The Auckland super city is to have more politicians and local boards in response to community calls for better representation.
But within hours of the release of the final political map for the new Auckland Council, one of the eight outgoing local bodies decided to make a new attempt to break away.
The Local Government Commission announced on Thursday morning the new council's 20 members will now come from 13 wards instead of 12.
In the second tier, the number of local boards will rise from 19 to 21.
The changes will also add 23 politicians.
However, a special meeting of the Rodney District Council on Thursday afternoon voted to draft a local member's bill, asking Parliament to let it opt out of the super city and become an independent unitary authority, meaning it would be responsible for all local government functions within its area.
The council was split seven to four in favour of the breakaway bid, which involves it drafting a bill for Rodney MP Lockwod Smith to present to Parliament.
Mayor Penny Webster says the region should not be part of Auckland's new super city, because the rural district has different needs to the metropolitan city.
Super city structure
The commission's determination, to apply from the November local body elections, finalises who each of the council's 20 ward members will represent, and the boundaries for the 21 local boards.
The central suburb of Mt Eden will remain in one ward after a large number of submissions opposed a suggested split.
But historic boundaries have been rejected in the northwest in creating a ward which straddles the upper harbour combining Albany, Whenuapai and West Harbour.
Only minor changes have been made along the southern regional boundary, which cuts through Franklin District, while a change in the northernmost part of Rodney means it will have its own local board member.
Most politicians from the eight local outgoing bodies were happy with the changes, apart from Rodney council.
North Shore City mayor Andrew Williams says the creation of a new board straddling the upper harbour from Albany to West Harbour is sensible.
"The Whenuapai airbase is in that area, and there's been great local opposition to a future airport there. Now that's all under one local board, they certainly won't be allowing any future commercial airport to even be considered there so that's a big change."
Super city criticism separatism - Hide
Local Government Minister Rodney Hide says the Human Rights Commission is advocating separatism in its criticisms of the structure of the super city.
The commission says it's concerned the Auckland Council won't give an effective voice to Maori, Pacific and ethnic communities.
Race Relations Commissioner Joris de Bres says says race relations for the new council are already on the back foot after the Government's rejection of designated Maori seats.
Mr Hide says he's appalled that the commission, which is supposed to advocate for equal rights, is now advocating separatism.
"I find it disappointing that the Human Rights Commission don't think that Maori or ethnic groups can stand for council and, indeed, that Aucklanders won't vote for them. That's demonstrably not true."
The commission also condemns the decision to guarantee Pacific and ethnic advisory boards only for the first term.
Mr Hide says if the commission knew Auckland a little better, it would know that Aucklanders are quite capable of selecting a council of people who are best able to represent them.
Already separatism - iwi
Ngati Whatua o Orakei board spokesperson Ngarimu Blair says separatism is already being practised.
"It's been practised for 150 years in this city where very few, if any, Maori and Pacific Islanders get elected so there's an over-representation of the Pakeha middle-classes in this city, and it's going to be set in stone pretty much by Rodney Hide's proposal, so he's reinforcing the separatism that already exists."
Mr Blair says this means Auckland city representatives will continue to have no idea about the issues of lower socio-economic communities.
