Smith to lead new-look council
ONCE the longestserving MP in Parliament, Nick Smith is now the new mayor of Nelson.
After an almost 30-year career in Parliament, where he had stints as a Cabinet minister in National Governments and inherited the title of Father of the House (for being the longest-serving MP) Smith resigned from Parliament and stood for the mayoralty.
Smith had a 4000-vote lead with 90% of the vote counted yesterday.
He will be leading a council with several new faces after about half the previous council did not stand for re-election.