Report on Community Issue's survey on the amalgamation of Nelson and Tasman Councils, August 2011

Term 3 2011

The Motueka High School Community Issues teacher Mr Reid invited the Chairman of Motueka Community Board David Ogilvie, to talk to us about some relevant Community issues, from those ideas we chose to do the Amalgamation of Nelson and Tasman District Councils and that was our final decision.

We researched the topic and found plenty of useful information in the Motueka online website. We then drafted a questionnaire and set about interviewing as many adults as possible. We achieved 387 interviews over four class periods and then tabulated the results.

After graphing these results we made slide shows and finally selected the best two to present to our invited guests. Benita MacLean and Cody Golding were the two successful students.

The main results were:
  - We mainly interviewed adults since the issue relates to people of voting age (100 were females in the 31 - 60 age group).
  - 87% were local residents.
  - 81% were aware of the planned amalgamation poll.
  - Most sourced their knowledge of the poll from newspapers followed by the TDC newsletter and word of mouth.
  - 75% believed that they understood what the amalgamation proposal involved.
  - On the big question 53% stated their opposition to amalgamation but 26% were still unsure about their position on the issue.
  - 58% supported the strengthening of the role of community boards as outlined in the amalgamation proposal.
  - 67% want a more effective community board for Motueka.
  - Areas of responsibility for the community board most supported were pathways, reserves, pensioner cottages and the aerodrome.
  - 43% recognized that they needed more information before voting on amalgamation.
  - 48% thought an amalgamated council would not give our region a stronger voice and 43% did not believe it would improve regional facilities.
  - 53% believed an amalgamated council would be more disconnected from the people it served and 47% believed it would not provide a better local government system than we have at present.

These results were presented to the following guests: David Ogilvie (Chairman of Motueka Community Board), Barry Dowler and Eileen Wilkins (TDC councillors representing the Motueka ward). We also plan to present these results as a submission to the Local Government Commission. The Local Government Commission normally requires a submission to be completed before the due date but they were suitably impressed by our efforts to make an exception.

We hope this survey will increase people's awareness of the issue and the subsequent poll scheduled for March 2012. It is an interesting observation that opposition to amalgamation has decreased from 62% in a survey of 422 people in 2008 to 53% in our current survey. Is this a trend? Only time will tell.

Started by Alana Behringer and edited by Mr Reid

Click here to view the survey questions »
Click here to view the survey results »

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