Our elected representatives

Our council chamber

Local authority boundaries North Island

Local authority boundaries South Island
Maps showing the boundaries of regional and territorial authorities.

Choosing the council
How to enrol, how to vote, and how to stand for a range of local elected positions

Māori constituencies
Environment Bay of Plenty is the only local authority in New Zealand to institute Māori constituencies. Read about their reasons and their process.

Kids voting
Auckland City Council provides schools in its area with a resource to help them understand how elections work.

STV
What Single transferrable voting is, and how it works.

What a mayor does
The ways the role is interpreted is as individual as the people – read on to see how some mayors work.

What councillors do

What standing committees do

What community board members do

What school trustees do

What district health
board members do

What licensing trust members do

What community board members do

Community boards consist of an average of five or six elected board members and usually include the ward councillor. Elections are held every three years.

The role of a community board member is similar to that of a councillor. The Remuneration Authority says specific accountabilities include ‘to consult with members of the public, local police, education providers and other community stakeholders to develop a sound understanding of the diverse issues facing the community and to obtain their perspectives on the development and of council strategies and plans.’

For many people, membership of a community board is their first step in a journey that may eventually lead to a role as a councillor, Mayor or even a Member of Parliament. Unlike many of these other roles, community board members are largely voluntary and are paid an honorarium set by the Remuneration Authority.

The Far North District Council’s six community boards prior to October 2004 were:

• Northern Community Board
• Whangaroa Community Board
• Kerikeri/Paihia Community Board
• Kawakawa Community Board
• Kaikohe Community Board
• Hokianga Community Board.

From October 2004 Far North District Council is to have three community boards:

1. Northern Community Board
2. Eastern Community Board
3. Western Community Board.

Community boards keep in touch with the aims and aspirations of different communities within the Far North district. They also have delegated authority to make decisions on local community services such as:

• amenity lighting
• car parks
• cemeteries
• footpaths
• halls
• public toilets
• reserves
• town maintenance/litter

Far North District Council employs three Community Board Liaison Officers, who are responsible for the day-to-day liaison between community boards and the Council’s supporting organisation.