Description: This dataset is a major released version of the annually released ward pattern as at the 1 January 2010.
Wards are defined by the Local Government Commission and/or the territorial authorities themselves but maintained by Statistics New Zealand (the custodian). A territorial authority is defined under the Local Government Act 2002 as a city or a district council. Wards are divisions of Territorial Authorities for electoral purposes.This version contains 275 wards excluding 10 wards with the classification 'Area Outside Ward'. The Area Outside Ward code is applied to each individual territorial authority that does not have wards (eg. 02499). It also includes a code of 99999 Area Outside Ward for those areas outside of Territorial Authorities.