Fresh ideas and seasoned experience on post-election Hastings District Council

Sandra Hazlehurst is one of seven New Zealand mayors elected unopposed in the 2022 local body elections. Photo / Ian Cooper

Hastings Mayor Sandra Hazlehurst was re-elected unopposed in this year's 2022 local body elections, along with Mōhaka Ward councillor Tania Kerr and Heretaunga Ward councillors Alwyn Corban and Ann Redstone.

Mayor Hazlehurst congratulated all the returning councillors and her new colleagues who will be joining her at the council table.

"Those elected represent a good balance of new, fresh ideas with seasoned experience," she said.

The Hastings District Council will undergo a full induction process over the next couple of months to build the team and help the new councillors understand the vision and priorities in the Long Term Plan that previous councils have worked on with the community.

"We have a big work programme in front of us that our community is excited about and I look forward to working with our councillors to deliver this, as well as meeting with them over the coming week to hear their goals and aspirations for the next three years," Hazlehurst said.

The existing Hastings councillors are joined by six new councillors, including historian Michael Fowler, the only new councillor of seven in the largest ward, Hastings-Havelock North.

Hawke's Bay historian Michael Fowler is the new councillor of seven in the largest HDC ward, Hastings-Havelock North. Photo / Warren Buckland

Representing the new Takitimu Maori Ward are Ana Apatu, Kellie Jessup and Renata Nepe.

Henry Heke is the fresh face taking on the Flaxmere Ward, a ward that previously had two councillors.

Marcus Buddo, a community board member, is stepping up to the council table as the Kahuranaki representative, beating John Roil, a former councillor seeking a comeback.

In the Hastings District Rural Community Board elections, Abby Morley was re-elected unopposed in the Tūtira subdivision.

Isabelle Crawshaw was elected in the Kaweka subdivision, and Jonathan Stockley in the Marārekakaho subdivision.

The Flaxmere Licensing Trust candidate nominations did not exceed the number of vacancies, and Martha Greening, Chrissy Hokianga, Bronwen Hopkins, Warwick Howie, Farley Keenan and Bert Lincoln were all re-elected unopposed.

Hastings District Council's preliminary results were announced over the weekend based on the counting of 95 per cent of the returned votes.

The progress result does not include some special votes and votes returned today that are still in transit to the processing centre.

The outcome of these elections may change once all votes have been counted.