The Whakatāne District Council has resolved not to make any changes to the current electoral system for the next two local government elections.

The Local Electoral Act 2001 requires Councils to undertake a representation review every six years, and a report on the options involved was received at the Council’s Policy Committee meeting last week. Councillors decided to retain the ‘first past the post’ system, in preference to the more complex single transferable vote (STV) option.

Councillors also resolved not to consider the introduction of separate Māori representation at this time.