Communities and Residents
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Communities and Residents (C&R) is a right-leaning local body ticket in Auckland, New Zealand. It was formed in 1938 as Citizens & Ratepayers, with a view to controlling the Auckland City Council and preventing left-leaning Labour Party control. It controlled the council most of the time from World War II until the council was merged into the Auckland Council in 2010. It changed its name from "Citizens & Ratepayers" to "Communities and Residents" in 2012.
Background
The Citizens & Ratepayers Association was formed in 1938. It was formed with the intention to "secure the return of the best possible types of candidate to the Auckland City Council, Harbour Board, Hospital Board and Electric Power Board". It also intended to "preserve local government in all its then present forms, protecting it from any influence and interference of party politics".
C&R has long been aligned with the National Party, which traditionally does not field its own candidates in Auckland local body elections, unlike the Labour Party and the Green Party.
Platform and positions
History
2010–present
2010–2013 term
The group changed their name to "Communities & Residents" in 2012, following a review of the organisation's performance at the 2010 election. Other changes adopted after the review included abandoning the "whipping" system used in voting on council issues.
2022 election
C&R endorsed former Chief Executive of Heart of the City Viv Beck for the Auckland mayoralty, and would succeed in increasing its share of Auckland local board members and Licensing Trustees.
2022–2025 term
In 2025, it was revealed that Deputy Mayor Desley Simpson had resigned from C&R, leaving Christine Fletcher as the group's only councillor.
2025 election
At the 2025 election, the group saw Christine Fletcher re-elected to council for the Albert-Eden-Puketāpapa ward and they won control of the Albert-Eden-Puketāpapa, Maungakiekie-Tāmaki and Ōrākei local boards. The group lost two local board seats and no longer controlled the Mount Wellington Licensing Trust.[citation needed]
List of representatives
2022–2025 term
Communities and Residents elected members for the 2022–2025 term included:
| Ward | Name | Photo |
|---|---|---|
| Albert-Eden-Puketāpapa | Christine Fletcher | |
| Ōrākei | Desley Simpson (until late 2023) | |
| Local board | Subdivision | Name |
| Albert-Eden (split control) | Mangawhau | Kendyl Smith |
| Jack Tan | ||
| José Fowler | ||
| Rex Smith | ||
| Devonport-Takapuna (in minority) | George Wood | |
| Gavin Busch | ||
| Howick (in minority) | Pakuranga | Katrina Bungard |
| David Collings | ||
| Maungakiekie-Tāmaki (in minority) | Maungakiekie | Dan Allan |
| Debbie Burrows | ||
| Tony Woodcock | ||
| Ōrākei (in majority) | Troy Churton | |
| David Wong | ||
| Scott Milne | ||
| Penny Tucker | ||
| Sarah Powrie | ||
| Margaret Voyce | ||
| Angus McPhee | ||
| Puketāpapa (in majority) | Ella Kumar | |
| Roseanne Hay | ||
| Fiona Lai | ||
| Mark Pervan | ||
| Waitematā (in majority) | Sarah Trotman | |
| Genevieve Sage | ||
| Allan Matson | ||
| Greg Moyle | ||
| Licensing trust | Ward | Name |
| Mount Wellington (in majority) | Tania Batucan | |
| Troy Elliot | ||
| Tabetha Elliot | ||
| Michael Pepper |
Summary of election results
| Election | Candidates nominated | Seats won | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Council candidates | Local/Community board candidates | Health board candidates | Licensing trust candidates | Council seats | Local/Community board seats | Health board seats | Licensing trust seats | |
| 2001 | 18/19 | 33/52 | 7/7 | 0/9 | 9 / 19 | 15 / 52 | 3 / 7 | 0 / 9 |
| 2004 | 17/19 | 32/47 | 7/7 | 4/9 | 6 / 19 | 9 / 47 | 3 / 7 | 1 / 9 |
| 2007 | 16/19 | 26/52 | 5/7 | 2/9 | 11 / 19 | 19 / 52 | 2 / 7 | 1 / 9 |
| 2010 | 14/20 | 82/149 | 16/21 | 7/41 | 5 / 20 | 31 / 149 | 7 / 21 | 3 / 41 |
| 2013 | 4/20 | 19/149 | 8/21 | 0/35 | 3 / 20 | 12 / 149 | 4 / 21 | 0 / 35 |
| 2016 | 3/20 | 21/149 | 5/21 | 0/35 | 2 / 20 | 11 / 149 | 2 / 21 | 0 / 35 |
| 2019 | 6/20 | 49/149 | 14/21 | 3/35 | 3 / 20 | 21 / 149 | 4 / 21 | 1 / 35 |
| 2022 | 8/20 | 45/149 | Abolished | 5/35 | 2 / 20 | 26 / 149 | Abolished | 4 / 35 |
| 2025 | 3/20 | 47/151 | N/A | 6/35 | 1 / 20 | 25 / 151 | N/A | 2 / 35 |
Entrust trustee elections
C&R's record of tenure on Entrust seats for the elections since 2000.
| Election | Candidates nominated | Seats won |
|---|---|---|
| Trustee candidates | Trust seats | |
| 2003 | 5/5 | 4 / 5 |
| 2006 | 5/5 | 4 / 5 |
| 2009 | 5/5 | 5 / 5 |
| 2012 | 5/5 | 5 / 5 |
| 2015 | 5/5 | 5 / 5 |
| 2018 | 5/5 | 5 / 5 |
| 2021 | 5/5 | 5 / 5 |
| 2024 | 5/5 | 5 / 5 |