New Napier Mayor-elect, Bill Dalton, says he is surprised by the size of his winning margin.
retired sharebroker Mr Dalton had a margin of 4673 over runner-up and school principal Roy Sye, who had led the only ticket in the election.
Mr Dalton, 62, heard the news of his election at home with wife Shirley and his 2 sons and a daughter in what is becoming a Napier version of Downing St,
Departing Mayor Barbara Arnott lives almost across the road, and others in the narrow, dead-end hilltop neighbourhood have included former Napier MP Russell Fairbrother and former Mayoral deputy and current East Coast MP, and two others who have been councillors.
While topping a recent Hawke's Bay Today snap campaign meeting poll on the Mayoralty, Mr Dalton said he was surprised by the size of his winning margin.
"You never know what to expect," he said.
Having expressed strong opposition to local Government amalgamation, he vowed to still work closely with returned Hastings Mayor Lawrence Yule, saying that both really want the same outcome - a "strong, vibrant Hawke's Bay" - although they have differences about how that can be best achieved.
Planning a relaxed day watching "Bathurst" on Tv on Sunday, he plans to be at the Council on Monday starting the process of talking with councillors "one-on-one" over their committee preferences.
"It's a good council," he reckoned.
While all 7 incumbents seeking re-election to the 12-seat city council are returned, the election was a success for Mr Sye's Positive+Change group. He's the only new councillor of 6 in the city-wide Council-At-Large vote, and will be joined by fellow team member and former Hawke's Bay Magpies rugby coach Graeme Taylor, winning one of 2 seats in the Taradale Ward.
A third member of the team, construction industry executive Mark Hamilton holds the second of 2 Nelson Park Eard seats by just 2 votes.
While beaten in the Mayoral race, Mr Sye was "delighted" to be the only new councillor chosen in the city-wide Council-At-Large vote and to be joined on the Council by Mr Taylor and, "hopefully," Mr Hamilton.
The group was together when the results were revealed, and Tamatea Intermediate School principal Mr Sye, said he's looking forward to helping Napier prosper for the good of families and young people in the city.
He said he'd rung Mr Dalton early in the afternoon to congratulate the new Mayor on the election.
Results (* denotes incumbent)
Mayoralty
DALTON, Bill 7,797
SYE, Roy Positive + Change 3,124
COCKING, John (Bertie) 3,084
PYKE, Michelle Independent 1,547
TRIM, David 1,451
LUTTER, Rob 1,225
INFORMAL 46
BLANK VOTING PAPERS 334
Ahuriri Ward (1 vacancy)
HERBERT, Mark 1,660
BRADLEY, Ailne Positive + Change 1,272
MAYNE, Kim 495
INFORMAL 1
BLANK VOTING PAPERS 221
Onekawa-Tamatea Ward (1 vacancy)
BROSNAN, Annette Our Neighbourhood Our Voice 1,480
MCGRATH, Richard Time for New Blood 1,295
INFORMAL 3
BLANK VOTING PAPERS 122
Nelson Park Ward (2 vacancies)
BOAG, Maxine 1,889
HAMILTON, Mark Positive + Change 980
NEPIA, Mere 978
BOSLEY, Dave (Bos) 886
SIMONS, Ken 766
HENNESSEY, John Independent 584
HANNAY, David Forward Together 454
WILLIAMS, Derek J Independent 283
INFORMAL 15
BLANK VOTING PAPERS 184
Taradale Ward (2 vacancies) Votes Received
WISE, Kirsten Independent 4,026
TAYLOR, Graeme (GK) Independent 3,716
TRIM, David 3,206
GEORGE, David Independent and Progressive Napier 2,323
SIERS, Judy Independent 812
INFORMAL 7
BLANK VOTING PAPERS 321
Council at Large (6 vacancies)
JEFFERY, Tony 10,281
PYKE, Michelle Independent 8,609
SYE, Roy Positive + Change 8,397
WHITE, Faye 8,339
LUTTER, Rob 7,652
PRICE, Keith (Sponge) Independent 7,003
OTTO, Emily From Napier, For Napier 5,981
SLATER, Kim 5,325
MINOR, Jude Positive + Change 4,915
BONNETT, Matthew 3,577
MORUNGA, Jim 3,415
MASON, Andy Representing Napiers Youth 3,319
MCLACHLAN, Stuart 2,727
JAMIESON, Hamish 2,577
SPILLER, Sherrise Independent 2,545
LONG, Gavin Independent 2,391
INFORMAL 81
BLANK VOTING PAPERS 437
The voter return was 44.73%, being 18,779 voting papers, excluding voting papers in transit to the processing centre and special votes.
