Rotorua mayor Steve Chadwick, right, with chairman of Te Tatau o Te Arawa Te Taru White. Photo / File
Rotorua mayor Steve Chadwick, right, with chairman of Te Tatau o Te Arawa Te Taru White. Photo / File
Five years ago Steve Chadwick, a mother, former midwife and Labour MP, was elected mayor of Rotorua in a landslide victory.
She secured 11,630 votes, almost 60 per cent of the overall count, beating former mayor Kevin Winters who got 4789 and making her Rotorua's first female mayor.
Her election campaign was run on the promise of providing Rotorua residents with geothermal heating for their homes, boosting the city's reputation as the "spa city of the South Pacific" and rejuvenating the CBD.
In 2016 she was endorsed by Te Arawa for her second bid at the mayoral seat and once again came out on top.
With the 2019 local election one year away the question on everybody's lips is, 'will she run again?', but she's keeping her lips sealed.
"My focus at the moment is to 'Keep Rotorua moving forward' and I cannot afford to be distracted by starting to think about politicking a year out from the elections," she said.
Rotorua's new mayor Steve Chadwick celebrates her election win with supporters in 2013. Photo / File
Following her career in central government, Chadwick was approached by members of the Rotorua community to run for mayor.
"I saw a community that wasn't going anywhere, that had lost belief in itself and lost its confidence."
She said from day one she had hit the ground running with her plans for Vision 2030.
"Now we're doing it, in partnership."
Her time as mayor has been marked by successes, such as the Te Tatau o Te Arawa partnership, and controversy, including last year's Korean mud saga.
But she said the council was feeling "confident and proud of the Rotorua way".
She said this term had focused on major infrastructure investment and Rotorua had regained the population loss. She noted GDP was consistently above the national average.
Steve Chadwick's mayoral campaign launch in 2016. Photo / File
"Next term must focus on keeping Rotorua moving forward in partnership."
But she said before thinking about the next term "there were some important projects that we have to get over the line in the next six months".
"I have led a majority council team that better reflects our community, with the community boards and Te Tatau o Te Arawa making big decisions for our district's future.
"We have agreed on our Long-term Plan that supports major projects such as the Lakefront and Whakarewarewa development."
She said the Aquatic Centre and Kuirau Park development, which she promised during the 2016 election, was under way.
"Te Aka Mauri, the Library and Children's Hub and Manawa have been completed.
"We will restore our museum and the Sir Howard Morrison Performing Arts Centre, sewage and Waste Water treatment plant upgrades are agreed and roading, footpaths, stormwater and cycleways are planned and will be upgraded."
