We support retaining all four Community Boards in the Kapiti Coast District Council (KCDC) area as part of the representation review for the 2022 Elections.

Specifically the four boards are the Waikanae Community Board, Otaki Community Board, Paekakariki Community Board and Paraparaumu/Raumati Community Board.

Through surveys the community told KCDC that we wanted a democratic model that brought us closer to our elected representatives and decision-makers, while reflecting the diversity of the district and communities of interest.  

The current proposal for representation from 2022 onwards by KCDC does exactly the opposite, making it harder to access elected representatives and diluting the diversity of the district into three non-descript wards.

Community boards keep us closely connected to our elected representatives and reflect the diversity of the district and communities of interest within it.  

We agree our community of interest is where we feel we belong; where we live, work, shop, and play.  

The three wards proposed by Kapiti Coast District Council, do not represent our communities of interest. It is not possible for one elected councillor to effectively represent and consult with 10,000 people.  

If every one of those 10,000 people wanted to connected with their councillor they would have just 1.5 minutes per year to voice their views. This would leave the councillor no time, in a 40 hour week, working 48 weeks per year to do anything other than listen to people, no time to attend meetings, read papers, act on the information, discuss or progress changes sought.  Elected councillors would be in a no-win situation unable to meet with their communities in an effective way and to effectively represent their views.  

This option as currently proposed by KCDC does not bring people closer to their elected representative and decision maker. It makes it harder for ratepayers and people living in the communities of interest to access their elected representative.

Community boards with 4 members could provide 1 elected member for every 2,500 people. This provides people with greater access to their elected representatives, four times more opportunities to engage and share their thoughts. Giving community board members greater representation on council and council committees would further strengthen the request from the community to be more closely connected to our elected representatives.

We request council retain all four community boards and further that all community boards have voting rights on council and all council committees from 2022 onwards. This is how Kapiti Coast District Council can act on the feedback it received from the community to keep us closely connected to our elected representatives.