Tracey Collis has been elected for a third term as Tararua’s mayor. PHOTO/FILE
Tararua District has spoken, with a resounding ‘yes’ for incumbent mayor Tracey Collis.
Collis was re-elected Tararua District Council mayor in yesterday’s local body elections with an emphatic 2000 vote win over her nearest rival.
Voter return in Tararua stood at 44.67 per cent with 5772 votes [excluding special votes and votes in transit], with 90 per cent of the returned votes counted on Saturday.
Collis secured the seat for a third term with 3144 votes,
Sharon Wards followed on 1029, with Nick Hill and James Kendrick securing 651 and 489 votes, respectively.
Naioma Chase became the first person to be elected in the Tamaki nui-a-Rua Maori Ward with 152 votes.
Steve Wallace was a newcomer in the North Tararua Ward, securing the most votes with 1845. Sharon Wards, Erana Peeti-Webber, and Kerry Sutherland were also re-elected.
The South Tararua Ward had two new faces with the election of Michael Francis Long and Scott Gilmore. Alison Franklin and Peter Johns were re-elected.
Collis said the result clearly indicated that voters supported the council.
She said with 10 council candidates running in the northern ward, and four running for mayor, voters had a range of options.
“It’s a really good result. People have a lot of stability in council and a lot of trust in council. I didn’t take anything for granted, but it has given me a clear direction moving forward.”
Collis said the council had made some tough decisions in the past term, and the retirement of experienced councillors meant the incoming council would need to be brought up to speed quickly.
“We will need to be moving at pace. We have the future of local government review in the next month.
“Then there’s Three Waters. We have always said there is a better model than the one the Government is proposing.
“We also have the fourth largest roading network for a council and $13 million of emergency funding works under way.”
Collis said that any election celebrations on Saturday were put on hold until after a rugby competition, the Ross Shield, had wrapped up.
The 120-year-old competition among six Hawke’s Bay, Wairoa, and Tararua teams, was hosted in Dannevirke this year, with the Napier team securing the shield.
“Several councillors, myself and others were at this rugby game.
“We were focused on Dannevirke playing on the field and enjoying that magic moment, so we didn’t go into any celebrations until after we had fulfilled our duty.”
Collis said three new mayors meant a significant change for Wairarapa.
“I’m really looking forward to catching up with them.
“For all of us, there is a real pace on, and a heavy workload. We will be hitting the ground running to take our districts forward.”
Tararua District Council
Preliminary results
MAYOR
Tracey Collis [3144]
COUNCILLORS
North Tararua Ward
Steve Wallace [1845]
Erana Peeti-Webber [1676]
Kerry Sutherland [1498]
Sharon Wards [1247]
South Tararua Ward
Alison Franklin [1525]
Peter Johns [1370]
Scott Gilmore [1212]
Michael Francis Long [1189]
Maori Ward
Naioma Chase [152]
UNSUCCESSFUL CANDIDATES
Mayoral
Sharon Wards [1029]
Nick Hill [651]
James Kendrick [489]
Council
James Walker [1057]
Roger Earp [970]
Vicki Priday [930]
Paul Te Huki [826]
James Kendrick [610]
James Brett Harold [351]
Dennis Wyeth [307]
Jared Warren Gardner [165]
