Official election result confirms five new regional councillors

The official election result issued today has confirmed there will be five new members around the Northland Regional Council table when it meets officially for the first time later this month.

The final results confirm the election of new councillors Justin Blaikie (Hokianga-Kaikohe), Mike Finlayson (Te Hiku), Penny Smart (Kaipara), Rick Stolwerk (Coastal South) and Jocelyn (Joce) Yeoman (Coastal North).  The election of councillors Smart and Yeoman also means the council will have two serving female members for the first time since 1998.

The five new councillors will be joined by returning members John Bain (Whangarei Urban), Paul Dimery (Coastal Central), Bill Shepherd (Coastal North) and David Sinclair (Whangarei Urban). 

Nineteen people contested the nine available regional council seats.

Councillors are due to be formally sworn in at a meeting in Whangarei on Tuesday 25 October.  Among the new council’s first tasks at that meeting will be to elect a new chair and deputy.

Full elections results can be viewed online at: www.nrc.govt.nz/electionresults