The final numbers are in and the results have been officially declared for Local Government elections across the country.
Stratford District Council will feature a total of five new faces at the Council table, joining seven incumbents.
Mayor Neil Volzke, who was elected unopposed will be joined by newcomer Clive Tongaawhikau who stood unopposed for the Stratford Māori Ward, along with six urban councillors who were also unopposed in the election. They are newcomers Annette Dudley, Ellen Hall and Mathew Watt, and incumbents Jono Erwood, Min McKay and John Sandford. The Stratford rural ward was the only Stratford Council ward to have an election this year, with final results putting newcomer Steve Beck at the table alongside incumbents Grant Boyde, Amanda Harris and Vaughan Jones.
The Stratford seat for Taranaki Regional Council puts Alan Jamieson at the TRC table who will be joining three other newly elected members. They are Susan Hughes (New Plymouth), Donna Cram (South Taranaki), and Bonita Bigham (Taranaki Māori). The four councillors are joining incumbents Charlotte Littlewood, Tom Cloke, Craig Williamson and David Lean who are all in the New Plymouth Constituency, Mike Davey and Donald McIntyre from the North Constituency and Neil Walker from the South Taranaki Constituency.
In South Taranaki, Mayor Phil Nixon saw off a challenge from Walter Smith to keep the top job, while the one seat on the Te Kūrae Māori Ward has gone to Leanne Horo. Tuteri Rangihaeata has been elected to the Te Tai Tonga Māori Ward. Voters in the Te Hāwera General Ward will face a byelection next year, with only four candidates having stood for the five available seats. Those candidates, Andy Beccard, Celine Filbee and Te Aroha Hohaia have therefore been elected unopposed.
