Ward 2021 Clipped (generalised)

This dataset contains the annually released ward boundaries for 2021 as defined by the territorial authorities and/or Local Government Commission, and maintained by Stats NZ (the custodian), clipped to the coastline. This clipped version has been created for map creation/cartographic purposes and so does not fully represent the official full extent boundaries. This version contains 239 categories.

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Wards were originally set up within any territorial authority with a population of at least 20,000. Wards are defined under the Local Electoral Act 2001 and result from dividing a territorial authority for electoral purposes. The ward system was designed to allow for the recognition of communities within a territorial authority and to increase community involvement in the local government system.Territorial authorities can now choose whether they would like to maintain electoral wards. As a result, the number of wards has steadily decreased since they were first created in 1989. Ward boundaries are reviewed in the year before the three-yearly local government elections.

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Names are provided with and without tohutō/macrons. The name field without macrons is suffixed ‘ascii’.

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This generalised version has been simplified for rapid drawing and is designed for thematic or web mapping purposes.

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Digital boundary data became freely available on 1 July 2007.