COMMENT: Poor Phil Goff. He's hardly jumped into his new Nissan Leaf mayoral limousine for a honeymoon whirl, when old foe John Key punctures front tyres.

COMMENT: Two-thirds of eligible voters chose not to vote in the local government elections. Should we be unimpressed?

Kaipara elects a new council for the first time since commissioners were appointed in 2012 but the Crown has not withdrawn completely.

Newly elected Horowhenua mayor Michael Feyen is promising to include the community in decision making. Made with funding from NZ on Air.

John Forbes' early blunder didn't diminish his election result. And he admits his opponent Les Keane ran a good campaign after all. Made with funding from NZ on Air.

Tony Bonne believes strong marketing was behind winning the mayoralty with less votes, so he is determined to communicate better this term. Made with funding from NZ on Air.

The Bay's two long-standing mayors have been cleaning out their offices in preparation for their replacements. Tauranga mayor Stuart

Tracey Collis vows to hit the ground running as she steps up the challenge of Tararua District’s new mayor. Made with funding from NZ on Air.

He started as an outside chance, but Neil Holdom's strong campaign won him the New Plymouth mayoralty by 500 votes. Made with funding from NZ on Air

Lawrence Yule talks to Local Focus about his 6th mayoral term and insists this will be the last. Made with funding from NZ on Air

It's fair to assume there will be a fair few sore heads as more than 20 new mayors wake up this morning.

Now the work really starts - it's time for our new leaders to enrol in How To Be A Mayor 101 and head back to school.

Can online voting turn around our dreadful local body election voter turnout?

Congratulations to all the new mayors, councillors and members of local and community boards elected in cities and districts around the country yesterday.

Greg Brownless talks to Local Focus for the first time about winning the mayoralty and plans for Tauranga. Made with funding from NZ on Air

Whanganui deputy mayor Hamish McDouall now has the top job. Made with funding for NZ on Air.

Hamish McDouall is Whanganui’s new mayor winning almost 40 per cent of the vote and nearly the twice the number of his nearest rival. Made with funding for NZ on Air.

A return to single-day local body elections is being mooted as local body leaders grapple with falling local body election voting

It is hard to dislodge the tawdry episode of Len Brown's workplace affair from any assessment of his legacy, the Weekend Herald says in an editorial.

Former National Party leader Don Brash says a new anti-separatist campaign may end up donating to one of his old enemies, New Zealand First leader Winston Peters.

Contentious reforms to councils have been shelved until next year after the Government caved to pressure from a group of mayors who said the changes were anti-democratic.

Salvation Army representatives hope to meet with Whanganui District Council staff to discuss a proposed joint venture for pensioner

Mangawhai ratepayers have secured a partial victory in the High Court which ruled the Northland Regional Council rates for Kaipara

Your burning questions on the upcoming elections have been answered.

All the candidates seeking Rodney's single Auckland Council seat talk about them. And so do its long-suffering residents.

The issues in Whau are twofold: more community facilities and infrastructure, to match the intensification.

Residents in Orakei are adamant they are not "nimbys", but they are apprehensive about the impact more housing and more people will have on their patch.

Clean and green is a key message in the Waitakere ward, as the environment continues to feature highly among residents' concerns.

The Audit Office has confirmed it has received a request to investigate some parts of the report into Whanganui's failed wastewater

The Campaign for Better Transport organised the public meeting for the candidates to put forward their transport policies for Auckland.