Public notice: Tasman District Council - Representation arrangements determined October 2025

Decision on the representation arrangements to apply for the election of the Tasman District Council until the next representation review, made on 21 October 2025
22 Oct 2025

In accordance with section 19R of the Local Electoral Act 2001, the Local Government Commission determines that the following representation arrangements will apply until the next representation review is completed:

Tasman District, as delineated on Plan LG-051-2025-W-1 will be divided into wards and will be represented by a Council comprising the mayor and 14 councillors elected as follows, for the reasons set out in the Commission's determination dated 21 October 2025: 

Ward

Councillors

Plan delineating area

Te Tai o Aorere Māori Ward

1

LG-051-2025-W-2

Golden Bay General Ward

2

SO 14463

Motueka General Ward

3

SO 14464

Moutere-Waimea General Ward

3

LG-051-2025-W-3

Lakes-Murchison General Ward

1

LG-051-2025-W-4

Richmond General Ward

4

SO 14466

There will be two communities with community boards as follows:

Community/ Community Board

Area

Members*

Appointed members

Golden Bay

Golden Bay General Ward

4

2, representing either Golden Bay General Ward or Te Tai o Aorere Māori Ward

Motueka

Motueka General Ward

4

3, representing either Motueka General Ward or Te Tai o Aorere Māori Ward

*number of members elected by the electors of each subdivision

The ratio of population to elected members for each ward will be as follows, for the reasons set out in the Commision's determination dated 21 October 2025:

Ward

Population*

Number of members

Population per member

Deviation from district average population per member

% deviation from district average population per member

Golden Bay General

5,590

2

2,795

-1,573

-36.02

Motueka General

12,500

3

4,167

-202

-4.62

Moutere-Waimea General

15,650

3

5,217

848

+19.42

Lakes-Murchison General

3,700

1

3,700

-668

-15.30

Richmond General

19,350

4

4,838

469

+10.74

Total general wards

56,790

13

4,368

 

 

Te Tai o Aorere Māori

2,540

1

2,540

 

 

Total

59,330

14

 

 

 

*Based on Stats NZ Tatauranga Aotearoa 2023 population estimates (2018 census base)

The community boards will not be subdivided for electoral purposes.

 

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

    1. The Golden Bay General Ward, as compliance would limit effective representation of communities of interest within the isolated community of Golden Bay.
    2. The Moutere-Waimea General Ward as compliance would limit effective representation of communities of interest by dividing the Wakefield community of interest, which includes Totara View, between wards.
    3. The Richmond General Ward, as compliance would limit effective representation of communities of interest by dividing the Richmond community of interest between wards.

 

Under section 19V(3)(a) of the Local Electoral Act 2001, the Commission determines the Lakes-Murchison General Ward to not comply with section 19V(2) as compliance would limit effective representation of communities of interest by dividing the Totara View area from the Wakefield community to which it connects for services, facilities and political participation. 

 

As required by section 19T(1)(b) and 19W(c) of the Local Electoral Act 2001, the boundaries of the above wards and communities 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)

Linda Canton
Chief Executive Officer