This is an online poll to gauge the level of public interest in whether Auckland Council should change the Rodney Local Board member selection boundaries for the 2025 elections.

The objective of changing these boundaries is to create an improved way for elected Local Board members to more fairly represent their voters' priorities.

Completion time of this poll is about 6 minutes, and is being conducted by the Northern Action Group (NAG).

WHAT IS THE POLL ABOUT?
The Rodney ward (see maps above) is currently subdivided into four subdivisions - Wellsford, Warkworth, Dairy Flat and Kumeu.

Each of these four subdivisions must have a roughly equal number of voters (the quota). 

These subdivision are currently drawn up around population centers and mix together rural in with township (urban) votes.

This poll is asking whether these subdivisions should change into more separate groups of rural and township voters. This could be achieved by changing the subdivision boundary lines. 

If the results from this poll shows enough public support for the change, then the next step would be for the Auckland Council to review making these changes next year.

By law Auckland Council must  review, and suggest any changes to, Local Board subdivisions in time for the 2025 elections.  

For a full description of the proposal and more information visit:http://nag.org.nz/Background%20to%20the%20Survey%20on%20Rodney%20Subdivision%20Changes.pdf

COMMUNITIES OF COMMON INTEREST
Voters living in the rural areas receive different services, and tend to have different aspirations about how they want Council to spend their rates, compared to voters living in the townships.

For example, rural people mostly only get road and drainage services, while people living in the towns also get footpaths, libraries, public transport and community facilities and activities.

Changing the subdivision boundaries would create "communities of common interest" rather than "communities of a place".

The objective of changing the boundaries is to create an improved way for elected Local Board members to more fairly represent the interests and priorities of voters across Rodney.

Here are the poll questions:  (You can click more than one box)

Question Title

* 1. Objective:
Changing the subdivision boundaries would improve elected representation for "the rural communities" and also for "the urban communities". The objective is each elected member would be able to more clearly represent their voters priorities, including how their subdivision's (geographical area) rates should best be spent.

Question Title

* 2. Better focus on voters priorities:
Collectively the ratepayers of Rodney pay about $100 million in rates. About half of these rates come from the rural ratepayers, and about half from the township (urban) based ratepayers. Rural ratepayers make up about half of Rodney's population.

The townships require more Council services because they have more houses, businesses and people needing a range of Council services. Thus the townships proportionally get more rates spent on them than the rural areas.

Changing the boundaries may not change the proportion of spending (Board members are supposed to act on behalf of everyone), but the new boundaries should mean that elected Local Board members would be more clear about whose priorities they are elected to represent with their making decisions.

Question Title

Maps

Maps

Question Title

* 3. Number of Local Board members:
There is no change to the number of Local Board members being proposed. This number remains at nine. 

However, the geological areas from where the Local Board member are elected from would change. Please see the maps.

Please note: Local Board candidates do not have to live in the subdivision they wish to represent.

Question Title

* 4. What Rodney Local Board subdivision do you current fall into?:
If you live in the Rodney ward area, what subdivision are you in? 

If you are are unsure what subdivision you are currently in you can check here by entering your property address: Find my subdivision
This will display both your Subdivision (and Ward) 

Question Title

* 5. What type of resident do you identify as?: 
If you had to pick if you were more of a rural, urban (township), lifestyle or business resident  - which one(s) do you identify with?
Note: you can tick more than one choice.

Question Title

* 6. What would you like Auckland Council to do next?
If this poll has enough public support the next step would be for the Auckland Council to ask the public to give official feedback next year.

By law Auckland Council must review, and suggest any changes to, Local Board subdivisions in time for the 2025 elections.  

What would you like to see happen next?
Please note: You can tick more than one choice.

Question Title

* 7. If you have any other comments, please make them here:

Question Title

* 8. Please finish and validate your submission with your name and email address.

(Your personal details will not be shared and your privacy is completely protected. The Northern Action Group (NAG) may only use your details to update you directly on the poll results and on any future news).

The results will be consolidated and given to the Auckland Council, along with a list of any comments given with each question. (Obviously submitters names or emails will not be included).

**Special note: It would be fantastic if you could share this survey with your Facebook friends. Thank you :-)   [Some Facebook pages administration settings may not allow you to share posts -  you can cut & paste this quick link to share the poll: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/HH65GJF 

Validation of submission:

T