda and Minutes) pdf

Submissions have closed – oral submissions have been made,  the council decides on Tuesday 10 September. Updates will be posted here.

The Hutt City Council’s independent representation review recommends that community boards, including the Eastbourne Community Board, be disestablished.
The Eastbourne Community Board believes that community boards provide an invaluable service to residents.
The report argues that representation is inequitable with only three community boards in Hutt City, in Eastbourne, Petone and Wainuiomata. We believe that introducing a community board to each ward would be a better way to address this inequality. (This would see the Eastbourne and Petone Community Boards combine for Harbour Ward).

The report also argues that community boards, established in 1989, are no longer relevant in the twenty-first century. The Eastbourne Community Board believes that in this digital age, face-to-face access to elected representatives who are neighbours in our communities has never been more important.
Council is consulting on the proposal until 1 August and we encourage Eastbourne residents to share their views.

Thank you for those who made a submission to Council about the representation review.

379 submissions were received from Hutt City’s 114,000 residents, of which 204 or 54% were from Eastbourne and Eastern Bays’ 5,000 residents.

The public hearing was be held on 26 August, with Council considering the final representation proposal on 10 September 2024.

Oral submissions can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/live/vRJZZ8cJf48?si=W-TYkDlQGjJTUXcR

Submissions made in response that have been shared with us:

• York Bay Residents’ Association Submission on the Hutt City Council
  Representation Review – Disestablishing Community Boards (pdf)
• Comments on Independent review of HCC community boards – Jeremy Winter (pdf)
• HCC Representation Submission by Brett Gawn (pdf)
• Copy of submission on the Community Boards – C Orchiston (pdf)
• SUBMISSION ON  HUTT CITY COUNCIL REPRESENTATIONAL REVIEW  – ROSS JAMIESON (pdf)
• Submission on Initial Representation Review Recommendations – Derek Wilshere (MSWord)
• 2024 Representation Review Power Point Derek Wilshere (pptx)

We will be posting analysis and details of the activities the community board has been involved in and often lead, and why we think the community board structure is the best option for all wards. We will post updates as these are added.

If you want to ask questions or raise issues feel free to contact any of the board members.

If you haven’t attended a Board meeting, here’s the agenda, but also the  Chairs Report on formal board activities for the past period (does not include all the informal activities, meetings and interactions).

If you want to stay informed we will also be sending out news updates – you can sign up here, just sign up to Community Board News

The review report, and ways to submit your feelings and opinions are here. https://haveyoursay.huttcity.govt.nz/representation-review

If you want to keep your community board then you need to tell HCC – submit your views via the link above, and you can also speak to council in person (you are not obliged to speak even if you say you want to make an oral submission).