Len Salt has clear lead in TCDC race for mayor

New Thames-Coromandel District Mayor Len Salt getting straight to work on his first day. Photo / Supplied

Len Salt is poised to be installed as Thames Coromandel-District's new mayor after receiving 4265 votes when 90 per cent of the vote had been counted, at 4pm on Saturday.

Salt received over 2000 votes more than the next candidate, John Freer, with 2136.

Salt said he put his campaign success down to "really doing my homework. I put a lot of research into issues, and getting out and talking to people."

He said his journey to becoming mayor started three years ago, after working on community projects like the Mercury Bay Resource Recovery Centre Trust. He said he would like to acknowledge the support of his wife of 27 years, Svargo, who he calls his "biggest supporter".

Salt said his first order of business will be to meet with council officials and hammer out a schedule, and then to take a look at the annual plan and the Shoreline Management and Waste Management programmes.

Full results:
Len Salt - 4265
John Freer - 2136
Cherie Staples - 1548
Steve Hart - 862
Ron Julian - 851
Eric Carter - 599
Peter Pinkham - 467

With the race to be councillor for the Coromandel-Colville ward a fait accompli after John Morrissey was elected unopposed, interest centred on Mercury Bay, where Rekha Giri-Percival was elected first of three councillors after leading the pack with 1944 votes, 356 ahead of John Grant, and Deli Connel.

In Whangamata, Auckland lawyer Gary Gotlieb is joined by Terry Walker. Robyn Sinclair secured 2288 votes in Thames, ahead of Martin Rosley and Peter Revell.

Councillors:

Coromandel-Colville ward (one councillor):
John Morrissey (elected unopposed)

Mercury Bay ward (three councillors):
1) Rekha Giri-Percival - 1944
2) John Grant - 1592
3) Deli Connell - 1330
Candice Van de Ven - 1159
Grahame Christian - 780
Ivan Steenhuis - 596
Caroline Hobman - 402

South Eastern ward (two councillors):
1) Gary Gotlieb - 1644
2) Terry Walker - 1501
Chris New - 1247
Reuben Van Dorsten - 997

Thames ward (three councillors):
1) Robyn Sinclair - 2288
2) Martin Rodley - 1906
3) Peter Revell - 1831
Warren Sly - 1036
Phillip Bridge - 679
Jenny Arnold - 645
Patrick O'Brien - 616

Community board members:

Coromandel-Colville Community Board (four community board members):

1) Gavin Jeffcoat - 718
2) Kim Brett - 623
3) Jean Ashby - 587
4) James Davis - 585
Pamela Grealey - 362
Shirley Mangakahia - 282
Abby Morgan - 215
Alasdair Macdonald - 123

Mercury Bay Community Board (four community board members):

1) Peter MacKenzie - 2083
2) Krissy Robinson - 1752
3) Bess Kingi - 1613
4) Caroline Hobman - 1274
Billie Hunter - 1156

Tairua-Pāuanui Community Board (four community board members):

1) Warwick Brooks - 961
2) Chris New - 936
3) Cath Wightman - 886
4) Barry Roberts - 827
Nathaniel Blomfield - 656

Thames Community Board (Four community board members):

1) Adrian Catran - 2219
2) Holly MacKenzie - 1892
3) Rob Johnston - 1629
4) Kishan Raikwar - 1509
Fiona Cameron - 1457
Chris Dale - 1015
Peter Thomas - 865
Kara-Leah Grant - 809

Whangamatā Community Board (Four community board members):

1) Dave Ryan - 1353
2) Denis Beaver - 1233
3) Mark Drury - 1186
4) Neil Evans - 900
Aimee Sorrell - 420