Jason Smith has been confirmed as being returned as Kaipara Mayor by a huge majority after final local body election results were released.
Jason Smith has been confirmed as being returned as Kaipara Mayor by a huge majority after final local body election results were released.
Kaipara Mayor Jason Smith has been returned to the role, official local body elections results confirm.
Dr Smith held a big majority over the other Mayoral contender Moemoea Mohoawhenua, a Māori activist, writer and film-maker formerly named Benjamin Nathan, and the majority has been confirmed.
However, Brian McEwing, a formerKaipara District Councillor who held was narrowly in the second seat for the Dargaville ward after Saturday's election has missed out after special votes have been counted.
McEwing misses out to incumbent Karen Joyce-Paki, who takes the second seat behind Eryn Wilson-Collins.
All the other election night results from the Kaipara remain the same.The council will now comprise: Mayor: Dr Jason Smith; Kaiwaka-Mangawhai: Jonathan Larsen, Peter Wethey (both elected unopposed); Otamatea: Anna Curnow, Mark Vincent; Dargaville: Eryn Wilson-Collins, Karen Joyce-Paki; West Coast-Central: Victoria Del la Varis-Woodcock, David Wills.
A powhiri and inaugural meeting will start at 10am on October 25 at Dargaville Town Hall, with members of the community welcome. With special votes still to process, the final results will be announced on October 17, followed by the official declaration on October 21.
Smith was looking forward to getting straight to work with a Kaipara council that had four new members who were all long-time locals and brought with them a deep understanding of the district, its history, make-up and future needs, he said.
"Stability is really important for us in the Kaipara so there's a great basis for that in this council.
"We're going to have clear, courageous decision-makers on the council. We have a lot to do in Kaipara and there will be no time for sitting on the fence."
The inaugural meeting of the new KDC will be at Northern Wairoa War Memorial Hall, 37 Hokianga Road, Dargaville, beginning with a pōwhiri at 10am on October 25.
