New Plymouth won't be getting a Maori council seat.

A binding referendum has seen 83 percent vote against the creation of a Maori ward from October.

The poll produced a voter turnout of 45 percent.

Mayor Andrew Judd says he's disappointed with the outcome, both in terms of the result and the fact that more than half of the community didn't vote.

He says they now need to consider how best to engage with Maori and enable their participation in the council's decision making.