Local Government Draft Reorganisation Scheme

On Thursday 16 June 2011 the Local Government Commission issued a Draft Reorganisation Scheme for union of Nelson City and Tasman District.  This follows a process that commenced with the presentation of a petition of electors from the Nelson City and Tasman District, subsequent calling, hearing and consideration of submissions and the commissioning of reports on finance and services, and communities of interest and planning.

Local Government Commission Documents

The Commission Draft Reorganisation Scheme, Decision on proposal for the union of Nelson City and Tasman District, Background report on communities of interest and Report on financial and services delivery matters are available on the Commission's website www.lgc.govt.nz

Procedure From Here

The procedure from now is:

  • The Draft Reorganisation Scheme is open for submissions until Friday 19 August 2011.
  • The Commission meets with those who make submissions.
  • The Commission considers the submissions and makes any other investigations or inquiries and it considers whether to:
  1. Issue a final reorganisation scheme based on the draft reorganisation scheme, or
  2. Issue a final reorgnisation scheme based on modifications to the Draft Reorganisation Scheme, or
  3. Not issue a final reorganisation scheme if it considers that the proposal does not meet the Local Government Act's criteria.
  • If the Commission issues a final reorganisation scheme, then polls of electors in Tasman District and Nelson City will be held.
  • For the final reorganisation scheme to be successful more than 50% of the votes cast by both electors in each poll must be in favour of the proposal.
  • If both polls are in favour of the proposal:
  1. The final reorganisation scheme is implemented by Order in Council.
  2. It is proposed that the new Council and Community Boards will be elected on 13 October 2012.

What Does This Mean for Council Staff and Applicants

For staff it is "business as usual" - we still have ratepayers and residents to serve and deliver services to.  There are two major steps that the Draft Reorganisation Scheme must get through before the amalgamation of Tasman District Council and Nelson City Council proceeds -

  1. A process of public consultation that results in the Local Government Commission deciding that the scheme, as it is, or varied, proceeds as a final reorganisation scheme; and
  2. A poll of both Tasman District and Nelson City electors results in more than 50% of the votes cast by electors in each of the polls being in favour of the reorganisation.

The outcomes of these events are as yet unknown and individuals need to make their own assessment of the likelihood and potential effect on them, if any.