Think you have what it takes to become a decision-maker for the Whakatāne District, or your local community board? If so, now is the time to put your hand up.
People seeking election to the Whakatāne District Council and district Community Boards in this year’s local government elections have until midday on Friday, 12 August to lodge their nominations.
As at the end of last week, 10 nominations had been received for the five Council positions representing the Whakatāne-Ōhope Ward, with two nominations for the single position representing the Tāneatua-Waimana Ward. However, no nominations had been received for either the Rangitāiki Ward (three positions), or the Galatea-Murupara Ward (one position). Three nominations had been received for the mayoral election.
Four nominations had been received for the new Whakatāne-Ōhope Community Board (eight representatives required), with three nominations received for the Tāneatua Community Board (six representatives required). Two nominations had been received for the Murupara Subdivision of the Murupara Community Board (three representatives required), but no nominations had been received for the Te Urewera (one representative) or Galatea-Waiohau (two representatives) Subdivisions. No nominations had been received for the Rangitāiki Community Board.
Whakatāne District Council Planning, Regulatory and Corporate Services General Manager, David Bewley, urges prospective candidates to act quickly and ensure their nomination forms are completed correctly and lodged with an electoral official at the Civic Centre in Whakatāne, or the Council’s Murupara Service Centre, before Friday’s midday deadline.
”It’s particularly important that we have at least enough nominations to fill the available positions for all Ward Council representatives and Community Boards; otherwise, we will be obliged to go through an expensive by-election process to fill the vacancies,” he says. “It’s encouraging to see the level of interest being shown in some areas, and we’re aware that a number of other people have indicated they are intending to stand for election.”