Mayor names deputy
Newly-elected South Taranaki District Mayor Phil Nixon has chosen Pa¯ tea ward councillor Rob Northcott as his deputy.
Nixon announced the choice at the end of the new council’s inaugural meeting last night, where he and his council were sworn in.
‘‘We have worked together for the past six years, and he’s a very good councillor,’’ Nixon, who took over from four-term mayor Ross Dunlop, said. ‘‘He’s been part of a different range of committees on council than I have been, and that’s important. It’s good for diversity.’’
Like Nixon, who was deputy mayor for the past three years, Northcott is starting his third term on the council.
‘‘I’m really pleased,’’ he said. ‘‘Not bad for a boy from Pa¯ tea.’’
He owns Northcott Auto Services in Pa¯ tea, and as well as being one of two Patea ward councillors he is a member of the South Taranaki Coastguard and chairman of the Te Mahana Trust, which runs a rest home in Pa¯ tea.
Nixon has still to appoint councillors to various committees, the most senior role being the chair of the Environmental and Hearings Committee, but he would do so next week.
The new council was welcomed officially with a po¯ whiri yesterday, before the ceremony where the mayor, councillors and community board members made their official declarations in front of a crowd of families, friends and community leaders at the Ha¯wera Community Theatre.
Declarations were recited in both English and Te Reo, with each person able to choose which language to use.
Chief executive Waid Crockett convened the meeting and gave the new council and community board members some advice on legislation that affects their roles.
The new council’s first official ordinary meeting will be held on December 9, but it will meet on December 4 to set appointments to committees and remuneration.