Byelection triggered for Western Bay of Plenty after sudden resignation likely to cost $23k

A byelection will be held in Te Puke after a community board member resigned.

A byelection triggered the abrupt resignation of a Western Bay of Plenty community board member will likely cost local ratepayers $22,950.

Te Puke Community Board member Anish Paudel is stepping down from his community board role, effective immediately, Western Bay of Plenty District Council said in a statement yesterday afternoon.

A byelection would be held to fill the vacant seat.

Council governance manager Greer Golding said told the Bay of Plenty Times the reason for Paudel’s resignation was “due to personal reasons and changing priorities”.

The byelection would likely cost $22,950, Golding said.

The statement said a byelection must be held because it was more than 12 months before the next local body election in 2025.

Anish Paudel received 523 votes in the October 2022 local body elections and was elected to the board alongside Dale Snell (959), Kassie Ellis (940) and Karen Summerhays (937).

Te Puke residents will be able to nominate a candidate for the vacant seat from Thursday.

To be eligible, candidates must be enrolled as a parliamentary elector, be a New Zealand citizen and be nominated by two electors in the Te Puke Community Board area.

If more than one nomination is received when nominations close at midday on September 7, a postal ballot will be held for the Te Puke electors.

There are about 7400 eligible voters in the area.

Voting will run from October 12 to midday on November 3.

Byelection key dates and information

August 10: Nominations open

September 7: Nominations close

October 12: Voting opens

November 3: Voting closes at midday

Nomination papers will be available from:

• Te Puke Library and Service Centre, 130 Jellicoe Street
• Western Bay of Plenty District Council’s main office on Barkes Corner, 1484 Cameron Road, Greerton, Tauranga
• westernbay.govt.nz
• Electoral 0800 number – 0800 922 822