A new Hawke's Bay Regional Council leader by lunchtime

Rick Barker in June last year when he was made chairperson of the Hawke's Bay Regional Council, while in Australia. Now he's retired from politics a new leader will be decided. Photo / NZME

The Hawke's Bay Regional Council is expected to elect a new chairperson before lunchtime on Wednesday.

The new leader and deputy will be decided at the mainly-ceremonial first meeting since the local elections, in Napier's War Memorial Centre at 9am.

A council of 11 members, including five new councillors, will be sworn in, followed by the calling of nominations for the new chairperson.

The frontrunners are Central Hawke's Bay farmer Will Foley, a deputy chair and former Federated Farmers Hawke's Bay chairman, and second-term Napier councillor Hinewai Ormsby.

The first regulatory meeting on November 16 will then confirm committees and their leaders for the next three years.

The need for a new council chairperson comes after Hastings representative Rick Barker stood down after a parliamentary and local council career spanning 29 years.

An MP from 1993 to 2011, Barker was elected to the regional council in 2013 and became deputy chair in 2016. He stepped up as chairman in June 2021, after Rex Graham, another Hastings representative and the chair since 2016, stood down for health reasons.

The council was established after local Government reform in 1989, taking over former catchment port and harbour board roles. In 2004, Eileen von Dadelszen was named its first female chairperson, holding the position for three years.