Local government operates on two levels: regional councils, and district and city councils.
There are 12 regional councils. These are responsible for such matters as water supply, parks and reserves, land transport planning and resource management.
The role of the regional councils is complemented by the work of district and city councils. There are 58 district councils and 15 city councils(often referred to as 'territorial authorities') . Their areas of responsibility are similar to those of regional councils and include water supply, land use, building controls, roading and transport, as well as community development.
Local government elections are held every three years. Regional council electorates are known as 'constituencies'; district and city council electorates as 'wards'. If you are registered as a parliamentary elector, you can also vote in local government elections. Voting is usually by postal ballot.
