Three to contest vacant Maketū-Te Puke ward seat

The three candidates for the Maketū-Te Puke ward byelection: Anthony Te Uruhi Wihapi, left, Bernard Holmes and Laura Rae.

Three people have put their hand up for the vacant seat on Western Bay of Plenty District Council.

A byelection was called in the Maketū-Te Puke ward after the death of councillor Richard Crawford in March.

Nominations closed last week, with three names put forward - Laura Rae, Anthony Te Uruhi Wihapi and Bernard Holmes.

Before retiring, Bernard Holmes worked in civil engineering in the Wellington area and in project management and quantity surveying and estimating in Auckland. He moved to the Bay of Plenty 10 years ago and is currently involved in theatre and pest elimination and is a member of a philosophy group in Rotorua.

Anthony Te Uruhi Wihapi was born, raised and schooled in Te Puke. He is semi-retired and has been involved in local body politics for 25 years as an appointed iwi representative on the Western Bay of Plenty District and Bay of Plenty Regional councils. He has been proposed by representatives of the Te Arawa ki Tai Runanga Kaumatua which represents the Te Arawa coastal subtribes.

Laura Rae was born and raised in Maketū and now lives in Te Puke. She is in her second term on the Maketū Community Board, and is the current chairwoman but wants to do more for a wider range of people and believes becoming a district councillor is the next step. She works in environmental restoration in Maketū and Pukehina.

Richard Crawford was in his first term as Maketū-Te Puke councillor, having been elected in 2022 as one of four new councillors district-wide.

Whoever is successful will join deputy mayor John Scrimgeour, Grant Dally and Andy Wichers as councillors for the ward.

Voting will run from Wednesday June 26 to midday on Thursday July 18.

A byelection was required to fill the vacant seat as it is more than 12 months before the next local body election in 2025.