We’re asking the community to be vocal over the next month about the make-up of Council – it’s part of a Representation Review which is pretty important for everyone who lives in the district.

We want to know if people think the current wards are appropriate and if we have the right number of councillors, among other things. It’s something we are required by law to do every six years and it’s a good opportunity to check in with the community.

There’s no need to change things if the community thinks they are well represented, and that’s important feedback to give too.

The results of this early engagement will help us put together a formal consultation document that will be put to the community next year, but right now we’re asking your views on a range of options.

Currently we have a mayor, and five councillors from the Ashburton ward and two councillors each from the Eastern and Western Wards. One option that could be explored, if the community wanted, is combining the Eastern and Western Wards; there is even an option to have district wide voting, which means no wards at all.

The aim of the review is to make sure the make-up of Council suits this community, because we want residents to be engaged in local democracy.

Every vote counts in an election, as the recent general elections have shown, with one seat decided by just four votes after many thousands of votes had been counted. It is a reminder of how important voting is and how just a tiny number of votes can be the difference between success or not.

While I have not experienced a vote that close before in local elections, every vote is important and that is part of the context for some work in and around the future of local government at the moment.

A panel has been looking at what local government might look like in the future and included in that is a whole range of issues, from funding from central government, to partnership with iwi/Maori in terms of Te Tiriti, and 16-year-olds voting.

Maybe in the future we could have a ward or mayoralty decided by just a handful of votes, and if 16-year-olds get to vote the difference could rest on the shoulders of a small number of new voters.

The easiest way to take part in our Representation Review is online, at ashburtondc.govt.nz/haveyoursay and you have until Sunday 17 December to tell us what you think.

Another important consultation closing this Sunday is on our draft Biodiversity Strategy, which is all about protecting and improving our natural environment. While there’s been a lot of interest in the strategy, feedback has been on the light side and we’ve yet to see any big strategic or visionary submissions. It’s not too late!