Preparations for this year’s Local Body Elections have begun, though voters won’t see their voting documents in the mail until mid-September.

Ashburton District Councillors will consider on Wednesday (16 March) if candidates’ names would feature in random or alphabetical order on the ballot paper for seats at the Council and Methven Community Board tables.

Historically they have chosen names to be in random order, like other local councils.

Work ahead of the voting period will concentrate on encouraging people to put their name forward as potential councillors and ensuring those eligible to vote in the local body elections are registered.

Candidate nominations open on July 15 and Council is planning a candidate information evening on 19 July.

Nominations close on 12 August, candidate lists confirmed and then voting documents will be delivered in the week starting 16 September. People will be able to vote from 16 September until noon on 8 October, with preliminary results to be declared later that day.

Chief Executive Hamish Riach said a pre-election report would be released in June.

“This provides up-to-date information to help the community discuss the opportunities and issues facing Council and the district. It lays out the critical information for new candidates on how the Council stands financially and the key projects we have for the future.”

Mr Riach said that while the impacts of Covid-19 would continue to be felt in the next term of Council, it was important the district balanced recovery and growth against the needs of residents and ratepayers.

“We also have to think about delivering our services and regulatory functions in a way that promotes the social, economic, environmental and cultural wellbeing of our communities.

“Local authorities are constantly planning and adapting in a rapidly-changing world, as the past two years have shown.

"Amongst a large number of Government reviews across many aspects of Council’s operations, there are really significant reforms of Three Waters, the Resource Management system and local government itself, so over the next few years Council has a lot to think about and contribute to on top of our own large work programme.”